Another year is coming to a close, so lets look back at the MIT Technology Review stories that resonated most with you, our readers. We published hundreds of stories in 2024, about AI, climate tech, biotech, robotics, space, and more. There were six new issues of our magazine, on themes including food, play, and hidden worlds. We launched two newsletters, to share tech industry analysis from our editor in chief and to step people through the basics of AI. And we hosted 11 exclusive conversations with our editors and experts in our subscriber-only event series, Roundtables. What did people enjoy most? Heres a quick look at some of the stories that performed best with our audience: 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2024 Every year as we compile this annual list, we look for promising technologies poised to have a real impact on the world. It represents the advances that we think matter most, and the 2024 edition included weight-loss drugs, chiplets, and the first gene-editing treatment. The 2025 list is dropping in early January. To find out what made the cut, join us for a special live Roundtables event, Unveiling the 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2025, on Friday, January 3, at 12:30 p.m. ET. This is a subscriber-only event. Register to attend or subscribe for access.) What is AI? Everyone thinks they know, but no one can agree. Senior editor Will Douglas Heaven explored the problem in this in-depth feature storyand explained why it matters for all of our futures. He covers the origins of modern AI and digs into the ongoing debate among experts about this technologys capabilities and potential. The AI Hype Index Theres no denying AI moves fast, and it can be hard to know whats worth your attention. Thats why we started plotting everything you need to know about the state of AI in a new matrix, along axes that run from Hype to Real and Doom to Utopia. What are AI agents? Major tech companies are now developing AI tools that can do more complex tasks, like sending emails or booking plane tickets, on your behalf. Heres how they will work. Super-efficient solar cells: 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2024 Solar cells that combine traditional silicon with cutting-edge perovskites could push the efficiency of solar panels to new heights. Thats why we put them on our list of the 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2024. Happy birthday, baby! What the future holds for those born today As part of our 125th anniversary issue, contributor Kara Platoni spoke with a dozen experts to sketch out how technology might influence the life of someone born today over the next 125 years. The messy quest to replace drugs with electricity In the 2010s, the field of electroceuticals was born, attracting much fanfare and investment. Contributor Sally Adee explored how the field fizzled and how its being revived as an effort to turn gene expression on and off with electric fields. 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch For the second annual edition of this list, our reporters and editors chose 15 companies from around the world that we think have the best shot at making a difference on climate change. Weight-loss drugs: 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2024 Drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have quickly become embedded into American life. In 2024, they even earned a place on our 10 Breakthrough Technologies list. The long-term implications are unknown, but plenty of people are using semaglutides anyway, and many lose around 15% of their body weight. Don't miss out on even more emerging technology coverage and subscriber-only stories.Subscribe today for unlimited accessto expert insights that you can't find anywhere else.

