The Download: an organ transplant breakthrough, and homegrown Chinese chips
MIT Technology Review reports on a breakthrough in organ preservation using sub-zero cooling to prevent ice formation. The newsletter also covers China's efforts to develop domestic semiconductor capabilities and the growing environmental debate surrounding space-based data centers.
Why it matters
Advancements in organ storage could significantly increase the availability of transplantable organs, while the geopolitical race for chip independence remains a critical factor in global tech stability.
Plus: Space data centers don’t exist yet, but people already oppose them.
This is today's edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
When it comes to organ donation, time is everything. As soon as an organ has been removed from a donor’s body, it starts to deteriorate. Surgeons have only a matter of hours to get it into a recipient. In most cases, organs will be kept on ice during that time, at around 4 °C (39 °F). They cannot be frozen—in previous attempts, ice has formed, causing all kinds of damage.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in