Over the past year, Jim O’Neill has become one of the most powerful people in the field of public health. As U.S. Deputy Secretary of Health, he serves two roles at the helm of the country’s federal health and science agencies. He oversees a department with a budget of more than a trillion dollars. And he signed a decision memorandum on America’s highly controversial new vaccine program.
He is also a longevity enthusiast. In an exclusive interview with MIT Technology Review Earlier this month, O’Neill described his plans to extend human health span through longevity-focused research supported by ARPA-H, a federal agency dedicated to biomedical breakthroughs. Fellow longevity enthusiasts said they hoped he would bring attention and money to their cause.
At the same time, O’Neill defended reducing the number of widely recommended childhood vaccines, a move that has been widely criticized by medical and public health experts. Read the full story.
-Jessica Hamzelau
The myth of high-tech robbery
Making a film is like committing a robbery. This is what director Steven Soderbergh says ocean’s franchise, among other heist-y classics—were told a few years ago. You come up with a creative vision, put together a team of experts, practice how to beat technical challenges, move forward with Swiss-watch precision, and – if you do it right – redistribute some money.
But on the contrary, carrying out a heist is not like the movies. Surveillance cameras, computer-controlled alarms, knockout gas and lasers are rarely involved in major crimes. In reality, technological countermeasures are rarely a problem, and high-tech gadgets are rarely a solution. Read the full story.
-Adam Rogers
