Innovation / Technology

We Can Bank Online. Why Can’t We Vote Online?

Voting experts David Becker and Thad Hall discuss the technologies that could forever change the way we register and cast our votes

November 6, 2012

Are Your Political Beliefs Hardwired?

Brain scans suggest Democrats and Republicans actually are different biologically. Welcome to the world of political neuroscience.

November 5, 2012

Tracking the Twists and Turns of Hurricanes

Incredibly powerful supercomputers and a willingness to acknowledge that they’re not perfect has made weather scientists become much more effective in forecasting hurricanes.

October 29, 2012

Turning Your Hand Into a Remote Control

A Microsoft prototype called Digits could put the power to control everything from TV screens to smart phones in a device you wear on your wrist

October 26, 2012

Take That, Cancer!

The war on cancer has been going on for more than 40 years. Here are 10 small—and maybe not so small—victories scientists have had this year

October 22, 2012

One Step Closer to a Brain

It sounds funny, but when Google created a huge computer network that was able to identify cats from YouTube videos, it was a big leap forward for artificial intelligence.

October 18, 2012

Drawing the Line on Drones

A lot of police departments will soon have their own flying robots. How far should they be allowed to go in shooting video from the sky?

October 15, 2012

Patient, Heal Thyself

Cutting-edge research in regenerative medicine suggests that the future of health care may lie in getting the body to grow new parts and heal itself.

October 5, 2012

Introducing the USS Zumwalt, the Stealth Destroyer

Set to be christened in 2013, this new naval warship will amaze, leaving almost no wake in the open seas

October 2012

Forget the Volt, Make Way for Electric Trucks

Smith trucks are powered by batteries, not diesel, which could make a big difference in the fight against climate change

October 2012

How Brains Make Money

A new breed of scientists says that if you want to understand why people make financial decisions, you need to see what’s going on inside their brains

September 28, 2012

Hope and Change: 5 Innovation Updates

Here’s the latest on robots that work with humans, a revolutionary camera, home 3-D printers, mobile wallets and Google’s driverless car

September 25, 2012

Getting Smart About Traffic

Thanks to GPS, sensors, artificial intelligence and even algorithms based on the behavior of E. coli, it’s possible to imagine the end of commuting madness

September 20, 2012

Wearable Tech Makes a Fashion Statement

When models wore Google’s goggles on the runway, it signaled that the next wave of digital devices may actually go post-geek.

September 13, 2012

10 Inventions You Haven’t Heard About

Apple’s iPhone 5 will get all the attention this month, but here are some lesser-known innovations whose time has also come

September 10, 2012

NASA Sparks Its Imagination

Rovers that ride winds on Venus, robots that roll like tumbleweeds and other wild ideas for exploring space

September 7, 2012

Rare People Who Remember Everything

Scientists are taking a closer look at the extremely rare people who remember everything from their pasts. And yes, their brains are different.

September 4, 2012

A Sneak Peek at the First Commercial Spaceport

The hub of Richard Branson’s plans for Virgin Galactic, where tourists and scientists alike take off for the great beyond

September 2012

What is the Future of College Education?

More and more top American universities are offering courses online for free. Going to college will never be the same again

August 27, 2012

Is That a Computer in Your Shoe?

Sensors in sports shoes get all the attention, but other devices can identify you by how you walk and help Alzheimer’s patients find their way home

August 23, 2012