Inventions

In theory, all you’d need to do is give a blood sample and his test would indicate whether you have allergies to a certain substance or not.

Teen Inventor Designs Noninvasive Allergy Screen Using Genetics and Machine Learning

Seventeen-year-old Ayush Alag is one of 40 finalists in this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search

It was during another experiment in his lab that Naohiro Kato realized that microalgae might be a good ingredient for bioplastic.

Made From Microalgae, These Mardi Gras Beads Are Biodegradable

Louisiana State University molecular biologist Naohiro Kato is confronting plastic pollution one necklace and doubloon at a time

The First African-American to Hold a Patent Invented 'Dry Scouring'

In 1821, Thomas Jennings patented a method for removing dirt and grease from clothing that would lead to today's dry cleaning

DeepASL's camera

Sign Language Translating Devices Are Cool. But Are They Useful?

Michigan State University researchers are developing a small tool, with a motion capture system, that translates ASL into English

Ovie Smarterware alerts you when your food has hit half of its shelf life.

Seven Technologies That Could Help Fight Food Waste

From food-sharing apps to "smart" storage systems, these innovations might reduce the amount of food you toss

The Patents Behind Your Box of Valentine's Day Chocolates

Before you sample a truffle or a coconut cream, consider all of the innovation that has been poured into the sweets and their lovely presentation

The Necco candy factory used to produce piles of Sweethearts.

The Pharmacist Who Launched America's Modern Candy Industry

Oliver Chase invented a lozenge-cutting machine that led to Necco wafers, Sweethearts and the mechanization of candy making

Lego's Duplo bricks have been in production for 50 years.

How Lego Patents Helped Build a Toy Empire, Brick by Brick

The Danish toy company invented its basic brick, then designed a toddler-friendly version, before adding mini figures to the mix

The Patents Behind Pasta Shapes

When you sit down to a bowl, be it gnocchi or Kraft macaroni, consider the design work and innovation that have gone into it

The watch was cleared for adults by the FDA early last year; now it’s been cleared for children too.

This Smartwatch Can Help Detect Seizures in Kids

The Embrace is one of a growing number of wearables capable of detecting seizures and alerting caregivers

At the start of the 1960s, color television was still a relatively novel technology.

Color TV Transformed the Way Americans Saw the World, and the World Saw America

A historian of 20th century media argues that the technological innovation was the quintessential Cold War machine

The Accidental Invention of Bubble Wrap

Two inventors turned a failed experiment into an irresistibly poppable product that revolutionized the shipping industry

GM's head of design Harley Earl drove the "Y-job" to and from work for 11 years.

How General Motors Introduced the Idea of a 'Concept Car'

Eighty years ago, the Buick Y-job was billed as the car of the future

Cormac Hondros-McCarthy, Lauren Shum, Parth Sagdeo and Ted Zhu celebrate their successful top prize spot at the Make for the Planet Borneo hackathon in Kuching, Malaysia in June 2018.

This Lobster Trap Aims to Protect Endangered Whales — and Fishers’ Livelihoods

A team of engineers is designing a low-cost, lineless, self-surfacing lobster trap that would prevent right whale entanglement

Joseph Lee received a patent for his automated kneading machine in August 1894.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame Announces Its 2019 Inductees

Joseph Lee, inventor of the automatic bread and breadcrumb makers, was posthumously honored alongside 18 other men and women

The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates in its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card that 240,000 water main breaks occur yearly in the U.S., with 2 trillion gallons of treated drinking water escaping.

These Technologies Could Put an End to Leaky Water Mains

Two inventors have come up with radically different approaches to try to solve the widespread problem of aging water infrastructure

From 3-D Printed Gills to AI Dolphin Dictionaries, These Innovations Could Make Us More Like Aquaman

If you look beyond the movie, you can see how the underwater superhero's signature powers translate in real tech

The plate’s display resembles a Kindle, except that letters and numbers are made up of monochromatic “e-ink.”

Will Digital License Plates Drive Us Forward or Leave Us Fuming?

California-based Reviver Auto has rolled out an electronic license plate that could benefit drivers, as well as cities and states

The Patents Behind Christmas Lights

This Christmas, take a moment to appreciate the many innovations that make holiday light displays and the strand of bulbs on your tree possible

Record companies released stereo demonstration albums that showcased how sound could move from left to right, creating a sense of movement.

How Savvy Advertising Helped Make Stereo Technology Mainstream

Stereo demonstrations and colorful ads sold customers on the two-channel sound technology when it was introduced 60 years ago

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