Innovation
New ideas and scientific and technological advancements
Would You Eat Something Wrapped in a WikiCell?
Harvard bioengineer David Edwards believes he’s found a way to cut down on packaging waste
June 2013 |
By Mark Strauss
Unpack a Meal of Astronaut Space Food
Space-age spaghetti and meatballs, along with other tastes of home, gave Apollo astronaut crews a boost
June 2013 |
By Brett Martin
Why Fire Makes Us Human
Cooking may be more than just a part of your daily routine, it may be what made your brain as powerful as it is
June 2013 |
By Jerry Adler
Digging for the Secrets Beneath Antarctica
Scientists have found life in the depths beneath the ice
June 2013 |
By Erica R. Hendry
Introducing a Special Report on Energy
In a world hungry for power, a new wealth of innovation hopes to keep the engine of industry running for the foreseeable future
May 23, 2013 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Want to Revolutionize Energy? Improve the Battery
Better energy storage could transform electric vehicles and the power grid, and help the climate
May 23, 2013 |
By Paul Tullis
We Don’t Have to Choose Between Fossil Fuels and Green Energy
In a new book, Michael Levi argues that betting on a single energy path will only lead to failure
May 23, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Good-bye, Gas Guzzlers
What will it take for automakers to deliver a fleet of fuel-sippers?
May 23, 2013 |
By Josie Garthwaite
Could ‘Clean Coal’ Finally Live up to Its Name?
An experimental new technology captures more than 99 percent of the carbon dioxide from burning coal
May 23, 2013 |
By Dan Ferber
Doctors Use a Dissolvable 3D-Printed Tracheal Splint to Save a Baby’s Life
An infant's collapsing airway now has a device holding it open; as his tissue strengthens, the splint will be absorbed into his body
May 22, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
One Day Your Phone Will Know If You’re Happy or Sad
By analyzing every tiny facial gesture, voice inflection or even how quickly we tap out a text message, devices are getting good at reading our emotions
May 22, 2013 |
By Randy Rieland
A Brief History of Robot Birds
The early Greeks and Renaissance artists had birds on their brains
May 22, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Olympic Rowers, King Tut Lessons and More Books to Read This Month
Also out in June: the math of life and the lives of astronauts’ wives
May 2013 |
By Chloë Schama
How Edwin Hubble Became the 20th Century’s Greatest Astronomer
The young scientist demolished the old guard's ideas on the nature and size of the universe
May 20, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
Odile Madden
Materials Scientist & Engineer, Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute
May 20, 2013 |
By Smithsonian Magazine's "Future Is Here" Conference
Can Brain Scans Really Tell Us What Makes Something Beautiful?
Some scientists think we'll be able to define great art by analyzing our brains when we see or hear it. Critics say don't hold your breath
May 17, 2013 |
By Randy Rieland
TKO By Checkmate: Inside the World of Chessboxing
Demanding a combination of brains and brawn, this new sport has competitors floating like butterflies and stinging like kings
May 13, 2013 |
By Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
The World According to Twitter, in Maps
A new geographic analysis of millions of tweets provides a remarkably broad view of humanity, by language, location and other factors
May 10, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
10 New Things Science Says About Moms
Among then: They answer a lot of questions and their spit is good for us
May 10, 2013 |
By Randy Rieland
