Americans are seeing their doctors, getting hospital procedures, and filling prescriptions more frequently than economists and budget experts anticipated. Weight loss drugs, in particular, have morphed into their own special category of spending and are pushing budgets across the country to their limits.
Combining an increased amount of care with the country’s high baseline of prices has resulted in the health care system taking up more of the economy, new data show — findings that again reflect people’s widespread discontent with how unaffordable health care has become.
The country spent $5.7 trillion on health care in 2025, a 7.3% increase from 2024, according to the latest government figures published in the journal Health Affairs on Wednesday. That amounted to almost $16,500 per person.
NEW YORK — A judge temporarily blocked federal prosecutors in Texas from getting access to the medical records of transgender patients treated at New York hospitals on Wednesday, saying they were part of an improper government effort to “demonize and eradicate an entire population of transgender” people.
Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled a day after hearing oral arguments in Manhattan, calling the government’s pursuit of the most sensitive medical records of a “uniquely vulnerable group” of patients treated over a six-year period to be “most egregious” and unconstitutional.
A clinical trial testing two drugs against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which is driving a fast-moving outbreak in Central Africa, is set to begin next week, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday.
The clinical trial — which will test both Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug remdesivir and MappBio’s monoclonal antibody MBP-134 — will be conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial is designed to test whether either of the therapies is effective against this form of Ebola, and whether using the two in combination would be a more effective way to combat the disease.
Europe is in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave, and the grid is being pushed to its limits as people turn to fans and air-conditioning to try to stay cool. Some power plants won’t be online to help handle the load.
On June 23, France saw its hottest day since record-keeping began in 1947. Temperatures climbed to over 44 °C (111 °F), and overnight temperatures remained unusually high. This prolonged hot weather warmed up the water in some rivers across the country, a problem for the many nuclear plants that rely on those bodies of water for cooling. One reactor has already shut down, and others are being ramped down or will see limitations later in the week.
Unit two at the Golfech nuclear power plant in southern France shut down at about 11:45 p.m. on June 22 when the river used to cool the plant got too hot. The move was a precautionary measure, according to Brid Nelligan, a spokesperson for EDF, the plant’s owner and operator.
The power plant takes in water from the Garonne River and then returns most of it to the river at slightly higher temperatures after using it to cool equipment. French regulations limit the temperature of that return stream, so the warm water (it was expected to reach 28 °C, or around 82 °F) forced the operator to shut down the plant.
EDF, which operates France’s entire nuclear fleet, is also limiting the output of other reactors across the country—one reactor at the Nogent-sur-Seine power plant was ramped down as of Tuesday, and more will follow later in the week, Nelligan says.
Extreme heat has affected France’s nuclear industry before. At least seven gigawatts’ worth of nuclear energy was forced to shut down across the country during a heat wave in July 2025, according to data from Ember Energy. That’s more than the entire grid of Ireland.
This time, power plant outages and limitations aren’t expected to be drastic enough to affect the ability to meet demand in France, according to RTE, operator of the national electric grid.
Nuclear power has made most of the headlines during this heat wave, but other forms of electricity generation face similar challenges. Hydropower plants frequently run into problems when dry conditions lower the amount of water available to generate energy and force them to decrease or shut off operations. In the first five months of 2025, high temperatures and low water conditions cut hydropower supplies in Europe by 13% compared with the year before.
Even established coal and natural-gas plants can be challenged by high temperatures. Hot weather can stress equipment and limit the efficiency of cooling towers. Five gas plants across the UK have reported output reductions due to the conditions, cutting a total of about 2.5 gigawatts from the power supply.
Increased demand, largely driven by cooling, is the main factor stressing Europe’s power grid, says Jean-Paul Harreman, director of Montel, an energy intelligence provider, via email. Even countries that haven’t historically relied much on cooling technologies are turning to them now—the number of UK homes that use air-conditioning has roughly doubled since 2022.
Around the world, the challenges heat presents for the grid are only expected to get worse as climate change brings more frequent and intense heat waves. Globally, energy use for cooling is set to double by 2050 relative to 2023 levels, according to the International Energy Agency.