Emily Schildt, 37, is a veteran brand marketer and CEO of Pop Up Grocer, a boutique grocery store.Pop Up Grocer, which has been called NYC's answer to Erewhon, has plans to expand across the US.Its success thanks to Gen Z viewing a pantry stocked with pricey snacks as a status symbol.Emily Schildt is a millennial, but if you peeked into her pantry, you could easily mistake her for Gen Z.Bank of America reported Gen Z customers spent more at premium grocery stores than any other generation in 2024. Younger consumers are more likely to buy luxury grocery items as they become priced out of more expensive purchases, like a house or designer handbag.Schildt, 37, gets the hype. The self-proclaimed "peanut butter connoisseur" currently has two spreads on rotation in her Brooklyn home: One Trick Pony Nuts, a peanut butter made of Argentine peanuts and Patagonian sea salt, and Pistakio's pistachio spread. Together the two jars retail at over $25.Schildt, the CEO of Pop Up Grocer, is accustomed to the price of luxury condiments. She launched the boutique grocery store in 2019 to spotlight the newest modern food and beverage brands. Schildt founded Pop Up Grocer in 2019. Brian Bills The brand's first brick-and-store opened last year in the West Village. TikTokers dubbed Pop Up Grocer as New York City's answer to Erewhon an upscale market chain in Los Angeles known as a celebrity hotspot and for pricing essentials like milk for $20.Schildt was working as marketer for small food companies and saw firsthand how difficult it was for her clients to succeed at large retailers."You can obviously have a great product and a wonderful story to tell, but ultimately, it was really difficult, if not impossible, to find a shelf on which to sell your product," Schildt said.That realization led her to launch Pop Up Grocer in 2019. Schildt told Business Insider, "I started as a single pop-up store here in New York and it was just 10 days long and it was really successful. So we went on to do nine more of those." Pop up Grocer raised a $3 million seed round in 2021.Now, the company has evolved into a permanent store. Schildt said the store, which opened in 2023, has been successful "in terms of year-over-year growth.""We have been fortunate to operate every unit since our start profitably," she said, adding "I'm very proud and excited about that.""Now we are putting plans in place and making inroads to open a second store," she said.Gen Z is redefining groceries as a luxuryThe last four years haven't been without challenges.First, there was the not-so-small hurdle of launching Pop Up Grocer during a worldwide pandemic. "It was wild," Schildt said, adding that she felt it has had a lasting impact on consumers.People might be more "flush with cash" nowadays, she said, but "they're being very reserved about how they're spending it."However, one demographic isn't afraid of splurging on pantry products: Gen Z. BI previously reported that Gen Zers are spending more on expensive snacks, food, and beverages than ever. Schildt echoed this, telling BI the generation has redefined groceries as "a more accessible luxury product." Pop Up Grocer plans to expand to more brick-and-mortar stores. Brian Bills "A $20 Hailey Bieber smoothie from Erewhon might give you some clout among your peers and social audience," she said. Similarly, at Pop Up Grocer, some of the most expensive snacks have the highest sales in revenue.A $20 Coconut Cult yogurt is small potatoes compared to a luxury handbag, but it still gives you a feeling of indulgence, Schildt said.The Sephora of Food RetailLike many CEOs, Schildt does some of her best problem-solving and ideating on the shop floor."I learned that I didn't really know my customers at all until, you know, I sat in our caf for a week and watched how people use the store, what they're buying, and how they interact with our team."It's a strategy that Schildt used long before she opened the first Pop Up Grocer store. When asked about the Erewhon comparisons, Schildt said, "Erewhon is my Mecca," adding, "I went many times as a point of inspiration for starting my business. To go in there and to find camel milk as a concept was really sort of inspiring."In the aisles of Erewhon, Schildt asked herself: "If I'm using the store in this way for discovery and inspiration, why isn't there a store that is created specifically for that purpose?" Schildt wants Pop Up Grocer to be the Sephora of grocery stores. Brian Bill Enter Pop Up Grocer."Ultimately, our goal is to be the Sephora, if you will, of food and beverage, of grocery," she said, "a place for discovering new brands and new products, for prioritizing, as a company, new brands and underrepresented and under-resourced founders across the US."Aspirational grocery shopping is a promising market for Schildt to bet her success on. Erewhon made an estimated profit of $171 million last year and told Bloomberg it averages four times the annual revenue per square foot of other groceries. Bayley & Sage, a luxury independent grocery store in London, saw a 29% increase in revenue last year, according to the Financial Times. Schildt wouldn't say where she plans to open the next Pop Up Grocer, though Los Angeles, a hub for the rich and famous of America, does seem like a logical next step.If Pop up Grocer does head west, Erewhon should brace for some friendly competition, which Schildt said is necessary to grow the category."The more the merrier," she added.

