The constant is change

For the past 22 years, we’ve been publishing an yearly database of the 10 biggest breakthrough technologies. In 2018, we defined a breakthrough as “a technology, oregon possibly adjacent a postulation of technologies, that volition person a profound effect connected our lives.” That’s beauteous broad! But it gets astatine the bosom of what we effort to identify: transformative, world-changing technologies.  

I emotion digging done our backmost catalogue and perusing the lists from erstwhile years due to the fact that you tin spot that alteration happening. The lists are fascinating snapshots of the improvement of large tech breakthroughs. They papers the advancement we person made successful galore of the halfway areas astatine the intersection of subject and engineering—energy, AI, biotech, quantum computing, and clime tech, to sanction a few. 

But they are besides snapshots of the times we unrecorded in. Last twelvemonth I wrote that I would beryllium pleased if we did not request to see thing covid-19-related connected this year’s list. In the erstwhile 2 years mRNA vaccines, integer interaction tracing, covid treatments, and variant tracking had made the list—all grim reminders of the severity of the pandemic. But it was precisely this progression of technologies that helped us, finally, statesman to bushed covid-19 backmost to the constituent wherever we tin unrecorded with immoderate consciousness of normalcy again. 

While we don’t person a covid-related exertion connected the database this year, determination are different reminders of the monumental challenges we face. There is the ongoing warfare successful Ukraine. Abortion entree has been constricted successful galore states and banned successful respective others. We proceed to look headwinds arsenic we effort to marque advancement against clime change. 

Some of the items connected the list—such arsenic the widening availability of subject drones—aren’t precisely bully news. One of the much absorbing discussions we had putting this year’s database unneurotic was astir whether oregon not we should see technologies that are designed, literally, to termination people. But ultimately, inclusion is not an endorsement arsenic overmuch arsenic it is simply a connection astir the imaginable interaction of a technology. 

There are besides existent reasons for optimism related to different things we spot happening. We’re making advancement successful helping humans unrecorded longer, healthier lives with tools specified arsenic CRISPR and the imaginable to nutrient organs connected demand. We’re besides getting amended astatine recycling batteries and making EVs genuinely applicable alternatives to gas-powered cars. 

Finally, immoderate of my favourite things connected the database this twelvemonth are the ones that conscionable animate a consciousness of awe and wonderment astatine the scope of quality achievement. The James Webb Space Telescope, for example, was a no-brainer to include. So was image-generating AI—which successful the coming years volition person implications for each sorts of applications beyond conscionable creating art.  And portion the quality to analyse past DNA has the imaginable to unlock galore caller technological discoveries, it’s besides conscionable beauteous cool. Neanderthal DNA! 

I anticipation you bask this issue. And successful the coming weeks, we volition person adjacent much for you to cheque retired astatine technologyreview.com—including a canvass wherever you tin ballot connected what you deliberation the 11th breakthrough exertion should be. 

One past note: If you bask our sum and deliberation others whitethorn too, delight see giving a acquisition subscription. You tin bash truthful astatine technologyreview.com/join.

Thank you for reading,

Mat