The 10 Coolest Technology Shifts Flying Under the Radar

Technology is quietly bringing many communities around the world firmly into the 21st century. For example, drones are now being used to deliver life-saving drugs in Uganda, while some governments in Europe are undergoing an unprecedented shift to open-source software. In this list, we’ll take a closer look at 10 impressive technology shifts around the world that most people don’t even know are happening.

Unfortunately, the news often focuses on negatively charged stories, like local crimes and corruption by elected officials, because bad news tends to draw more eyeballs. But this means that we often miss the many initiatives around the world designed to improve people’s lives using technology. For example, for many years, Finland has been committed to making sure that every Finnish household has access to high-speed internet. For the next few minutes, let’s focus on how technology is improving people’s lives under the radar.

Related: 10 Futuristic Technologies That Are More Cool Than Useful

10 Several European Countries Are Switching to Linux and LibreOffice

Linux is the world’s most famous open-source computer operating system, and LibreOffice is an open-source office suite similar to Microsoft Office. In recent months, several European governments and regions have announced that they are switching to Linux and LibreOffice in public services to have better control over their computing. For example, the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein is in the process of switching all 30,000 of its government PCs from Microsoft Windows over to Linux by 2026.

This move also includes replacing Microsoft Office with LibreOffice for all government workers. The stated goal is to achieve “digital sovereignty,” a term that means they want to reduce their dependency on single, foreign tech companies and have more control over their own digital infrastructure. While other towns and regions in countries like Italy and Spain have made similar moves, the large-scale switch in Schleswig-Holstein is one of the most significant examples of this growing European trend.^[1]

9 Uganda Tests Using Drones to Deliver Life-Saving Drugs

For many people, getting their prescriptions filled is a simple trip to a local pharmacy, but that’s not the case for everyone. In Uganda, especially in remote island communities like the Kalangala archipelago, just getting to a hospital can be a major challenge for people living with HIV. This often makes it difficult for patients to get the life-saving anti-retroviral drugs that they need to stay healthy.

To solve this problem, Uganda has started testing a new delivery system: drones. In a trial funded by Johnson & Johnson, the government’s Infectious Diseases Institute is using drones to fly medication from hospitals directly to patients in these hard-to-reach areas. The program aims to overcome geographical barriers and staff shortages that have historically troubled the country’s healthcare system. If the trial proves successful, there are already plans to expand the program to deliver other medical supplies and even test samples for diseases like TB and COVID-19.^[2]

8 The Philippines Builds Floating Solar Farms

In the Philippines, a country made up of over 7,000 islands, open land is a precious commodity. Due to limited land, they came up with a novel solar power solution: floating solar panels. On the Malubog Reservoir in Toledo City, the country has launched its first major floating solar farm, which is being seen as a national blueprint for clean energy.

This new approach, sometimes called “floatovoltaics,” places thousands of solar panels on floating platforms. The simple idea has some huge benefits. It generates clean electricity without using up valuable agricultural or residential land, and the water’s natural cooling effect actually makes the solar panels more efficient than their land-based counterparts. As an added bonus, the farm’s coverage over the reservoir reduces water evaporation, conserving a vital resource.

The initial plant is already supplying a significant amount of power for a local copper mine, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. With plans to eventually scale up the project to provide 100% of the mine’s power, this successful initiative is setting a new standard for how island nations across the globe can embrace renewable energy.^[3]

7 Framework 12 Laptop Revives the Spirit of the One Laptop Per Child Project

Over a decade ago, a groundbreaking project called One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) tried to give low-cost, durable laptops to children in developing countries. While the project itself had mixed results, its core idea, that technology should be accessible, repairable, and built to last, left a lasting impact. Now, a new company called Framework is reviving that spirit for a new generation.

Framework’s founder, who actually worked on the original OLPC project, has created a line of laptops that are designed from the ground up to be upgraded and repaired by the user. Their latest model, the Framework 12, is a compact, durable laptop that intentionally brings back some of the vibes of the OLPC.

Unlike most modern laptops that are glued shut and impossible to fix, everything in a Framework laptop, from the battery and keyboard to the main processor, can be easily swapped out with simple tools. This focus on longevity and user control is a major shift away from the disposable tech culture we live in today and a direct nod to the ambitious vision of the One Laptop Per Child project.^[4]

6 Finland Made Broadband Internet a Legal Right

For most of the world, internet access is treated as a consumer service: you get it if you can afford it, and if a provider happens to serve your area. But what if it were treated like a fundamental utility, as essential as water or electricity? Over a decade ago, Finland took a pioneering step in that direction, becoming the first country on the planet to declare broadband access a legally guaranteed right for every single one of its citizens.

The policy, enacted in 2010, legally obligated telecommunications companies to provide every household with a reasonably fast internet connection. This ambitious plan wasn’t without its hurdles, particularly in a country known for its vast, sparsely populated rural regions where commercial providers had little financial incentive to build infrastructure. To bridge this gap, the Finnish government actively supported and funded local community-led initiatives, such as village associations, to build out their own networks and to ensure that no one was left behind.

