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Innovation

New research shows that eucalyptus trees can absorb gold particles in their roots and transport them up to their leaves, a finding that could be a boon for mining companies.

Gold Particles in Eucalyptus Trees Can Reveal Deposits Deep Underground

The plants can absorb gold particles in their roots and transport them up to their leaves—a finding that could be a boon for mining companies

Elk Creek is the first methane-to-energy project at a coal mine west of the Mississippi and the largest of its kind nationwide.

Energy Innovation

Squeezing Cleaner Energy from Coal’s Waste

Coal mine methane could soon transform from problematic waste to valuable fuel

In less than a year, MealSharing.com has built a community that spans 400 cities worldwide.

How to Get a Home-Cooked Meal Anywhere in the World

Jay Savsani describes his early success with MealSharing.com, a website that connects tourists with locals offering a free meal

A New Car Proves It Can Fly (Barely)

A video demonstration by the Aeromobil may have you thinking it’s best to stay grounded for now

Next Year, Your Smartphone Might Actually Charge Itself Using Solar Power

“Invisible” solar cells may soon turn smartphone displays into battery-assisting solar panels

The Perfect Way to Ripen Fruit and Other Ingenious Inventions Recognized by the Dyson Awards

Entries into the annual inventors competition include an Iron Man-inspired suit and a printer that fits in your bag

This “Death Watch” Allegedly Counts Down the Last Seconds of Your Life

A watch that predicts when its wearer will expire is proving popular with the masses. But why?

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The Many, Many Designs of the Sewing Machine

Rioting tailors, destitute inventors and the court system all got involved in one of the 19th century’s biggest innovations

Ninety percent of all goods travel via the shipping industry.

How the Shipping Industry is the Secret Force Driving the World Economy

What percent of goods are shipped via the sea? It’s much higher than you think

3D printed object produced by the Peachy Printer

Is a $100 3D Printer Too Good to Be True?

An inventor has created a 3D printer that uses lasers to sculpt objects out of resin

A lot of factors go into making a deal.

10 Things We’ve Learned About Negotiation

Make the first offer. Don’t use “I” too much. And maybe it’s not a good idea to look your counterpart straight in the eye

This Controversial Invention Promises to Banish All Web Ads

Devices like AdTrap takes users back to simpler times, but they also threaten the way much of the internet does business

A new focus of hospitals is keeping you from ending up here.

How Hospitals are Trying to Keep You Out of the Hospital

With a big boost from supercomputers, hospitals are shifting more of their focus to identifying people who need their help staying healthy

Interactive map courtesy of ESRI. Text by Natasha Geiling.

See Why China’s New Highway System is an Engineering Marvel

In this series of satellite photographs, see the impact of the massive growth in transportation infrastructure

The telegraph key used to send the famous message “What Hath God Wroght” over the prototype telegraph line between Baltimore and Washington D.C. in 1844

How the Telegraph Went From Semaphore to Communication Game Changer

Samuel Morse was an artist by trade, but to the world he’s best known for connecting the dots —and dashes— that forever changed the way we communicate

Blizzident is similar to a mouth-guard, but it is lined with rows of bristles.

Checking the Claim: A 3-D Printed Toothbrush That Cleans Your Mouth in Six Seconds

A startup has developed a custom-fit tool that can brush the entire surface of your teeth all at once

Some scientists think that our compatibility genes—the same genes that determine whether an organ transplant will take—play a role in sexual attraction.

Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

We Know Your Genes Can Influence Your Health, But Can They Also Influence Who You Love?

The same genes that dictate whether or not you can accept an organ transplant may guide your choice in a romantic partner

Nest Protect, the latest product to come from Nest Labs, reimagines the lowly household smoke detector.

For $129, Nest’s New Smoke Detector Talks to You

Tony Fadell’s startup unveils the Protect, a smoke detector far less annoying than others on the market

Designer Dave Hakkens bills Phonebloks, his concept for a new smartphone, as “a phone worth keeping.”

Is This the Last Smartphone You’ll Ever Need?

A Dutch designer has come up with a smartphone design that allows every essential function to be easily upgradeable

What is appropriate Google Glass behavior?

Will Google Glass Make Us Better People? Or Just Creepy?

Some think wearable tech is just the thing to help us break bad habits, others that it will let us invade privacy like never before

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