Innovation

Sumit Bhatnagar, a PhD student in chemical engineering at the University of Michigan, inspects tumor cells used in developing a new diagnostic pill.

Could a Pill Help Detect Breast Cancer?

University of Michigan researchers are developing a pill that when ingested causes tumors to glow under infrared light

“We design the garments around what parents want for their children, what occupational therapists are asking for, what children are saying they’re most comfortable in,” says Sasha Radwan, founder of SpecialKids.Company.

Designing "Adaptive Clothing" For Those With Special Needs

Companies are releasing new inclusive lines that solve some of the dressing challenges that people with physical and mental disabilities face

How Was Red Rock Canyon Formed?

One of the most important byproducts of the Hoover Dam is an artificial body of water known as Lake Mead

Scientists Have a New Way of Knowing How Many Sharks Are in the Sea

The predators are elusive, but marine ecologists are finding more of them by analyzing the "environmental DNA" in ocean water samples

The science of DNA facial reconstruction is advancing rapidly.

How Accurately Can Scientists Reconstruct A Person's Face From DNA?

Predicting physical features from genetic data certainly has its limitations, but it is advancing. What does this mean for our privacy?

IBM would like to teach its tool to design entire garments given just a few specifications.

Future of Art

Artificial Intelligence Could Help Generate the Next Big Fashion Trends

With a tool called Cognitive Prints, designers will be able to riff off of past styles and incorporate outside inspiration like never before

A pelagic snail ensnares food with with a mucous web.

These Strange Ocean Creatures Trap Their Food In a Net of Mucus

Biologists are finding that these invertebrate grazers can actually be picky eaters—and their choices might influence ocean food webs

A new show at the Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt in New York City looks at how design interacts with other senses beyond vision, like this "smell" map of Amsterdam by Kate McLean that reveals the aroma of the city's restaurants, old book stores, laundromats and other neighborhood sites.

Could Our Housewares Keep Us Healthier?

Some designers are harnessing sound, color, smell and touch in products that promote well-being and independence for all

Long-eared Myotis bat (Myotis septentrionalis), photographed in Arizona.

Where Clean Drinking Water Is Hard To Find, Bats Could Lead the Way

A wildlife biologist argues that tracking bats, which cover wide areas and need clean water, could be useful in locating potable sources

ELIA's blocky characters echo the Roman alphabet, with the goal of making it easier to learn for people who lost sight late in life.

Could This New Tactile Font Help People Who Lose Their Sight Late In Life?

ELIA Frames may serve some blind readers better than braille, but the new system has its skeptics

RUBE GOLDBERG ® is a registered trademark of Rube Goldberg Inc. All materials used with permission. rubegoldberg.com. The Art of Rube Goldberg on view March 15–July 8, 2018 at The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco.

The Story Behind Rube Goldberg’s Complicated Contraptions

In his time he was a world-famous cartoonist, but today he’s best known for these wacky inventions

This Conductive Paint Turns Walls Into Giant Touchscreens

The interactive surfaces could make "smart" home features much more subtle and affordable

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Future of Art

Future of Art

A new generation of artists is merging innovation with tradition to tell the important stories of our time

Elevator companies are striving to meet demands for energy efficiency.

Elevators Are Going Green

Lifts are becoming more sustainable, as the percentage of the world's population living in cities grows

The Day the World Changed premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last week.

Future of Art

This Virtual Reality Experience Drops You In Hiroshima Right After It's Been Bombed

When creators tread the line between empathy and trauma carefully, immersive technology can be a powerful tool for educating the public about history

Artists and poets have long been inspired by the mathematical patterns found in nature—for instance, the remarkable fact that a sunflower's seeds follow the Fibonacci sequence. But there are myriad other ways that the realms of poetry and mathematics can intersect.

Future of Art

How Poetry and Math Intersect

Both require economy and precision—and each perspective can enhance the other

People – but maybe not computers – can tell whether this is a person’s face or the Great Mosque of Cordoba.

Future of Art

Just Like Faces, Buildings Have Features That Algorithms Can Recognize

An art historian explains how he uses 'facial recognition' to unlock architectural secrets

This Is How MINI JCW Turbo Engines Are Built

The John Cooper Works edition is the fastest machine MINI has ever built. With a 228 two-liter twin turbo motor, it can hit 0 to 60 in six seconds flat

The museum's situation on the National Mall gives it access to ample water and sunlight.

The African American History and Culture Museum Wins Gold for Going Green

How the Smithsonian’s newest museum set the bar for sustainability in architecture

George Cruikshank’s impression of Dickens’ dystopia

How Charles Dickens Imagined a Westworld-like Robot Theme Park Back In 1838

The writer's dystopia, populated by 'automaton figures,' was surprisingly modern

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