Innovation
New ideas and scientific and technological advancements
Our Daily Juice
Batteries, so much a part of our daily lives, are being transformed. Now scientists say they've created one out of spray paint.
July 05, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Have You Ever Wondered How the Internet Works?
Andrew Blum, author of the new book "Tubes," spent two years exploring the physical constructions around the world that enable the Internet to exist
July 03, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Temple Grandin on a New Approach for Thinking About Thinking
The famed author and advocate for people with autism looks at the differences in how the human mind operates
July 2012 |
By Temple Grandin
Food, Modified Food
Over 70 percent of the processed food in America already contains ingredients that have been genetically modified. So why is the biotech industry nervous about its future?
June 29, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Can Evolution Make the Next Generation of Computer Chips?
In a recent experiment, genetic mutation and artificial selection were harnessed to make semiconductors
June 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
1987 Predictions From Bill Gates: “Siri, Show Me Da Vinci Stuff”
The co-founder of Microsoft worried that, in the information age, people would prefer synthesized reality.
June 27, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Coffee Pods, An Instant Classic
Single-serving coffee pods are the most recent form of instant coffee. Its history is much shorter than the espresso shot, though in its own way, just as inventive
June 27, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Prepare to Go Underground
Upside down skyscrapers. Vacuum tubes whisking away trash. Welcome to the future of cities as they begin exploring the next urban frontier.
June 26, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Robots Enter the Job Market
In some cases, they're learning to work with humans. In others, they're taking over the whole plant
June 21, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Are You Chatting With a Human or a Computer?
Converse with some of the world's most sophisticated artificial intelligence programs—and decide how human they seem
June 21, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Long History of the Espresso Machine
In the 19th century, coffee was big business in Europe. As inventors sought to improve brews and reduce brewing time, the espresso was born
June 19, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The Allure of Brain Scans
They sure make pretty pictures, but are we exaggerating what they can really tell us about what's going on inside our heads?
June 18, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Deconstructing Dad
Fatherhood remains a ripe subject for scientific research. Here are 10 recent studies on the transformation from man to dad
June 14, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
The Unnatural History of the Dixie Cup
The product was a life-saving technology that avoided the transmission of disease from communal "tin dippers"
June 13, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
The Rise and Fall of Ken-chan, the $43,000 Robot Waiter
The spaghetti-slinging robot drew crowds at Grazie’s Italian Restaurant in Tokyo
June 12, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
It’s a Long Story
In a Facebook world, you'd think there wouldn't be much of a future for nonfiction storytelling. But several startups are trying to keep the long narrative alive.
June 11, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Roiling in the Deep
It's World Oceans Day and here are 10 things scientists know about what's happening under the sea that they didn't a year ago.
June 08, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
Combinatorial Creativity and the Myth of Originality
The power of the synthesizing mind and the building blocks of combinatorial creativity
June 06, 2012 |
By Maria Popova
Saab Reinvents Air Traffic Control With a Digital Panorama
With Saab's new digital panorama, the local air traffic controller may soon go the way of the technical support specialist.
June 04, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Taking Control of Your Dreams
Not a lot of research has been done on lucid dreaming, but new devices are now helping people influence what's going on in their heads while they sleep.
June 04, 2012 |
By Randy Rieland
