As 2026 begins, MIT Technology Review publishes "educated guesses" on [1]emerging technologies that will define the future , advances "we think will drive progress or incite the most change — for better or worse — in the years ahead."

This year's list includes next-gen nuclear, gene-editing drugs (as well as the "resurrection" of ancient genes from extinct creatures), and three AI-related developments: AI companions, AI coding tools, and "mechanistic interpretability" for revealing LLM decision-making.

But also on the list is sodium-ion batteries, " [2]a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium ."

> Backed by major players and public investment, they're poised to power grids and affordable EVs worldwide. [Chinese battery giant CATL claims to have already started manufacturing sodium-ion batteries at scale, and BYD also plans a massive production facility for sodium-ion batteries.] The most significant impact of sodium-Âion technology may be not on our roads but on our power grids. Storing clean energy generated by solar and wind has long been a challenge. Sodium-ion batteries, with their low cost, enhanced thermal stability, and long cycle life, are an attractive alternative. Peak Energy, a startup in the US, is already [3]deploying grid-scale sodium-ion energy storage . Sodium-ion cells' energy density is still lower than that of high-end lithium-ion ones, but it continues to improve each year — and it's already sufficient for small passenger cars and logistics vehicles.

And another "breakthrough technology" on their list is [4] commercial space stations :

> Vast Space from California, plans to launch its Haven-1 space station in May 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. If all goes to plan, it will initially support crews of four people staying aboard the bus-size habitat for 10 days. Paying customers will be able to experience life in microgravity and conduct research such as growing plants and testing drugs. On its heels will be [5]Axiom Space's outpost , the Axiom Station, consisting of five modules (or rooms). It's designed to look like a boutique hotel and is expected to launch in 2028. [6]Voyager Space aims to launch its version, called Starlab, the same year, and [7]Blue Origin's Orbital Reef space station plans to follow in 2030.

Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader [8]sandbagger for sharing the article.



[1] https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/12/1130697/10-breakthrough-technologies-2026/

[2] https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/12/1129991/sodium-ion-batteries-2026-breakthrough-technology/

[3] https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/25/08/01/2120225/peak-energy-ships-americas-first-grid-scale-sodium-ion-battery

[4] https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/12/1130030/commercial-space-stations-2026-breakthrough-technology/

[5] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/21/0048247/axioms-private-space-station-could-arrive-as-early-as-2028

[6] https://science.slashdot.org/story/21/10/21/235259/meet-starlab-private-space-station-planned-to-fly-in-2027

[7] https://science.slashdot.org/story/21/10/26/2329227/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-wants-to-build-a-tourism-space-station-nearly-as-big-as-the-iss

[8] https://www.slashdot.org/~sandbagger