The Download: making sense of tech, and Apple's AR ambitions

It's been a busy year. Over the past 12 months, we've witnessed the explosion of generative AI, the collapse of crypto, and a whole lot of promises from lawmakers pledging to slow the march of climate change. While it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all this rapid change, we're here to help. Our MIT Technology Review Explains section is dedicated to untangling the complex, sometimes messy, world of science and technology to help you understand what's happening. Our series of explainers cut through the noise and get to the heart of the issues that really matter, covering everything from biotechnology and cryptocurrency to quantum computing and what's going on in China's tech industry.