Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Innovation / Technology

Scientists at the University of Central Florida have modeled a path toward self-sufficiency for one million settlers of Mars over the course of 100 Earth years.

What Will Humans Eat on Mars?

Planetary scientist Kevin Cannon talks about the logistics of feeding a population of one million on the Red Planet

Klein Ileleji stands next to a dehydrator he invented.

This Solar-Powered Dehydrator Could Help Small Farmers Reduce Food Waste

An Indiana startup hopes to help farmers in lower income countries keep their crops safe using a cheap, portable dehydrator system

In this agricultural revolution, there are plenty of mind-blowing devices to awe and excite.

Five Roles Robots Will Play in the Future of Farming

From picking fruit to pulling weeds, robotics are bringing precision farming to life

Monon and Ottily Bayer, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Bayer of Costamesa, California, pose in a small, "bunk bed" trailer at their campground in the Shasta National Forest. California, August 1953.

Ten Inventive Attempts to Make Camping More Comfortable

Making a stay in the great outdoors more luxe isn’t new—even if glamping and #vanlife are

Hauschka performed at the 35th Munich Filmfest on June 27, 2017, in Munich, Germany.

Hitting the High Notes: A Smithsonian Year of Music

How Composer John Cage Transformed the Piano—With the Help of Some Household Objects

With screws and bolts placed between its strings, the ‘prepared piano’ offers up a wide range of sounds

In December, Your Call technology will be used during the Liberty Bowl.

In This Interactive Football League, Fans Pick the Plays

Your Call Football’s streaming app platform lets fans control the actions of real live players, earning points and winning prizes

When she learned to play the theremin, Dorit Chrysler was struck by its emotional expressiveness.

A Century Ago, This Eerie-Sounding Instrument Ushered in Electronic Music

Now, the theremin—a strange little invention that translates hand gestures into pitch and volume—could make a comeback

The process of coloring the test objects took between 15 and 40 minutes.

This New Dye Changes Color When Exposed to UV Light

Color-change shoes, jewelry, cars, furniture and more could be possible with this new MIT technology

The remote-controlled 3-D-printed raptor known as RoBird, built by a Dutch firm, swoops and soars.

These High-Tech Scarecrows Will Keep Pesky Creatures Away

From robots to digitized recordings, farmers are upping their game when it comes to protecting their crops

In July 2016, a solar-powered airplane flying over the desert region of Andalusia in Spain photographed breathtaking images of the Gemasolar concentrated solar power plant.

How Engineers of New Energy Technology Are Taking Cues From Nature

From sunflower spirals to schooling fish, renewable energy innovators are uncovering ideas for improving efficiency and output in natural phenomena

When the Slinky was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000, more than 250 million had been sold to date.

The Accidental Invention of the Slinky

The idea for the timeless toy sprung to mind when Naval engineer Richard James dropped some coiled wires

Wyss Institute engineers selected works from the collections to illustrate a "new approach to Design Science." The clusters of polyhedrons in the 1954 textile Time Capsule reflects the 1950s sentiment for a brighter future built on scientific progress.

How Biology Inspires Future Technology

Bioengineers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute showcase their ingenious medical, industrial and environmental designs at the Cooper Hewitt

A vintage illustration of a wide-eyed housewife with a waffle in a waffle iron, 1946.

A Brief History of the Waffle Iron

Cornelius Swartwout’s invention, patented more than 150 years ago, helped feed America’s passion for waffles

Stephanie Kwolek's initial ambition was not to be chemist at all.

You Can Thank Chemist Stephanie Kwolek for Bulletproof Vests and Yoga Pants

The long-serving researcher at DuPont invented kevlar and contributed to spandex

Loop the Loop at Coney Island, 1903

14 Fun Facts About Roller Coasters

For starters, one of the oldest coasters in America carried coal before it carried passengers

It’s very early days—so don’t ditch your glasses just yet.

These Lenses Zoom With a Couple Blinks of Your Eyes

Researchers have developed a soft polymer lens that changes shape based on electrical input

To celebrate its centennial, KitchenAid released a passion red limited edition stand mixer.

For 100 Years, KitchenAid Has Been the Stand-Up Brand of Stand Mixers

Even celebrity chef Julia Child said that the sleek appliance made mixing ‘marvelous’

The technology involves a system of sensors that detect the minuscule neuromuscular signals sent by the brain to the vocal cords and muscles of the throat and tongue.

This Device Can Hear You Talking to Yourself

AlterEgo could help people with communication or memory problems by broadcasting internal monologues

Will Artificial Intelligence Improve Health Care for Everyone?

A.I.-driven medical tools could democratize health care, but some worry they could also worsen inequalities

The 8-bit system looks dated by today’s standards.

Thirty Years Ago, Game Boy Changed the Way America Played Video Games

Nintendo’s handheld gaming system proved to be a huge success, thanks to its durability and battery life

Page 14 of 73