Smart sound system will give every car passenger their own wireless audio stream
Can't agree on what music to listen to in the car? Imagine if each passenger could get his or her own way, courtesy of a personal audio stream — no headphones required. It sounds impossible, but it’s apparently almost here, thanks to the world's first 'dynamic focused sound' system.
CRISPR gene editing creates cocaine-proof mice, aims to crack addiction puzzle
Scientists from the University of Chicago have used CRISPR gene editing to create cocaine-resistant mice by modifying the DNA of skin cells. The breakthrough skin graft could help break addiction patterns, and even prevent cocaine overdoses. Here's how the technique works.
Forget hands — this 3D-printed clock keeps time using nothing but marbles
Based on the innovative rolling ball clock design created by Harley Mayenschein back in the 1970s, this awesome 3D-printed variation is yours to make at home, courtesy of free online instructions. Because who needs a super straightforward way of telling the time after all?
Giant NASA space laser satellite to gauge impact of climate change on ice sheets
NASA has launched its most advanced space laser satellite ever as part of a $1 billion mission that will reveal the extent to which climate change has affected Earth’s ice sheet surface elevation. ICESat-2 will blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Machine learning? Neural networks? Here’s your guide to the many flavors of A.I.
Don't know your machine learning from your evolutionary algorithms? Our handy A.I. buzzword guide is here to help.
Lidar-equipped drones could help protect California from future wildfires
Last year saw the most devastating wildfire season on record in California. Could drones help avoid a repeat performance? One drone surveying company, Flight Evolved, is doing its part to help, using the latest cutting-edge Lidar detection technology. Here's what it's doing.
This amazingly acrobatic winged robot moves just like a fruit fly
Humans may have to worry about robots taking their jobs, but you know who else should probably be watching their back? Fruit flies! At least, that’s our takeaway from an amazing new fruit fly-inspired winged robot created by researchers at Delft University of Technology.
Never remember a face? A new AR facial-recognition app could jog your memory
Better known as face blindness, prosopagnosia is a neurological condition in which sufferers struggle to recognize people they have met -- even when they might have known them for decades. Could augmented reality technology help? An app created by a Harvard neuroscientist aims to do so.
Watch a robot create amazing string art portraits with thousands of feet of yarn
Ever heard of string art? Researchers from Austria have created a computer system that lets an industrial robot create amazing string art portraits using thousands of feet of yarn. Just show it an image and it'll figure out the optimal thread path necessary to re-create it.
Air Force goes all James Bond with tiny microphone that attaches to teeth
As part of a new $10 million deal, members of the U.S. Air Force (and possibly others in the future) will soon be able to communicate using a next-generation miniaturized microphone system that clips to their back teeth. It makes communication possible in even the harshest environments.
Ex-Rolls-Royce engineer looks to conquer the tiny home market with the Conker
Resembling a soccer ball on stilts, The Conker is a new spherical mini home. Capable of being installed in a single day, this stunningly stylish glamping dwelling will convince nearly everyone who sees it that this is what the future of living looks like. Sign up right now!
‘Crop-dusting’ drones drop biodegradable sensors instead of pesticides
Next-gen agriculture might involve using drones to airdrop hundreds of tiny sensors, called PlantCopters, which can keep track of crop growth, crop health, and surrounding microclimate. This data could then be transmitted via Bluetooth. Could this be the future of farming?
Lab-grown mini-brains will help us gain a better understanding of the real thing
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a rapid, cost-effective method to grow organoid “mini-brains” in a lab. They hope that these mini-brains will make it possible to gain a better understanding of the real brains they replicate.
Mezmoglobe spinning desk toy will keep you focused (or totally distracted)
Newly launched on Kickstarter, Mezmoglobe is an incredibly cool spinning desk toy, which is milled with a symmetrical helix pattern designed to produce a mind-bending "flowing" optical illusion as it rotates on its base. Check it out in all its attention-grabbing awesomeness.
The history of drones in 10 milestones
Here in 2018, drones are flying high -- both figuratively and literally. Want to know how things got this way? Here are 10 of the most significant milestones that explain how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) became the ultra-hot product category they are today.Â
Here’s what would happen if the Sahara was covered in solar and wind farms
According to an international team of researchers, covering the entire 3.6 million square miles of Sahara desert with wind and solar farms wouldn't just solve the world's energy requirements -- it would transform the region's climate, too. Here's what this study uncovered.
The BrambleBee robot promises to help honeybees pollinate flowers
Honeybee populations are declining at a terrifying rate. BrambleBee, a new pollination robot developed by researchers at West Virginia University, may one day be able to help carry on their crucial job. Here's how it works, and how its creators imagine its future.
