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Smart News / Smart News Ideas & Innovations

A satellite photo of an almost-finished solar farm near Walt Disney World in Orlando reveals a familiar face.

Future of Energy

The Shifting Shapes of Solar Farms

They’re more than just massive fields of black panels

Are you brave enough to slide down the side of a skyscraper?

Trending Today

A Restored Skyscraper in LA Will Feature a Terrifying Glass Slide

Going to the bank just got that much scarier

Interacting with a velociraptor robot is just part of the Henn-na Hotel's efficient charm.

Cool Finds

Japan Has a Hotel Staffed by Robots

Androids, velociraptors and talking toys are all part of the experience at the Henn-na Hotel

She knows where this photo was taken—and so might a new neural network.

New Research

Google’s New A.I. Can Tell Exactly Where a Photo Was Taken

A new neural network is better than humans at sussing out the location of a picture

New Research

These Glass Discs Can Store Data for Billions of Years

“Five-dimensional” data discs could be the future of information storage

Millenials = oenophiles, according to a new study.

New Research

Millennials Drink More Wine Than Anyone Else

The much-maligned generation has a penchant for vino

Scientists used an an integrated tissue-organ printer, or ITOP, to create this ear.

New Research

Scientists Printed a Human Ear

The scientific breakthrough is more than a creepy experiment—one day, it could save lives

Cool Finds

Chow Down on a Plastic-Eating Fungus

Plastic trash could have a delicious future

New Research

Here’s Why It’s So Hard to Smash a Cockroach

Scientists chased and crushed cockroaches—and their results could one day save lives

Could meatballs like these one day be made in a lab?

New Research

This Biotech Company Is Growing Meatballs in a Lab

In just a few years, lab-grown meat might make it to the market

Cool Finds

Which States Have the Fastest Talkers?

Next time you hear, “this call may be recorded,” an analytics firm could be analyzing every word

Teslasuit, a full-body VR suit, worn in a demo.

Cool Finds

What It Feels Like to Don a Skintight Virtual Reality Suit

Though it sounds a little weird, it might be the future of virtual reality

The Fontus Airo water bottle

Cool Finds

This Water Bottle Refills Itself From Moisture in the Air

The Fontus is a gadget for adventurers and potentially a way to help people living regions where water is scarce

Cool Finds

Adventure Through the Water Cycle With NASA’s New Comic Book

The comic brings whimsy and fun into the story of the Global Precipitation Measurement satellite mission

Snowflakes seem a natural choice for a pattern in the snow-covered field, but they also showcase Beck's mathematical precision.

Cool Finds

These Stunning Fractals Are Made of Snow

Snow artist Simon Beck uses his own two snowshoe-clad feet to create these masterpieces

Cool Finds

GoPro-Armed Vultures Capture Lima’s Trash Problems

By sniffing out illegal dumps, the watchful buzzards will hopefully inspire action to clean up the city’s streets

Cool Finds

Step Inside a Dalí Painting at This Virtual Reality Exhibit

Surrealism meets real life in an exploration of a Dalí masterwork

Who wouldn't want to let these adorable critters pass through?

Cool Finds

British People Are Building Highways for Hedgehogs Through Their Yards

Hedgehog populations in England have declined since the 1970s due urban and suburban development

An eight-year-old Firethorn "Air Bonsai"

Cool Finds

These Levitating Bonsai Will Brighten Your Home With Science

A workshop in Japan created tiny Bonsai plants that float with the help of magnets

Cool Finds

New Way to Wean Calves Leaves Them Happier and Healthier

Lowering stress on the animals may also have economic benefits

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