Madeleine White's pajama brand faced backlash over pricing and material quality.She took the website down and relaunched it seven months later with higher quality and lower prices.White told BI building back trust with her audience is the most important thing for her.Madeleine White learned what happens when your brand is a huge miss with your fans the hard way.When she launched her pajama brand, See You Tomorrow, in May, White was thrilled because designing fashion was all she ever wanted.But the launch went awry. Fans didn't like the price point or the materials used in many of the garments, leading to cries that White was out of touch and had lost the authenticity she had grown her millions of followers for."It was always a dream starting my own business," White told Business Insider. "But I could not have been prepared for how difficult it's been.A clothing launch backfiresWhite started making content after she lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to learn how to use a sewing machine.Using her decade of experience in modeling, White became known for sharing thrifting videos and industry insights.On Instagram, she now has 1.6 million followers, and on TikTok, she has 4.7 million.But after See You Tomorrow launched, fans lamented that she'd forgotten her roots.White's aim was always to create a brand that would resonate with her followers: one that wasn't budget or fast fashion but also wasn't high-end and unaffordable.But while things started off well with over half a million visitors on the website, customers felt See You Tomorrow fell short on price point and quality."I feel like her original fan base have nothing in common with her current ventures," one said on the InfluencerSnark subreddit.Under one Reddit post showing a $145 pajama set, customers said they weren't too eager about the price or the materials."They're cute, and I've been trying to focus on a smaller but more quality wardrobe, so the price didn't immediately turn me off," one said. "$145 for 100% polyester is absolutely insane though.""She should get backlash for this, because choosing fast fashion materials but selling it at a high-end price is wild," wrote another. "Were this made from cotton satin or even a cotton silk voile it would be worth it. It would be sustainable."White told BI she was aware of the complaints immediately and decided to take action. She took the site down and started rethinking the entire brand."We went back to the drawing board after a couple of days," she said. "I decided that unless I could fix most of these concerns that people had and really give it a proper shot, then it wasn't really worth continuing the business." Madeleine White immediately acted when fans didn't like her clothing brand launch. See You Tomorrow 7 months laterWhite didn't want to make any announcements while things were in flux, which was hard to do with so many fans eager to know what was happening.Seven months later, in December, See You Tomorrow relaunched with new, higher-quality pieces and lower prices."I decided to bet on myself and put my money where my mouth is and to create the product that I wanted to make," she said. "I trusted my instincts that something wasn't right and that we could do better and we are doing better."White had to find new manufacturers and pay for everything herself. She said that though it was hard, she's glad she took that leap of faith."I felt like it would be so much more powerful to my audience if I could prove to them that I actually cared about their opinions and I cared about that feedback," White said."It's easy to say, I'm so sorry, I fucked up," she added. "But it's much better to say I'm so sorry, I fucked up, and here is how I fixed it." Madeleine White relaunched See You Tomorrow 7 months after an initial flop. See You Tomorrow White told BI that the last few years have been a mad rush because she was so eager to start her own brand. In hindsight, she would have spent longer researching what she wanted to do and not taken the first offer that came along, she said."It was definitely an eye-opener," she said.Trust is everythingWhite posted a TikTok this month explaining everything. She said what was most important to her out of everything was building trust again with her audience.It seemed to pay off, with followers thanking her for her transparency and applauding her for listening to their concerns. @madeleine_white What happened to @See you tomorrow original sound - Madeleine White White said she doesn't care if she sells one product or a thousand with this new launch she just wants to repair her relationship with her supporters."I've definitely learned just how badly launching a brand that people don't like can hurt your public image," she said. "It just goes to show how important it is for us as people with large followings to do things right."She said she's also learned that people are happy to pay for quality as long as they know how a price point was reached.White said influencers are held to a high standard, but ultimately, she sees that as a good thing."It just makes the brand better," she said. "I've learned so much, and I've definitely learned not to put my name on anything until I'm 100% happy with it."

