The Download: faking blood and the future of batteries
This newsletter covers a DARPA project to develop shelf-stable dried blood for battlefield use and WeLion's advancements in high-density battery technology. It also briefly mentions the arrest of an OpenAI engineer and potential anti-aging applications for weight-loss drugs.
Why it matters
These developments represent significant progress in military logistics, energy storage for electric vehicles, and pharmaceutical research.
Plus: The FBI has arrested an OpenAI engineer accused of snooping.
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.
In February 2007, a US military helicopter carrying blood to a field hospital was shot down in Iraq, killing all seven crew members. The mission was a reminder of the risks of transporting blood, which has a limited shelf life and is often in short supply.
Now, a $73 million DARPA effort aims to create shelf-stable versions of plasma, platelets, and red blood cells. The idea is to develop dried blood products that can be stored for long periods and deployed quickly on the battlefield.
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