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Latest by Luke Dormehl

mit origami robot 2017 primer  bottom uses exoskeletons to transform into clockwise from top glider bot walk wheel boat credi

MIT’s origami robot transforms to become a boat, a glider, or a wheel

MIT's new shapeshifting robot can transform into a variety of different forms -- allowing it to walk, roll, sail, and even glide.
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The easiest way to take graphene into the third dimension? Use a laser on it

Researchers have found a way to forge the 2D wonder material graphene into three-dimensional shapes by using a focused laser beam.
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Energy from evaporating water could power 70 percent of the U.S.

According to a new study, the U.S. could harvest 70 percent of the power it currently produces by using evaporating water from lakes.
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CRISPR’s latest achievement? Taking the gluten out of wheat

A team of researchers in Spain have used CRISPR gene-editing technology to eliminate the majority of gluten allergens in wheat.
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Is face time over? New biometric tech identifies you through your ‘heartprint’

Smart new biometric tech developed at the University at Buffalo uses radar to read users' personal heart rate signatures.
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One of the original Sputnik-1 prototypes sells for nearly $850k

One of the few surviving Soviet Sputnik-1 models, created during Russia’s Space Race with the U.S., sold today at auction for $847,500.
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Autonomous drones can now fly in low light thanks to a new type of camera

Swiss researchers have developed a new camera which helps drones fly autonomously no matter what the lighting.
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New Fluent Forever language-learning app breaks Kickstarter records

New Fluent Forever app promises to teach you to speak other languages by changing the way you think about learning them.
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Footage of a racing drone zipping over the Swiss Alps will give you vertigo

Shot by a Swiss physicist who moonlights as a racing drone pilot, this astonishing drone flyover of the Swiss Alps will drop your jaw.
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Want to own RoboCop’s suit? Conan’s sword? A Xenomorph egg? It’s all for sale

Ever dreamed of equipping your bachelor pad with an authentic xenomorph egg from 1986’s 'Aliens'? This online prop auction is here to help.
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Greater body awareness may make this robot an ace at helping with everyday tasks

A new project from Swiss researchers involves a bipedal robot that uses its smart walking tech to assist with a variety of tasks.
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Here’s how Dutch engineers plan to build one of the world’s tallest ice towers

A group of Dutch researchers want to build a record-breaking, 30-meter high tower of ice in China -- and they need your help to do it.
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Octopod is the steampunk octopus clock nobody needs, but you’ll definitely want

Octopod is an octopus-inspired clock which mounts the inner workings of a high-end mechanical timepiece on eight finely articulated legs.
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If data is the new oil, are tech companies robbing us blind?

Data is the new oil, or so the saying goes. So why are we giving it away in exchange for free email and better search results?
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A history of artificial intelligence in 10 landmarks

Want to know what the most defining moments in the history of AI are? We've tried to narrow it down to the top 10 most significant.
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Another mass extinction event is on its way, warns MIT scientist

A geophysics professor from MIT claims he’s run the math… and we’re on our way to what he refers to as a mass extinction event. Here's why.
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Watch Lockheed Martin burn drones out of the sky with a new laser

Defense giant Lockheed Martin recently showed off its ATHENA laser blaster by blowing drones out of the sky with it.
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Innovative suction robot is designed to hitchhike on the side of a shark

A robot designed by engineers in China and the U.S. could hitch a ride on the side of a shark to either save on energy or help track them.
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Using cellphones and sewage, scientists can tell what drugs you’re taking

Asking people about their drug habits doesn't always result in reliable data. You know what does? Analyzing sewage and cellphone signals.
grainsense

This handheld scanner lets farmers analyze their crops in seconds

GrainSense is a smart device that lets farmers scan their crops to find out their levels of protein, moisture, oil, and carbohydrate.
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Thermal imaging can reveal just how hard your brain is working

How hard are you concentrating? There’s one unusual way to find out: read your hidden cognition levels using smart thermal imaging tech.
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Newly developed artificial muscles can lift 1,000 times their own weight

Columbia engineers have developed self-contained soft robotic muscles that are 3 times stronger than those made of natural tissue.
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Algorithm predicts Parkinson’s disease by digging through your medical history

Researchers at Washington University have created an algorithm able to predict future Parkinson's patients by looking at their medical notes.
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Afraid of heights? Scientists might be able to fix that — with magnets and VR

Researchers in Germany have used a combination of VR and transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat people with a fear of heights.
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Dubai just commissioned a new 700-megawatt extension for its mega solar park

A giant single site solar park in Dubai is set to become even bigger, courtesy of a new 700- megawatt solar CSP extension.
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Meet the PowerUp Dart: A smartphone-controlled paper airplane that does stunts

PowerUp's new smartphone-controlled paper airplane puts a major focus on stunts -- ranging from loop the loops to barrel rolls.
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The home-inspecting Aire drone looks like a flying Amazon Echo

Aevena's new Aire home security drone looks like a flying version of Apple’s HomePod. It's now available for pre-order on Kickstarter.
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‘Wonder Woman’ goes airborne with giant 300-drone light show

How do you celebrate the giant hit movie that was Wonder Woman? With a giant light show comprising 300 drones, of course.
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UCLA’s new solid-state fridge tech could make air conditioning obsolete

Engineers from UCLA and SRI International have developed a new ultra-thin device that functions as a solid-state portable fridge cooler.
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Hate needles? MIT’s new injection tech delivers multiple vaccines with one poke

MIT has developed technology that allows multiple doses of a drug to be delivered over an extended period of time -- with just one injection.
sci-fi movies

They can’t all be zingers: 8 absurd sci-fi predictions that never panned out

Not every film gets its future predictions right. Here are eight sci-fi movies and TV shows where things didn't pan out as Hollywood guessed.
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This chip will reveal to doctors exactly where smart pills are in the human body

Researchers at Caltech have developed a transmitter chip that could help doctors to track smart pills as they travel through the body.
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Tiny nanoscale-tidying robots are made from a single strand of DNA

Caltech scientists have created a new DNA “robot” that may one day be performing “cargo sorting” jobs in places like our bloodstream.
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AI being used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease early by reviewing brain scans

New machine learning AI technology could identify Alzheimer’s a decade before doctors, by using non-invasive MRI brain scans.