January 31st 2025

Author

Max Gray
January 31, 2025

The Daily Innovation Newsletter

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January 31st 2025

💻 Technology

Apple has teamed up with SpaceX and T-Mobile to integrate Starlink satellite connectivity into iPhones with iOS 18.3, offering an alternative to Apple's existing Globalstar-powered emergency messaging. This update, currently in beta testing for select users, allows iPhones to send texts via Starlink when outside cellular coverage. The move marks a shift in Apple's satellite strategy and could pave the way for future data and voice services. The announcement impacted Globalstar’s stock, signaling potential competition in satellite communications.

⚡️ Energy

Natura Resources is building a liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (LF-MSR) at Abilene Christian University to provide carbon-free energy while desalinating water. Using high-temperature molten salts, the reactor can generate up to 250 MW of clean power, which will be used to purify wastewater. This technology offers a safer, more efficient alternative to conventional nuclear reactors and could help address water shortages in Texas. The reactor is expected to be operational by 2026–27, with desalination integration to follow.

🌎 Environment

Norwegian shipping company Solvang has equipped the Clipper Eris with an onboard carbon capture and storage (CCS) system to trap up to 70% of its CO2 emissions. The system liquefies and stores captured CO2 in on-deck tanks, potentially repurposing it for industries like food processing and synthetic fuel production. This two-year pilot, launching in February, could accelerate maritime decarbonization without requiring new ship builds. If successful, Solvang plans to install the technology on seven new vessels.

Researchers at Cornell University have created a recyclable alternative to thermoset plastics, which are widely used in durable products but currently non-recyclable. Made from bio-sourced dihydrofuran (DHF), the new material retains thermosets' strength while being chemically recyclable and biodegradable. Unlike conventional plastics that persist in landfills, DHF-based materials can break down into harmless components or be reused. The team is exploring applications such as 3D printing and expanding material properties with additional monomers. The research was published in Nature.

💊 Healthcare

Researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen and the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein have created a heart patch using lab-grown heart cells that could help repair failing hearts. Tested on rhesus macaques, the patch integrated with heart tissue, improved heart function, and showed no dangerous side effects like arrhythmias or tumor growth. These promising results have led to the first human clinical trial for lab-grown heart muscle implants. If successful, this treatment could offer a revolutionary alternative to heart transplants. The study was published in Nature.

Scientists at Stanford University have discovered that EBC-46, a drug already FDA-approved for cancer treatment, could help eradicate HIV using a "kick and kill" approach. The compound reactivates dormant HIV-infected cells, making them vulnerable to immunotherapy. In lab tests, some variations of EBC-46 reactivated up to 90% of latent cells, far outperforming existing drugs. Though human trials are still needed, the drug’s prior approval could speed up its development as a potential HIV cure. The study was published in Science Advances.

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