Could a Rusty Bridge Generate Electricity?
New research shows that water flowing over thin layers of rust can generate power
How Women Are Leading the Charge to Recycle Whole Houses
From lobbying for changes to city laws to running reuse centers for building supplies, women are dominating the deconstruction industry
Engineers Built a Robotic Lionfish With an Energetic Bloodstream
The robo-fish pumps energy-packed liquid through vein-like tubes to move its fins and swim for hours
These Glowing Plants Could One Day Light Our Homes
The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum gives us a glimpse into a world where we read by a natural greenish glow
How a Squid’s Color-Changing Skin Inspired a New Material That Can Trap or Release Heat
The stretchy ‘thermocomfort material’ has potential energy-saving applications in buildings and wearables
A Brief History of Solar Panels
Inventors have been advancing solar technology for more than a century and a half, and improvements in efficiency and aesthetics keep on coming
Nine Innovators to Watch in 2019
These big thinkers are set to make news this year with exciting developments in transportation, energy, health, food science and more
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
MIT Flies Model Airplane Powered by the Blue Glow of Electric Fields and Ionic Winds
The model plane, with no moving parts, could pave the way for new flight technology that emits no pollutants
This Apartment-Size Wind Turbine Makes Use of Gusts Coming From All Directions
Winner of this year’s James Dyson Award, the O-Wind Turbine is designed for the chaotic wind patterns of urban environments
Let’s Build Cars Out of Batteries
If batteries could make up the very structure of our vehicles and electronics, those products would be far lighter and more efficient
Is Wireless Charging for Cars Finally Here?
The Massachusetts startup WiTricity has developed a mat that charges electric vehicles using magnetic resonance
The Innovative Spirit: Changing Our World For the Better
In partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, we look at the innovative spirit within the Smithsonian and beyond
Stanford Ovshinsky Might Be the Most Prolific Inventor You’ve Never Heard Of
A new book calls attention to the 20th-century genius with more than 400 patents to his name
This Golden Canopy Could Power 500 Homes
Architects propose a new sustainable landmark on a Melbourne beach that is both public art and a power plant
Could Offshore Wind Farms Actually Sap the Rain From Hurricanes?
With enough turbines, the rainfall from Hurricane Harvey could have been reduced by 20 percent, according to a new study
This New Coating Could Help Keep Buildings Cool
The porous polymer uses tiny air holes to reflect all wavelengths of sunlight, cooling buildings far better than white paint
Norway’s Newest Ships Give a Glimpse Into the Future of Sustainable Seafaring
The country is using oil and gas riches to engineer emission-free vessels
Turning Fatbergs Into Biofuel
Researchers have developed a new method for recycling greasy sewer blockages into green fuel
For Electric Vehicles to Take Off, Apartments Need to Come with Charging Stations
As EVs make more inroads, giving tenants somewhere to plug in their cars could become a selling point
Page 3 of 12