A Russian-flagged cargo vessel has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea, per Russia's foreign ministry.The Ursa Major ship went down after an explosion in the engine room, the ministry said.It comes after Ukraine said Moscow had sent four ships to Russian military bases in Syria.A Russian-flagged cargo vessel has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea after an explosion in its engine room, Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.Fourteen crew members were rescued, but two were missing, the ministry's situation and crisis unit said in a Telegram post.A map posted alongside the statement suggested that the vessel's location was between Aguilas in southern Spain and the Algerian port city of Oran.The ministry said the vessel, the Ursa Major, was owned by SK-YUG LLC, a Russian shipping company also known as SC South that has been sanctioned by the US.Ship tracking data said the 466-foot vessel, built in 2009, last departed from St. Petersburg on December 11.It comes after Ukraine's intelligence directorate reported on Monday that a Russian cargo ship called Sparta had broken down near Portugal after the engine failed.The GUR said the ship had been sent to evacuate Russian weapons and equipment from Syria.The crew was able to fix the vessel, and it continued on through the Strait of Gibraltar, the GUR said.It remains unclear whether the Sparta and the Ursa Major are the same ship. Maritime tracking data shows that the Ursa Major was previously named Sparta III.Moscow has operated two military facilities in Syria, the Hmeimin airbase and the Tartus naval base. Both have been crucial for projecting Russia's influence across the Middle East and Africa.The fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar Assad earlier this month has called the future of the bases into question.Ukraine's GUR said earlier this month that Russia had deployed four ships to help evacuate equipment in Syria, including ships named the Sparta and Sparta II.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Innovations in Public Spaces: Gardens, Plazas, and Landscape Parks of 2024Presented by:Save this picture!Beitang Street Section of the Grand Canal in Wuxi / ShangHai Daguan + Zebai Landscape. Image Jin XiaohuiIn a quest to enhance and attract new natural experiences to city centers, the design, planning, and revitalization of certain urban spaces align with strategies aimed at improving the quality of life for residents while maintaining a connection with nature rooted in the local landscape. Through technical solutions for wastewater treatment and stormwater drainage, improved accessibility, incorporation of recreational activities, introduction of native vegetation, and more, numerous parks, plazas, and gardens are integrated into urban and rural fabrics. These efforts seek to filter pollution, purify the air, address social issues, and promote experiences that foster connections between nature, biodiversity, and society.During 2024, various architectural practices worldwide have been developing public space projects that consolidate areas for gathering, leisure, and the extension of nature, aiming to revitalize, renew, and/or connect sites for the community's enjoyment and well-being. While projects such as the Simone Veil Bridge, designed by OMA / Rem Koolhaas and Chris van Duijn, or the Polinature installation by Belinda Tato and Jos Luis Vallejo of Ecosistema Urbano have already been inaugurated to introduce new urban spaces or address the effects of climate change, strengthening the relationship between humanity, the built environment, and nature remains a long journey ahead, looking toward 2025 and beyond. Numerous initiatives, innovations, and tools are yet to be explored, aiming to create attractive, livable, and sustainable environments where people can contemplate and reconnect with nature.Below, discover the projects of parks, squares, gardens, and public spaces built in urban environments during 2024. Related Article Contemporary Public Spaces: 11 Projects That Inspire New Ideas Villahermosa Boardwalk / Taller de Arquitectura - Mauricio Rocha + TaAU + Alejandro CastroSave this picture!The urban and architectural proposal for the Malecn de Villahermosa in Mexico aimed to restore the connection between the population and the natural environment of the Grijalva River. Spanning 6 linear kilometers on both sides of the river, the intervention included a pedestrian walkway with panoramic views of the river, various recreational and sports areas, children's playgrounds, pavilions, and buildings for restaurants and kiosks, all harmoniously integrated with the natural landscape.Bentway Staging Grounds / Agency-Agency + SHEEEPSave this picture!Bentway Staging Grounds is a new public infrastructure located in Toronto, Canada, that merges art and education, public space, and experimentation. It repositions the unused space beneath the Gardiner Expressway as an environmental regeneration