“Utilities can adapt by planning for summer peaks, making cooling demand more flexible, reinforcing grids for high temperatures, deploying batteries and demand response, and climate-proofing power plants’ cooling systems,” says Simone Tagliapietra, senior fellow at Bruegel, an economic and policy think tank, via email.
But those changes could be expensive. Earlier this year, EDF shared a climate-change vulnerability assessment for its business, including nuclear and hydropower operations across France. Upgrades are expected to cost about €600 million per year (about $680 million) over the next 15 years.
Meanwhile, high temperatures are expected to continue across much of Europe through the end of the week.
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I’m writing to you from a hotel room in San Diego, four hours before this newsletter is scheduled to send.
I’m also still reeling from this absolutely crazy story my colleague Lizzy Lawrence wrote. Imagine STAT executive editor Rick Berke reading of the top of the story out loud to a group of STAT reporters over dinner at a waterfront restaurant, and my jaw dropping as I realize what’s going on.
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.
Introducing: the Engineering issue
We can’t fix everything, but we can be ambitious. We can take on the challenge of making the world better through human ingenuity. That’s what the new Engineering issue of MIT Technology Review is all about.
Sometimes the challenges we face are giant, like tunneling beneath the seafloor. Some exist at the nanoscale, as with a new ASML machine powering the future of chipmaking. Others represent problems at a planetary scale and in truly unknown territory, like replicating a volcano’s mechanism to cool the Earth on purpose.
These incredible engineering stories show we can come together to get to work and, when the smoke clears, find we’ve made real progress. Subscribe now to read all of them—and more—in the full print issue.
Stripe, Anthropic, and OpenAI are backing an effort to stop respiratory infections
The common cold comes for us all—often more than once a year. And there is no way to prevent it. The best you can do is take vitamin C and stay away from people with the sniffles.
Now, the payment company Stripe is funding a new $500-million nonprofit aiming to prevent both the common cold and the flu. Its eventual goal is to get rid of respiratory viruses altogether.
Anthropic, OpenAI, and Bill Gates have also backed the venture, which will investigate whether modern technologies can counter the common cold and the flu. Dive into the nonprofit’s plans.
—Antonio Regalado
MIT Technology Review Narrated: inside the hunt for the most dangerous asteroid ever
As asteroid 2024 YR4 hurtled toward Earth, astronomers determined that this massive rock posed a higher risk of impact than any object of its size in recorded history. Then, just as quickly as history was made, experts declared that the danger had passed.
This is the inside story of the network of global scientists who found, followed, planned for, and finally dismissed the most dangerous asteroid ever discovered —all under the tightest of timelines and with the highest of stakes.
—Robin George Andrews
This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on Spotifyand Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 China has taken the US’s crown for the world’s fastest supercomputer Shenzhen’s LineShine overtook California’s El Capitan. (Axios) + China had not had a machine at the top of the list since 2017. (NYT $) + But the supercomputer race isn’t geared for AI work. (Reuters $)
2 Mythos reportedly found flaws in classified US government systems A US official said Anthropic’s model identified certain vulnerabilities. (AP News) + The model has now been suspended over US security concerns. (BBC) + The NSA has lost access to Anthropic’s tools in fallout. (Engadget) + The feud raises new questions about AI safety. (MIT Technology Review)
3 A US pilot reported seeing Iranian drones swarm in “jellyfish” formation Which would represent an alarming advance in Iranian drone capabilities. (CNN) + The US is heading toward a drone-filled future. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Mark Zuckerberg directed Meta to create a prediction markets app It will be similar to Polymarket and Kalshi. (NYT $) + But won’t let users wager real money. (The Verge) + Another new app, Meta Photos, will create media with AI. (Reuters $)
5 SpaceX’s “Starfall” just launched a secretive test flight The orbital delivery spacecraft blasted off for the first time yesterday. (Axios) + It could also support space manufacturing. (New Scientist $)
6 Alibaba has sued the US for being linked to the Chinese military It wants to be removed from a Pentagon blacklist. (Reuters $)
7 Nvidia’s banned AI chips have doubled in price on China’s black market The DGX B300 now costs more than $1.1 million. (Financial Times $)
8 Tesla claims a driver “manually overrode self-driving” in a deadly crash It said the accelerator was pressed “all the way to 100%.” (The Verge $)
9 The US science retreat has created an opportunity for Europe But questions about funding and innovation remain. (Nature) + Trump has dealt many blows to US science. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Meta’s new smart glasses ditch Ray-Bans for Kylie Jenner Meta logos and Jenner designs have replaced the Ray-Ban branding. (Wired $)
Quote of the day
“It’s blasphemy against AI if you say it’s a bubble.”
—SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son tells shareholders that the AI boom is still in its early stages, Reuters reports.
One More Thing
ERIK CARTER
Video games are dividing South Korea
They say StarCraft was the game that changed everything. When the science fiction strategy game arrived in South Korea in 1998, it wasn’t just a hit—it was an awakening.
Out of 11 million copies sold worldwide, 4.5 million were in the country. The game was so popular that it triggered another boom: “PC bangs,” pay-as-you-go gaming cafés.
StarCraft and PC bangs spoke to a generation of young South Koreans boxed in by economic anxiety and rising academic pressures. But they also sparked arguments about game addiction. They’ve led to feuds between government departments—and a national debate over policy.
A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ This archive lovingly documents the beautiful design of over 1,700 obsolete objects. + Classic TV theme tunes like Hey Arnold! Have been revived in a musician’s marvellous samples. + Marvel at the mind-boggling geometry of nature and see how bees perfectly construct honeycombs. + Hear the ominous, deeply atmospheric tones of a custom string instrument built inside a plastic drainage pipe.
IntroductionPeripheral nerve injury (PNI) is characterized by limited regenerative capacity and incomplete functional recovery. Schwann cells (SCs) are essential for nerve repair, but their clinical application is constrained by limited availability. Ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs), derived from neural crest lineage, represent a promising alternative; however, their inefficient differentiation into SC-like cells remains a key limitation. This study investigated whether activation of Hedgehog signaling via Sonic hedgehog (Shh) could enhance SC-like differentiation and improve nerve regeneration.MethodsEMSCs were isolated from rat nasal mucosa and transduced with adenoviral vectors to overexpress Shh. SC-like differentiation was assessed using RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. Transcriptomic analysis compared EMSCs with primary SCs. A short-gap rat sciatic nerve defect model was established as an initial proof-of-concept in vivo model, and animals received vehicle, EMSCs, Shh-EMSCs, or autograft treatment. Functional recovery, electrophysiology, histology, and ultrastructural analyses were performed.ResultsTranscriptomic analysis revealed that EMSCs possess a partial SC-related transcriptional profile but lack sufficient Hedgehog activation. Shh overexpression activated canonical Hedgehog signaling, evidenced by increased Gli1/2 expression and nuclear translocation. Shh-EMSCs showed enhanced expression of SCs markers (P75, GFAP, MBP, S100β), increased secretion of neurotrophic factors (BDNF, NT-3), and reduced inflammatory cytokines. In vivo, Shh-EMSCs significantly improved functional recovery, nerve conduction velocity, and gait performance compared with EMSCs alone. Histological and ultrastructural analyses demonstrated increased axonal regeneration, improved organization, and enhanced myelination compared with unmodified EMSCs, although autograft repair remained superior or more complete in several outcome measures.ConclusionHedgehog signaling contributes to SC-like differentiation of EMSCs. Shh-mediated activation promotes a pro-regenerative phenotype and enhances nerve repair-related outcomes in a short-gap sciatic nerve defect model, suggesting that Shh-EMSCs may serve as a potential cell-based strategy for peripheral nerve repair.
This review systematically examines the mechanisms of action, optimization of stimulation parameters and targets, and the research progress in the application of taVNS for neurological disorders and systemic conditions. Rather than merely cataloging existing findings, this review critically synthesizes recent advances with a focused emphasis on two core aspects: (1) the mechanistic convergence and divergence among neuroimaging, autonomic, and molecular pathways underlying taVNS effects; and (2) the methodological challenges and biomarker-driven strategies for optimizing stimulation parameters and personalizing treatment. By prioritizing these key directions over exhaustive enumeration of clinical applications, this review aims to provide a conceptually structured framework that distinguishes genuine progress from descriptive accumulation. Moreover, compared with previously published reviews on similar topics, the present work offers a distinctive contribution by integrating multi-modal mechanistic evidence into a testable model of taVNS action and critically evaluating the translational gap between parametric optimization in research settings and standardized clinical implementation. Furthermore, it provides an outlook on future research directions and technological developments, aiming to offer a comprehensive theoretical framework to inform both clinical translation and foundational research in this rapidly evolving field.
