Revolutionary Innovations of 2023: Pioneering Technologies Set to Transform Tomorrow

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Each year, the editors of the MIT Technology Review assemble a list of 10 groundbreaking technologies that they anticipate will influence the future. On this year’s list – robotaxis, solutions for cow burps, and the biggest digital camera ever constructed for astronomy. These are only a few of the significant concepts in this year’s compilation, and one of the editors, Amy Nordrum, is here to discuss it. Amy Nordrum, it’s great to have you back on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

AMY NORDRUM: Thank you – it’s a pleasure to be here.

KELLY: To start with, let’s discuss robotaxis since I have been hearing a lot about them from friends and acquaintances on the West Coast. These vehicles are already cruising all over LA and San Francisco. I understand that you are predicting they will expand their reach even more this year.

NORDRUM: Yes, you are completely correct. For several years, numerous robotaxi companies have been gathering data in various communities and trialing these services. However, it is now increasingly possible to request one of these rides in many cities worldwide that operate entirely autonomously without a safety driver. We believe this will become progressively common in the upcoming years.

KELLY: Have you had the opportunity to ride in one yet?

NORDRUM: I did take a ride in one. About a year ago, I rode in a Waymo, and I was quite amazed by the experience. It was very smooth, and it was fascinating to watch the car navigate different situations, handle curves, and deal with pedestrians or bicycles crossing its path. Just last summer, Waymo opened its services to everyone, so there is no longer a waiting list. Anyone visiting San Francisco can test it out for themselves.

KELLY: All right – moving on to cow burps (laughter). What’s the solution for cow burps? This relates to climate change.

NORDRUM: Correct. The issue being addressed by several companies is that cows, when they burp – and they do so frequently – release methane, which is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. This is actually one of the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Because of this, efforts have been made for years to encourage people to consume less meat, which is still a valid idea, but it’s challenging to make people switch. As global wealth increases, beef consumption is likely to rise as well. Thus, some companies are developing supplements that can be added to a cow’s food or water to significantly reduce methane emissions right from the beginning.

KELLY: Although these supplements come at a high cost, imposing an additional burden on farmers. Are there signs indicating that farmers will actually invest in them – any motivations for them?

NORDRUM: Without a policy mandating emission reductions or any form of economic benefit from their use, it may be difficult to persuade farmers to adopt these. Denmark is testing this approach. Their parliament has approved a plan to tax farmers based on the emissions from their farms starting in 2030, which includes a rebate for those who utilize methane-reducing supplements. There are also companies like Rumin8 claiming that their supplements can enhance the cows’ production of milk and meat, which could provide a commercial incentive. However, convincing farmers to adopt this technology remains a significant challenge.

KELLY: Intriguing. Now, for the final topic – you wrote about this enormous telescope being constructed on a mountain in Chile. This is the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Why are astronomers so eager about this project?

NORDRUM: This is a monumental undertaking. It has been in progress for over a decade and is set to take its initial images around the middle of this year. With backing from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, astronomers aim to conduct a thorough survey of the Southern Sky employing this instrument. This project will last for 10 years, and every night, the observatory will capture photos of the sky, repeatedly photographing the same areas and covering the entire sky every few nights.

They hope to utilize this data to create the most detailed 3D map of the Milky Way, our galaxy, as well as produce a type of time-lapse video of the sky, enabling them to observe how celestial objects dim, brighten, or move over time. This could result in remarkable discoveries, possibly revealing billions of new stars and galaxies, and providing more insights into topics like dark matter and dark energy, which remain largely unknown to us.

KELLY: Amy Nordrum, I believe this marks the third consecutive year that I’ve spoken with you about this list, which prompts me to seek an update on how the past selections have performed. Did the groundbreaking technologies you highlighted in the previous years really achieve breakthrough status?

NORDRUM: That’s a reasonable question. For instance, last year we featured the Apple Vision Pro, a consumer device, a headset that Apple was preparing to release around this time, and it has received mixed reviews. Apple hasn’t sold as many units as they anticipated. Consequently, we certainly have had some mixed results. Others – there was another item on the list labeled AI for everything, which discussed the integration of artificial intelligence into numerous services and applications that we utilize online daily. I would assert that one was much closer to the mark.

KELLY: Oh, that one definitely hit the target.

NORDRUM: Precisely.

KELLY: That’s Amy Nordrum, executive editor at the MIT Technology Review. Thank you very much. Wishing you a happy 2025.

NORDRUM: Thanks. Happy New Year. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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