area. This transformation turns the vacant space into a living laboratory aimed at educating visitors about urban ecology and stormwater management.Piazza Matteotti Public Gardens / Pool landscapeSave this picture!The proposal for the requalification of the public gardens of Piazza Matteotti reimagined a historic early 20th-century site, altered by subsequent interventions, to restore a new identity to the entrance of the historic center of Castiglion Fiorentino (Arezzo, Tuscany). The design focuses on simplifying and prioritizing the elements of the space, with vegetation taking center stage as the main feature.Jingyue Central Park / SHUISHISave this picture!Jingyue Central Park, known as the "ecological green lung" of the Jingyue High-Tech Zone in Changchun City, runs from north to south and extends from east to west, becoming a central node in the urban green space system that connects citizens, the city, and nature. Through green valleys, bodies of water, activity spaces, and under the viaduct, the project transforms vacant municipal land into an urban green lung.Stork Meadowk Nature Park / C.F. Mller ArchitectsSave this picture!The climate adaptation project in Vorup, near Randers, aims to address the current and future climate challenges in the city by transforming the adjacent natural area, Storkeengen, into a public natural park. By integrating climate resilience strategies, the park brings Denmark's only natural delta along its longest river closer to the center of Randers and its residents.Hop Park, Green Pop-up Hop into the Greeniverse / Shma Company LimitedSave this picture!Hop Park in Thailand encourages the creation of a low-maintenance green space with minimal alterations to the original structure. The goal is to demonstrate how green spaces can seamlessly integrate into daily life, fostering meeting points and providing a pleasant environment for passersby, an approach that could be adapted to other areas as well.Rita Lee Park - Legacy of the Olympic Park / Ecomimesis Solues EcolgicasSave this picture!As the main venue for the 2016 Olympic Games, the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, was designed to adapt its structure for new uses after the Games. The proposal involved converting the Olympic Way, the Live Site, and the Garden Terraces into a public park with green areas, vegetation coverage, and active spaces celebrating the vibrant Carioca life and culture. This transformation sought to enhance the site's natural landscape and establish the area as a prominent leisure destination for the city.Save this picture!The Immersive Resilience Garden presents a space that immerses visitors in a 360-degree natural experience within Ttuksom Han River Park, one of the most visited recreational areas in Seoul. The goal is to enhance public engagement by providing a serene escape from artificial visual overload, allowing visitors to reconnect with nature.Soft Square in Changshou Village / ZXD ArchitectsSave this picture!In the village of Changshou, located in the Pingshan district of Shenzhen, the architectural installation "Soft Square" has been developed. This large woven rope net structure over a pond creates a spacious plaza, becoming a new public space for the village. The proposal accommodates daily rural life, integrates tourism and entertainment functions, and also holds spiritual, cultural, and social significance, offering a unique experience for both tourists and residents.Piazza Cortevecchia / INOUT architetturaSave this picture!The redevelopment project of Piazza Cortevecchia, in the heart of the historic center of Ferrara, recognizes a void that can be traversed, flexible, and spontaneously colonized, suitable for events, installations, activities, small food and wine markets, shows, and more. Additionally, it is conceived as a green oasis where trees become the protagonists of the public space.Beitang Street Section of the Grand Canal in Wuxi / ShangHai Daguan + Zebai LandscapeSave this picture!Located at the intersection of the old canal in the Beitang section of Wuxi and the current Grand Canal, the design of the project focuses on the long, narrow strip of urban roads and river embankments. It integrates with water conservation infrastructure, connects historical remnants and green spaces with the urban slow traffic system, and establishes a dialogue with the surrounding communities. In this way, it enhances the appeal of the waterfront space by restoring the memory and emotional connection between the Grand Canal and the people.Sentosa Sensoryscape / Serie Architects + Multiply ArchitectsSave this picture!Sentosa Sensoryscape is a sensory walk through Sentosa Island in Singapore. The project is designed as a universally accessible and step-free corridor allowing visitors to move comfortably.Pier 22 / Mostlikely ArchitectureSave this picture!Consolidating a meeting point for the entire city, the new Pier 22 emerges as a diverse, high-quality public space for Vienna. After