Innovation

A closeup of one of the rocks, with a patch of dust brushed away by Curiosity's instruments, that provides evidence of an ancient lake.

Curiosity Found Evidence of An Ancient Freshwater Lake on Mars

Drilling into Martian rock revealed that it formed at the bottom of a calm lake that may have had the right conditions for sustaining life

What is the Trick to Making the Most Waterproof Stuff on Earth?

It's all in the texture. An MIT-led team of mechanical engineers is creating a super water-resistant material inspired by the wings of butterflies

This Wheel Turns Your Bicycle Into An Electric Hybrid

The Copenhagen Wheel can be snapped onto just about any bicycle to boost your pedaling power by up to 10 times

This Device Lets People Video Chat With Their Pets

Who says you can't Skype with your cat or dog? With PetChatz, owners alleviate separation anxiety and even give their furry friends a special treat

Home deliveries are just one potential use of personal drones.

When Drones Get Personal

So we've seen how a drone can deliver a package, but can one become a buddy with a camera?

Silkworm pancakes. Yum!

Insect Farming Kit Lets You Raise Edible Bugs

The Tiny Farms setup comes with everything to cultivate one of the world's most sustainable (and popular) sources of food

Future of Energy

A Potato Battery Can Light Up a Room For Over a Month

A crop-based power system coming out of Israel is significantly cheaper than batteries, but why isn't anyone interested?

A row of servers, housed in an Iceland data center.

Is the Future of the Internet in Iceland?

With free air cooling and 100 percent renewable electricity, does it make sense to outsource our data to Iceland?

The Toxins That Affected Your Great-Grandparents Could Be In Your Genes

Biologist Michael Skinner has enraged the chemical community and shocked his peers with his breakthrough research

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Doug Aitken is Redefining How We Experience Art

The artist uses video, music, mirrors, railroad cars, even entire buildings to create works that make every viewer a participant

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How Do You Get Poor Kids to Apply to Great Colleges?

Caroline Hoxby and her team of researchers are revolutionizing the way the best colleges reach out to talented low-income students

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Dear Sir, Ben Franklin Would Like to Add You to His Network

Historian Caroline Winterer’s analysis of Franklin’s letters applies big data to big history

Electronics That Can Melt in Your Body Could Change the World of Medicine

John Rogers, a revolutionary materials scientist, is pushing the boundaries of the medical world

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The Freshman at MIT Who is Revolutionizing Nanotechnology

Teenager Saumil Bandyopadhyay has harnessed cutting-edge physics to upend industries ranging from automobiles to astronomy

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Upending the Narrative of the Great Man of History

The Voice of Witness project spearheaded by Dave Eggers and Mimi Lok gives the victims of crisis a megaphone

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The Totally Original Sound of St. Vincent

The singer-composer brings new sophistication to pop composition, conjuring ethereal dreamscapes from her suburban roots

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The Brilliance Behind the Plan to Land Curiosity on Mars

Adam Steltzner’s ingenious ideas were crucial to the most spectacular space mission of our time

Teaching a simulated robot to walk is significantly easier if it starts with a simple body plan and grows limbs as it learns.

Beware. Scientists are Creating Machines That Can Evolve on Their Own

Or to put it a nicer way, researchers have found a way for robots to grow on their own

Distant view of man standing with Macy’s Day Parade balloons

The Puppeteer Who Brought Balloons to the Thanksgiving Day Parade

A Thursday morning tradition came with strings attached

Can This Water-Recycling Shower Save $1,000 in Bills?

A Swedish industrial designer hopes his unique filtration system is the answer for rising water costs

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