IntroductionMicroglia are brain-resident immune cells responsible for maintaining homeostasis, coordinating responses to injury and disease, and mediating regeneration. Upon activation, they undergo dynamic changes in morphology, gene expression, and function, reflecting the nature and context of the stimuli encountered. Although pharmacological modulation of microglia holds great promise for treating various neurological disorders, its development is hampered by a major translational roadblock: Human microglial cell lines commonly used in preclinical studies, as well as primary rodent microglia, substantially limit the translatability of results. Here, we aimed to generate microglia from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and to demonstrate their physiological responsiveness to the brain-endogenous, context-relevant ligand osteopontin (OPN).Materials and methodsMicroglia generated from two healthy hiPSC lines were stimulated with OPN, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or their combination for 24 h and subsequently analyzed. Microglial identity and the expression of the phagocytic cell marker cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) were determined by immunocytochemistry. Cell viability was assessed by propidium iodide (PI)/Hoechst staining, morphological activation was evaluated using Sholl analysis, and inflammatory gene expression changes were assessed by RT-qPCR.ResultshiPSC-derived microglia acquired a native central nervous system (CNS)-specific immunophenotype, expressing the microglia-specific markers ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1), transmembrane protein 119 (TMEM119), PU.1, and Spalt-like transcription factor 1 (SALL1), while remaining negative for Myb and membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A, member 7 (MS4A7) at the protein level. Exposure to LPS led hiPSC-derived microglia to adopt a rounded, process-retracted shape and to increase CD68 protein intensity, a surrogate marker of lysosomal and phagocytic activity, while downregulating the anti-inflammatory marker cluster of differentiation 206 (CD206) at the transcriptional level. OPN induced a distinct microglial functional state characterized by intermediate morphology, increased CD68 intensity, and reduced homeostatic gene expression, without eliciting robust inflammatory gene expression. Intriguingly, OPN prevented LPS-induced microglial cell death, and when hiPSC-derived microglia exposed to LPS were additionally treated with OPN, the morphological effects of LPS were reversed.ConclusionOPN induced a distinct early response profile in hiPSC-derived microglia, characterized by intermediate morphological remodeling, increased CD68 intensity, and reduced homeostatic gene expression, without overt pro-inflammatory gene expression. These findings support the role of OPN as a physiological priming signal in microglia and highlight hiPSC-derived microglia as a model for studying regulators of microglial modulation.
ObjectivesCharacterizing the microenvironmental habitats within the hematoma may yield crucial imaging biomarkers and improve the early prediction of hematoma expansion (HE) in patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). Our objective was to construct and validate a combined model that integrates clinical data with whole-hematoma radiomics, habitat radiomics of the hematoma, and perihematomal edema (PHE) radiomics features extracted from non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) images for preoperative HE prediction.MethodsThis retrospective dual-center cohort of 353 HICH patients. Based on baseline NCCT images, radiomics features were extracted from the whole hematoma, three distinct habitats within the hematoma, and the PHE region. Five models were constructed: a clinical model, a whole-hematoma radiomics model, a habitat-based radiomics model, a PHE radiomics model, and a combined model. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsThe combined model integrated with smoking history, island sign, maximum distance of the PHE, and the whole-hematoma, habitat, and PHE radiomics models, achieved the best predictive performance. In the training, testing, and validation sets, the combined model predicted the area under the curve for HE as 0.951 (95% CI: 0.915–0.986), 0.937 (95% CI: 0.883–0.991), and 0.939 (95% CI: 0.888–0.989), respectively.ConclusionThe NCCT-based combined model integrating clinical data, whole-hematoma radiomics, habitat radiomics, and PHE radiomics improves HE prediction in patients with HICH, providing a noninvasive tool with potential for guiding treatment strategies.