the completion of the first of its three construction phases, the program involves a new quality of public space with inclusive architecture and the democratization of luxury through free services, robust, high-quality materials, and a wide variety of programs.Sistemazione Spazio Pubblico Via Cademario / Enrico Sassi ArchitettoSave this picture!Redefining the public space affected by the redevelopment of the "Via Cademario" road axis, the project is situated on a road link that crosses the historic center of Bioggio. The intervention encompasses a series of public space reconnection/requalification projects and was carried out in synergy with the renovation of the cantonal road that crosses the core. The project includes all spaces designated for pedestrian circulation.Valanko ni Ramat, Play of Curves / Hsc DesignsSave this picture!This proposal in India represents a play space for children made with recycled materials. It envisions five zones linked to the philosophy of the schools teachings, based on the Montessori learning approach. In this way, children learn about independence, life skills, adventures, and taking risks through the challenges of everyday life using tools around them.Realengo Park Susana Naspolini / Ecomimesis Solues EcolgicasSave this picture!In the Realengo neighborhood, located in the western part of Rio de Janeiro, the Realengo Park Susana Naspolini was inaugurated, offering a variety of spaces and uses. Its program combines the needs of the local community with the desires of the mayor, aiming to create an environment that prioritizes and brings users closer to nature, with opportunities for leisure, spaces for meetings, and knowledge exchange for both visitors and residents.This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Year in Review, presented by Gira. Minimalism with character and clear shapes reduced to the essentials. The Gira design lines are suitable for a variety of furnishing styles, in different colours and materials. With the introduction of the Gira E2 light grey recycled material, Gira is setting a strong example for sustainability and innovation in switch design. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorAgustina IiguezAuthorCite: Iiguez, Agustina. "Innovations in Public Spaces: Gardens, Plazas, and Landscape Parks of 2024" [Innovaciones en el espacio pblico: jardines, plazas y parques paisajsticos del 2024] 24 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. (Trans. Pieiro, Antonia ) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024703/innovations-in-public-spaces-gardens-plazas-and-landscape-parks-of-2024&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

When fishing in Fisch, players use various Rods most of the time. But this is not the only way to catch sea creatures. You can find another cheap consumable suitable for this, which can also bring you a unique catch. This guide will detail how to get and use Crab Cages in Fisch.

Batman has apprehended dozens of villains in the Arkhamverse with more than a few of them recurring in multiple installments. Joker has obviously been a persistent thorn to embellish how big of a nuisance he is, for instance, and the Riddler and his informants have somehow always managed to construct the most elaborate traversal challenges and environmental puzzles for Batman to solve. Therefore, if an antagonist has shown up in at least two games and was then absent in another, it instantly raises questions about their whereabouts and demands lore to explain what theyve been up to. Batman: Arkham Shadow is a great follow-up to Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, and it answers some of these questions while raising its own.

Marvel Rivals has received extremely popular feedback from players throughout Season 0 - Dooms' Rise, with everyone getting to know the maps, the heroes, and their abilities, and figuring out which characters best suit their playstyles; and who they will therefore be mainly. However, as players have continued to progress through their initial games and start to participate in climbing the Competitive Play ladder, some have begun to notice that they feel they have very little control over their aim.

Imposter syndrome is a luxury UX cant afford in a rough marketContinue reading on UX Collective

Are you tired of feeling safe and happy all the time? Is your daily life overrun by feelings of security, contentment and peace? Do you want an escape from all of the oppressive niceness around you? Well, look no further these are the games for you.Here, weve collected more than a dozen of the most evocative and disturbing horror games in recent memory. These selections cover a wide range of genres and styles, but each one comes with at least a tinge of unsettling terror. So take a peek, find your game, and prepare your skeleton for some fresh air because youre about to jump out of your skin. Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-horror-games-120029388.html?src=rss