Current tech for detecting hate speech is woefully inadequate, researchers find
Researchers from Finland’s Aalto University have analyzed various anti-hate speech systems, including tools built by Google’s Counter Abuse team. Their findings demonstrate that the technology is woefully inadequate in a lot of ways -- including just how easy it is to fool.
Unnervingly lifelike robot kid will help train (and maybe traumatize) doctors
Pediatric Hal is a new robot training tool created by medical equipment company Gaumard Scientific. Made to look just like a 5-year-old male patient, Hal is able to answer questions, track fingers with his eyes, say 'Ow!' when pricked with a needle, and much, much more.
Yi-One smart mug will cool your coffee just enough for you to drink it
Updating the thermos for the new millennium, the innovative Yi-One mug promises to keep your freshly brewed hot coffee at a scalding 200-degree temperature until you want to take a sip, at which point it will cool it to a drinkable 150 degrees in just three seconds flat. Count us in!
Incredibly ambitious Ocean Cleanup project is launching this weekend
This weekend, an ultra-ambitious ocean cleanup project is launching with a livestream. Tune in to watch a giant 2,000-foot garbage collection system be towed underneath the Golden Gate Bridge on its way to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Sound mad? Maybe, but it just might work.
Lex is a wearable exoskeleton that lets you take a comfortable seat anywhere
How awesome would it be if, any time you started to feel tired, you could just kick back on a chair that appears seemingly out of nowhere? That is the goal of Lex, a pair of wearable, folding exoskeleton legs that transform into an ultra-versatile portable seat.
Do we call it a roboat? An autonomous sailboat successfully crosses Atlantic Ocean
The first unmanned, autonomous sailboat has successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean, completing the journey between Newfoundland and Ireland. It represents a landmark for the potential use of unmanned boats in long-haul missions, such as ocean research and surveillance.
You don’t need scuba certification to use this clever crowdfunded diving system
Hey, we just found Nemo! Newly arrived on Kickstarter, Nemo is a super-compact surface-supplied-air (SSA) diving system that allows users to dive beneath the waves (or use in their swimming pool) without having to worry about carrying a bulky tank on their back. Here's how it works.
High-res thermal cameras used in ’Planet Earth II’ now found in British tanks
The British Army’s tanks are getting a technology upgrade -- and it’s courtesy of the same thermal imaging technology that previously helped bring David Attenborough’s jaw-dropping series of 'Planet Earth II' wildlife documentaries to life. Here's why that is so exciting.
Who needs ink cartridges? Harvard’s acoustic printer can spit out honey or cells
Scientists from Harvard University have pioneered a way to use sound waves to make it possible to print with virtually any liquid imaginable. That includes everything from human cells and liquid metal to optical resins and even honey. Here's why this breakthrough is so exciting.
Meet the autonomous starfish assassin bot that’s here to protect coral reefs
RangerBot is an underwater robot that's designed to look after the world’s largest coral reef system by seeking out troublesome starfish and killing them with a lethal cocktail of drugs. Seriously. Here's how it works, and why this could be the future of marine conservation.
U.S. Army wants to use laser power to keep drones airborne indefinitely
Fed up with drones that run out battery too quickly? The U.S. Army is investigating a way to keep drones flying indefinitely -- by using lasers to power them from a distance of more than 1,600 feet. Here's how the sophisticated wireless charging technique is designed to work.
Award-winning robot travels through water pipes to detect leaks
A shocking amount of clean water is wasted each year as the result of leaky pipes. A new soft robot may be able to help -- and it has just netted the 2018 James Dyson Award, a design competition to celebrate up-and-coming inventors. Here's how the Lighthouse robot works.
CRISPR halts fatal genetic disease in dogs, could soon do the same in humans
Scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern have showcased another potentially transformative use case for CRISPR gene-editing technology: Halting the progress of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in dogs. One day, it could potentially do the same in humans, too. Here's why that's so exciting.
6 amazing high-tech ways science could take care of the mosquito problem
Forget about bug spray and rolled-up newspapers! If we're really going to solve the mosquito problem we need some of these technologies to catch on. From laser fences to CRISP gene editing solutions, here are six of the most innovative way scientists are trying to help.
Hate dental checkups? This app lets you check your smile by snapping a few selfies
Hate going to the dentist for regular checkups? Imagine how much easier life would be if getting your teeth checked out was as simple as taking a few mouth selfies and sending them off for a remote evaluation by a real dentist. It turns out that there's an app for that.
A brain scan could help reveal if a person is a suicide risk
Could a brain scan reveal a person's risk of suicide? Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh have been awarded a $3.8 million grant to use brain imaging and machine learning technology to help clinicians detect and treat suicidal patients.