Smart News / Smart News Ideas & Innovations

America Bet 500 Million Tiny Copper Space Wires Would Help Beat the Soviets

During the Cold War, filling space with tiny copper bits didn’t seem like such a bad idea

August 13, 2013

This Underwater Expedition Is the Only Live Stream You Need to Watch Today

Right now, the Okeanos Explorer has a rover in the water about 600 meters below the ocean. You can join it by watching this live stream

August 12, 2013

Hackers Can Take Over Your Car

if you install a computer in something, a skilled hacker can probably take it over

August 9, 2013

Hawaiian Regulators Are Not Excited About These Awesome Jetpacks

Does it look like a ton of fun? You bet. Is its use on a broad scale a good idea? Officials aren’t so sure

August 8, 2013

9 Percent of People Would Have Sex With a Robot (And 42 Percent of Them Would Consider It Cheating)

Robots are getting better at everything. Including sex

August 8, 2013

Talking Robot to Keep Japanese Astronaut Company at the ISS

The conversationalist robot Kirobo has just been launched into the abyss, and is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station by August 9

August 6, 2013

These People Build Real, Life-Sized, WALL-E Robots

Forget stuffed animal replicas or little plastic figurines, this team just made a real, life-sized Wall-E Robot

August 6, 2013

Energy Innovation

Oil May Finally Be Hitting Its Peak

Oil consumption may be nearing its peak

August 5, 2013

Sail-Powered Ships Are Making a Comeback

New pressures have engineers turning to old ideas, and Rolls-Royce is working on a sailing ship

August 1, 2013

Small Airplanes of the Near Future May Run on Natural Gas

In the near future, it may become both cheaper and greener to fly small planes

August 1, 2013

Energy Innovation

People Had To Be Convinced of the Usefulness of Electricity

When electricity came around, it wasn’t immediately seen as a necessity

August 1, 2013

Energy Innovation

Mississippi And Alabama May Be the Sites of the Next Oil Sands Mines

The Mississippi and Alabama governors say they hope to draw upon knowledge and best practice insights established in Alberta

July 30, 2013

Google Translate Can Now Handle Handwriting

Next time you get a hand written note from your hostel mate in a language you can’t understand, you can turn to Google Translate

July 29, 2013

Meet Your Local Farmer Bot

Not so much the dream of the far future, agricultural robots are nearly ready for prime time

July 23, 2013

A New Surgical Knife Identifies Cancerous Tissue As Doctors Are Cutting It Out

The knife cauterizes tissue and then analyzes the smoke produced by the burning flesh using mass spectrometry

July 19, 2013

More HIV Patients Could Get Earlier Treatment

The World Health Organization issued HIV treatments that could impact the number of patients who receive drugs and other support for the condition

July 16, 2013

First Arrest Caught on Google Glass

Google won’t be changing anything in response to the video, but they do say they’re talking to lawmakers about the implications of recording everything

July 9, 2013

These New Windows Let the Summer Breeze In, But Block the Street Noise

A window speckled with little holes will let the air through, but not the sound

July 8, 2013

Wander Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley With Street View

The Diagon Alley set from Harry Potter has been added to Google Street View

July 5, 2013

This Super Weird-Looking Bike Might Break the Speed Record

It has to be pushed to start and caught when he stops to not fall over but this strange fish-shaped bike might be able to beat the speed record

July 5, 2013