This forward-thinking legislation did more than just provide basic access; it established a national commitment to closing the digital divide. By legally classifying the internet as a universal service, Finland cemented its role as essential public infrastructure for education, business, and social connection. The policy set a powerful global precedent, reframing the conversation about digital equity and creating a blueprint for how a nation can ensure all its citizens can participate in the modern world.^[5]

5 How the Vatican and NASA Teamed Up to Save Ancient History

The Vatican’s Apostolic Library holds one of the world’s most significant collections of historical texts, including over 80,000 priceless manuscripts that are centuries, or even millennia, old. These fragile documents are a treasure trove for humanity, but they are also vulnerable to the ravages of time. To preserve them forever, the Vatican is deep into a massive, ongoing digitization project, and they’re using technology originally developed for studying the stars.

The process uses a format called FITS (Flexible Image Transport System), which was created by NASA and the European Space Agency to store astronomical data from telescopes and satellites. This format is perfect for archiving because it preserves all the data from the high-resolution scans without any loss of quality, ensuring that future generations will see the manuscripts exactly as they are today.

This enormous undertaking, which continues in 2025, is a long-term mission that will likely span decades. Staff must meticulously scan each delicate page, and the entire digital collection is expected to eventually take up 45 petabytes of storage. While the work is far from over, thousands of manuscripts have already been digitized and made freely available online, ensuring these irreplaceable pieces of human history are being preserved and shared with the entire world.^[6]

4 Estonia’s Citizens Have Voted Online Since 2005

For most of the world, voting is an in-person event that involves paper ballots and long lines. But in the small Baltic nation of Estonia, voting is something many citizens do from their laptops. As one of the most digitally advanced societies on the planet, Estonia became the first country to allow nationwide online voting back in 2005, and they have been successfully using the system ever since.
The process, known as i-voting, is surprisingly straightforward. On election day, a citizen can go to a secure website, download an application, and use their national ID card and a PIN to log in. Once their identity is confirmed, they enter a digital voting booth, make their selection, and cast their ballot with a digital signature. The entire process takes less than a minute.

While debates about the security of electronic voting continue in many countries, Estonia has made it a routine part of its democracy. To ensure trust, the system is designed so that a voter’s identity is separated from their anonymous vote once it enters the system. It also allows people to change their vote as many times as they want before the deadline, with only the final vote being counted. This quiet, two-decade-long shift has not only made voting more convenient but has also increased participation from Estonians living abroad.^[7]

3 Farmers Use AI to Diagnose Crop Disease

For a small farmer, a single outbreak of a crop disease can be devastating, wiping out an entire season’s income. Identifying what is attacking a plant often requires an expert, but for many farmers in remote areas, that kind of help is out of reach. Now, a simple but powerful tool is putting an agricultural expert right in their pockets: their smartphone.

Non-profit organizations like Plant Village have developed AI-powered apps that allow a farmer to take a picture of a sick plant, and the app will then instantly diagnose the disease or pest. The technology also provides real-time advice on how to treat the disease, information on where to find better seeds, and access to agricultural specialists.

This simple, accessible technology is a boon to smallholder farmers, especially as climate change brings new and more frequent pests and diseases. By giving them the tools to quickly diagnose and respond to threats, this quiet under-the-radar tech shift is helping to protect the food supply and the livelihoods of farmers around the world.^[8]

2 Europe Proposes Building Its Own Version of Linux

The recent decision by a German state to switch 30,000 government computers to Linux is part of a much bigger, continent-wide movement. For years, European countries have been discussing the need for “digital sovereignty,” a way to break their dependency on American tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Now, that idea is gaining serious momentum with a proposal to build a “EuroStack.”

The EuroStack is envisioned as a complete, publicly-funded, and open-source digital infrastructure, from cloud services to office software. At the very heart of this proposal is the idea of creating a standardized, EU-backed version of Linux. A proof-of-concept called “EOS” (European Operating System) has already been floated, which aims to create a common Linux base that could be adopted by public services across the continent.

The goal is to create a secure and transparent alternative to Windows that aligns with European values on privacy and open standards. While the project is still in its very early stages, it represents a massive and serious push to shift Europe’s digital foundations away from proprietary software and toward a more open, collaborative, and independent future.^[9]

1 The Green Solar Revolution in Inner Mongolia

When it comes to generating massive amounts of clean energy, few places can match the ambition of what’s happening in the deserts of Inner Mongolia. In a region better known for its vast, empty landscapes, China is building some of the largest solar farms on the planet. One recently completed project by the Inner Mongolia Energy Group, for example, is capable of powering nearly a million homes.

Besides generating cheap electricity, these massive projects are being built with a second, equally important goal: fighting back against the desert itself. In the arid Ulan Buh Desert, the land under the rows of solar panels isn’t being left barren. Instead, it’s being used for the large-scale cultivation of sand-fixing plants that are specifically chosen to combat desertification and prevent soil erosion.

This quiet, dual-purpose ambition is a technological shift that turns a harsh, unproductive environment into a source of both clean energy and ecological restoration, proving that green technology can be used to heal the planet.^[10]