Overview of 10 breakthrough technologies to expect in 2026 (Shortwave — NPR)
This episode of Shortwave (NPR) features Regina Barber interviewing Amy Nordrum from MIT Technology Review about the publication’s 2026 list of "10 Breakthrough Technologies." The interview highlights technologies expected to have high impact — both positive and negative — in the coming years, with special attention to AI-related advances plus notable developments in energy, space, biotech, and conservation.
Key takeaways
- MIT Technology Review’s list focuses on high‑impact advances that can change how we live and work — for better or worse.
- AI dominates a large portion of the list this year, but the list also calls attention to important developments in batteries, space, gene editing, nuclear power, infrastructure, and conservation genetics.
- Several items raise strong ethical, regulatory, economic and equity questions (e.g., personalized gene editing and embryo scoring).
- Some technologies are near-term (AI data centers, private space stations, next‑gen nuclear, sodium‑ion batteries); others are emerging and require careful oversight (personalized gene editing, embryo scoring, gene resurrection).
The technologies discussed (concise descriptions)
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Sodium‑ion batteries
- Alternative battery chemistry using abundant sodium instead of lithium.
- Potential benefits: easier production, lower supply‑chain risk, and — with scale — much lower cost (analysts estimate eventual production costs could be ~1/3 of lithium‑ion).
- Current status: not yet cheaper than lithium‑ion; scaling needed.
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Private space stations / commercial space habitats
- A wave of private, smaller space stations is planned to replace the ISS over time.
- They may offer research access, private astronaut flights, and luxury experiences (designer interiors, branded suits).
- Potential impacts: more research opportunities (pharma, electronics), broader international access, and tourism/commercial markets.
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Personalized gene editing (base editing)
- Example cited: a May 2025 treatment where a newborn (referred to as KJ) received a bespoke base‑editing therapy to correct a specific DNA misspelling.
- Base editing can rewrite individual DNA letters rather than cut genes.
- Concerns: long‑term safety unknown, extreme cost (estimates ~$800k–$1M for the case cited), regulatory oversight and follow‑up needed.
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Embryo scoring (polygenic embryo selection)
- IVF companies are beginning to offer embryo scoring beyond disease screening — claiming to predict traits like intelligence, height, eye color.
- Scientific limits: many human traits are polygenic and probabilistic; predictions are uncertain.
- Ethical concerns: potential slide toward eugenics, inequality, and commodification of reproductive choice.
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Next‑generation nuclear reactors
- New designs aim to be smaller, faster to build, use different fuels/coolants, and cost less than traditional reactors.
- Positioned as a low‑carbon power option to meet growing electricity demand.
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AI data centers (infrastructure)
- New class of massive facilities optimized for AI workloads using large numbers of GPUs and specialized cooling.
- Represent a distinct infrastructure challenge with implications for energy demand and data center design.
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Gene resurrection / ancient gene reintroduction
- Not full "de‑extinction" of organisms like mammoths but reintroducing ancient genes into modern species to boost genetic diversity or climate resilience.
- Often framed for conservation benefits rather than literal resurrection of extinct megafauna.
Notable quotes / framing
- Amy Nordrum on the list’s purpose: the list looks for “high‑impact advances that we think will change the way we live and work in the future — for better, potentially … and for worse.”
- On personalized gene editing: the episode stresses this is “the first of its kind” (personalized base editing) and that outcomes and long‑term safety remain to be observed.
Implications, risks, and ethical issues
- Equity and access
- High costs of personalized treatments and commercial embryo services risk widening health and social inequality.
- Safety and oversight
- Gene editing (especially novel base editors) requires long‑term monitoring and robust regulatory review.
- Societal and ethical concerns
- Embryo scoring raises eugenics‑adjacent worries and challenges around informed consent and realistic expectation setting.
- Environmental and supply-chain impacts
- Sodium‑ion could reduce reliance on environmentally harmful lithium mining and concentrated supply chains.
- Energy and infrastructure
- AI data centers and new nuclear builds require careful planning for energy supply, cooling, and siting.
- Biodiversity consequences
- Gene resurrection interventions must be evaluated for ecological impacts and unintended consequences.
Recommended actions / considerations
- Policymakers and regulators:
- Strengthen oversight and long‑term follow‑up requirements for personalized gene therapies.
- Clarify governance and limits around embryo scoring and reproductive genetic services.
- Plan energy policy to accommodate growth of AI data centers and evaluate roles for next‑gen nuclear.
- Industry:
- Prioritize transparency on predictions and limits for polygenic embryo services.
- Invest in scaling sustainable battery technologies (e.g., sodium‑ion) with attention to lifecycle impacts.
- Researchers and conservationists:
- Test gene‑rescue approaches carefully with ecological risk assessment and conservation priorities at the center.
- Public and funders:
- Support equitable access initiatives for breakthrough medical treatments and renewable energy storage.
Where to learn more
- MIT Technology Review — “10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2026” (full list and writeups).
- Shortwave (NPR) episodes linked in the show notes: prior year’s top 10 tech episode and the episode on building structures in space.
If you want a one‑line summary: MIT Tech Review’s 2026 list highlights a mix of near‑term infrastructure and energy shifts (sodium‑ion batteries, AI data centers, next‑gen nuclear), a commercialization push in space, and powerful but ethically fraught biotech advances (personalized base editing, embryo scoring, and gene‑rescue efforts).