GoKawiilMIT Technology Review tests six 'imminent' technologies and reflects on biotech coverage gaps
MIT Technology Review published a special 'Impossible' issue evaluating six long-promised technologies, from exercise pills to nuclear-powered spacecraft, asking experts what progress has been made and what still blocks them. Separately, biotech columnist Jessica Hamzelou wrote about attending a screening of a documentary on Elizabeth Holmes, using it to question the limits of science journalism's ability to fully verify claims. The outlet also asked subscribers to vote on the next topic for its Roundtables discussion series.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The multi-part series suggests MIT Technology Review is positioning itself to offer a skeptical, long-view check on hype cycles in emerging tech, which could shape how readers assess future breakthrough claims. Hamzelou's reflection implies that journalists covering science may need to be more cautious about accepting polished narratives at face value, a concern she ties directly to lessons from the Holmes case.
- MIT Technology Review's 'Impossible' issue examines six long-promised technologies and their real progress.
- A columnist used a new Elizabeth Holmes documentary to raise broader questions about science journalism's blind spots.
- Readers are being asked to vote on the next Roundtables discussion topic, choosing between cognitive longevity and lunar city feasibility.
Source: technologyreview.com — Thomas Macaulay, 2026-10-23
Published there as: “The Download: testing six tech promises and biotech’s blind spots”
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