MIT Technology Review's newsletter highlights two stories: one on the difficulty AI systems face in reliably refusing dangerous requests, such as help with pathogens or weapons, and another summarizing emerging research into side effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, including possible links to hair loss, nail disorders and eye nerve damage. The AI piece notes that restricting dangerous capabilities also risks limiting useful applications like cancer research, while giving governments power to set their own boundaries on speech.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-10-09
GLP-1 agonist drugs, approved for diabetes, kidney disease and obesity, are being used by a growing share of Americans, with a recent Gallup poll finding 11% currently take one for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024. Beyond common gastrointestinal issues, pancreatitis and gallstones, researchers and lawsuits are examining rarer possible effects including eye nerve damage, plus emerging questions about hair and nail changes.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-10-09
Researchers studying brain volume in chimpanzees and gorillas found that, unlike human brains, these great ape brains do not lose significant mass as the animals grow older. The comparison suggests age-related brain shrinkage seen in humans is not a universal feature of ape aging.
nature.com
· 2026-10-09
Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company known for Ozempic and Wegovy, is rebranding itself as simply 'Novo' starting this week. The move shifts the company's public identity toward a shorter, more casual name as it markets directly to consumers rather than solely to healthcare providers.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-16
The Guardian gathered reader accounts describing how GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro have reshaped family dynamics, with many users hiding their use out of shame. Several described feeling they had 'cheated' at weight loss, straining relationships with partners, children and friends who didn't know about the medication.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-12
A growing number of children and teenagers with obesity or type 2 diabetes are being prescribed GLP-1 medications, drugs originally developed for adults. Physicians and researchers say long-term safety and developmental effects of these treatments in younger patients remain largely unstudied.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-12
Major AI companies are accelerating efforts to build superintelligent systems, pushing timelines and resources into overdrive despite unresolved safety and control questions. The push reflects competitive pressure among leading labs to be first to achieve transformative AI capabilities.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-11
Chinese pharmaceutical companies, once known mainly for producing cheap generic medicines, are now developing original obesity and weight-loss drugs aimed at competing with Western blockbusters like Ozempic and Wegovy. Several firms are advancing candidates through clinical trials and striking licensing deals with major international drugmakers.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-11
Researchers testing a GLP-1 receptor agonist, the class of drug behind popular weight-loss treatments, observed that female mice given the compound showed slower markers of biological ageing compared to untreated mice. The effect was notably more pronounced in females than in males in the study.
nature.com
· 2026-09-02
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