GoKawiilMIT Tech Review names Hertha Metals founder among 35 Under 35 for low-carbon steel process
MIT Technology Review's 2026 list of young innovators highlights Laureen Meroueh, founder of Hertha Metals, who has developed a furnace that converts iron ore directly into refined liquid steel in one step using natural gas instead of coal. The list also spotlights biotech researchers working on vision-restoring gene therapies, brain electrodes, and AI-designed viruses.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Steelmaking is a major source of global industrial carbon emissions, and the process has barely changed since the 19th century, making incremental fixes hard to scale. Meroueh's approach claims to cut emissions by half and costs by a quarter simultaneously, which could remove the usual tradeoff between decarbonization and affordability that has stalled green steel adoption.
- Hertha Metals' furnace merges iron ore purification and liquid steel production into a single natural-gas-fueled step
- The method reportedly cuts emissions by at least 50% and costs by 25% versus traditional coal-based steelmaking
- The innovation was recognized in MIT Technology Review's 2026 list of 35 Innovators Under 35 in the climate and energy category
MIT Technology Review magazine subscription — If stories like the 35 Innovators Under 35 list hook you, the print edition of MIT Technology Review delivers the same deep reporting on biotech, AI, and clean industry all year. It's a great way to keep up with breakthroughs like gene-editing therapies and low-carbon steelmaking beyond the newsletter.
See MIT Technology Review magazine subscription on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: technologyreview.com — Thomas Macaulay, 2026-09-11
Published there as: “The Download: biotech’s future and cheaper, cleaner steel”
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