Watch as engineers 3D print a bionic eye prototype
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have 3D printed a prototype for a synthetic eyeball, equipped with photodetectors that allow the device to pick up on light. The prototype could help usher in more advanced devices for visually impaired people.
As sea levels rise, NASA’s new laser satellite will monitor polar ice decline
In September, NASA will launch an advanced satellite called ICESat-2 (short for Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2). Scientists will use the satellite’s laser instruments to measure changes in elevation of land ice in polar regions like Greenland and Antarctica.
‘Waterworld’ no longer seems sci-fi, so an artist designed your future gills
Meet Amphibio: A 3D-printed garment designed to work like a set of gills. Why? Because if sea levels keep on rising, many of the land currently inhabited by humans will be underwater -- so artist Jun Kamei started building a potential solution. Could it really work though?
Algorithm outperforms humans at spotting fake news
Researchers have created an A.I. system that can tell the difference between real and fake news — often with better success rates than its human counterparts. Such a system may help social media platforms and search engines filter out articles meant to misinform.
Women may be immune to brain damage from cosmic rays, study finds
In a recent paper in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, researchers show that female mice are immune to the cognitive damage that results from simulated space radiation. The study may pave the way toward treating this hazardous consequence of space travel.
Genetically engineered bacteria paint microscopic masterpieces
By engineering E. coli bacteria to respond to light, scientists have guided it like tiny drones toward patterns that depict Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The researchers want to show that these engineered bacteria may someday be used as “microbricks" and microscopic living propellors.
Scientists try to trick brains of amputees with phantom limb syndrome
New research out of École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland might help some amputees better mesh what they see with what they feel. In a recently published paper, the researchers show how an amputee’s brain can be tricked into believing that a prosthetic hand belongs to their own body.
Lyd is a battery-powered, ‘no-spill’ bottle that is activated by your lips
Lyd is a battery-powered bottle that’s something like a sippy cup for adults. Its no-spill solution is a specialized lid that uses an algorithm to detect when your lips are on the bottle. If you’re the type of grownup who constantly spills beverages on yourself, this may be perfect for you.
A treasure trove of 3D scientific specimens is now free to see online
Thanks to the California Academy of Sciences, you can access more than 700 scientific specimens and artifacts from its world-class collection via the online 3D and virtual reality platform Sketchfab. The collection includes items like an assortment of rare bones, Navajo bracelets, and intricate basketry.
‘Rogue medicine in a bathtub’: 4 experts on the vice and virtue of pharma hacking
A biohacker, pharmahacker, and two bioethicists walk into a bar. We ordered them a metaphorical round and had a chat about the risks and rewards of DIY medicine — from unsanctioned gene therapy to medication made on the kitchen counter.
By studying patient data, A.I. can limit toxicity in cancer treatment
In a bid to improve quality of life for cancer patients, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned to machine learning to help avoid toxicity from cancer medications. The researchers are specifically targeting glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer.
‘There’s Waldo’ robot will find Waldo long before you can
There’s Waldo is the brain child of Matt Reed, a creative technologist at the creative agency Redpepper. Reed and his colleagues built the bot out of a uArm Swift Pro that’s controlled by a Raspberry Pi computer. Facial recognition software helps spot the character in under 4.5 seconds.
These yeast colony patches are like living Geiger counters
A team of researchers from Purdue University have designed a patch that can help measure radiation exposure in nearly real time for radiologists and nuclear disaster responders. They're simple, made out of little more than paper and yeast, and cost pennies on the dollar.
Don’t bug out: Spider-like microbots will get under your skin … in a good way
Researchers have created multifunctional microbots using to a new fabrication process that lets them build millimeter-scale machines with micrometer-scale features. To demonstrate their breakthrough, they created a transparent spider bot modeled off of the brilliant Australian peacock spider.
Soft robotic hand gives scientists new grip on deep sea life
A team of roboticists and marine biologists from Harvard University have created a sampling device that’s soft and flexible for grabbing fragile organisms. What’s more, the device can be 3D printed on the fly so that researchers can make modifications to suit different organisms while out in the field.
Gene-edited silkworms spin out spider silk, could lead to mass production
Researchers have shown that genetically engineered silkworms can produce higher yields of spider silk. By using the gene editing tool TALEN, researchers replaced a one of the silkworms’ normal genes with that of the golden orb-web spider.
Scientists pinpoint exoplanets where life could bloom like here on Earth
New research suggests that the likelihood that life will develop on an Earth-like planet is closely connected with the light given off by its host star. The findings help pin down candidate planets, while weeding out those less likely to host life.
A series of solar flares disrupted hurricane relief efforts in 2017
Just as Hurricane Irma battered the Caribbean in early September, a series of solar flares erupted from the sun and caused emergency radio communications to go offline for hours. The NOAA reported an eight-hour loss of high-frequency radio used by ham radio operators and other emergency bands.
This high-tech water gun makes your old Super Soaker look like a fossil
The Spyra One is a next generation water cannon that shoots single rounds up to 30 feet. It features a sleek design, bright colors, and digital display to show how much ammo is remaining. A Kickstarter campaign to fund the project has exploded.
The winning photographs from the 2018 Drone Awards will make you drool
The 2018 Drone Awards showcases some of the best aerial photography around. From scenes depicting the perils of climate change to abstract art and images of our built environment, the more than 4,400 submissions from 101 countries, the Drone Awards has selected seven winners.
We asked Bill Nye about his plan to save Earth from civilization-ending asteroids
An asteroid impact event is unlikely — but the consequence would be catastrophic. As As CEO of The Planetary Society, Bill Nye, the fun-loving science guy spearheaded a recent Kickstarter campaign called Kick Asteroid! with the aim to raise money and raise awareness about these outer space threats.
Can a gadget save you from the distraction of gadgets? We tried Foci
Foci is a biometric wearable that looks a lot like a bluetooth earpiece that you wear on your waist. Using tiny sensors and a machine learning algorithm to monitor your breathing patterns, Foci helps identify your cognitive state and keep your mind on track if it begins to wander.
The UN and Yale unite to build a ‘smart’ tiny house for the future
In an effort to create more sustainable and affordable housing for future populations, the United Nations and Yale University recently teamed together and created the Ecological Living Module, a roughly 240-square-foot tiny house, which they designed to test ways to minimize water and natural resources.
These ‘tentacular’ jellyfish lamps bring the deep sea to the surface
In the tradition of bio-inspiration, a German designer named Max Jürgensen in a labor of love has created a stunning lamp that mimics the appearance and movement of jellyfish. The Jellyfish Motion Lights, now being crowdfunded, are part lamp, part installation, and completely captivating.
This spider robot moves around to keep the plant on its head alive
Inspired by a dead sunflower, the founder of the robotics company Vincross modified his company's spider-like robot so that it could care for plants — moving to the sun and monitoring water levels. Calling the project "Sharing Human Technology with Plants," his goal was to test the limitations of nature.
Beat the heat with this super-cool personal air conditioning unit
Taking the form of a 7-Eleven Big Gulp cup, the Airwirl is actually a personal AC device that is small enough to fit in a cup holder and big enough to pack a punch of hot or cool air into your face, providing much-needed relief when temperatures reach certain extremes.
These living solar cells make energy, even in bad weather
Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have demonstrated how solar cells made of living organisms can generate energy even with limited sunlight. Known as “biogenic” solar cells, these cells could offer an alternative to synthetic cells currently used in conventional solar panels