This week, China banned exports of a number of important minerals to the US, marking the most recent transfer in an escalating sequence of tit-for-tat commerce restrictions between the world’s two largest economies.
In explicitly slicing off, somewhat than merely limiting, supplies of strategic significance to the semiconductor, protection, and electrical car sectors, China has clearly crossed a brand new line within the long-simmering commerce battle.
However on the similar time, it chosen minerals that received’t cripple any industries—which leaves China loads of ammunition to inflict larger financial ache in response to any additional commerce restrictions that the incoming Trump administration could impose. Learn extra about what drove China’s determination, the way it impacts local weather tech and what’s prone to occur subsequent.
—James Temple
This story is a part of our MIT Know-how Assessment Explains sequence. Let our writers untangle the complicated, messy world of know-how that can assist you perceive what’s coming subsequent. You possibly can learn extra from the sequence right here.
3 issues that didn’t make the ten Breakthrough Applied sciences of 2025 listing
Subsequent month, MIT Know-how Assessment will unveil the 2025 listing of 10 Breakthrough Applied sciences. Yearly, our newsroom appears throughout the fields we cowl for applied sciences which can be having a real breakthrough second. This annual bundle highlights the applied sciences that we expect matter most proper now.
Within the meantime, listed below are three applied sciences that we thought-about together with on the 2025 listing however finally determined to go away off. And though these nominees didn’t make the lower this 12 months, they’re nonetheless price keeping track of. Learn the total story.
