Materials
Though we live in a digital age, material science has shaped history—and it’s far from over. From quantum computers to fusion reactors, breakthroughs in materials will drive the next technological frontier.
Featured
Solid-state batteries are finally making their way out of the lab
Solid-state batteries could soon challenge lithium-ion as the dominant tech for powering smartphones, EVs, and more.
9 dumbphones to help curb your screen addiction
While smartphones keep getting more powerful, the growing dumbphone phenomenon is subverting expectations.
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
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New EV charging station quickly powers four vehicles at once
Swiss tech company ABB has unveiled a new EV charging station that can quickly power four vehicles at once.
This drone footage from inside a hurricane is wild
Saildrone and NOAA have teamed up to collect footage and data inside a category four hurricane. And they shared the stunning footage online.
China’s experimental thorium reactor is ready for testing
An experimental thorium reactor in China could greatly expand the number of people who can benefit from clean nuclear energy.
MIT’s new bionics center may usher in our cyborg future
MIT has established a new bionics research center to help people everywhere overcome the challenges of disabilities.
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Make It Count
$25 flights and zero emissions: How electric planes could change air travel
You could be flying electric by 2023.
Mars colonies could be built from astronauts’ blood and urine
To minimize the cost of building Mars colonies, astronauts could make concrete using space dust and their own bodily fluids.
UK building road with “wonder material” graphene
The United Kingdom is launching a world’s first trial to test whether adding graphene to recycled asphalt can increase a highway’s lifespan.
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Make It Count
The man hacking hot water to save the planet
The U.S. Energy Department estimates that tankless water heaters can be up to 34% more efficient than conventional storage water heaters – cutting your annual heating costs by 40%.
Twisty nuclear fusion reactor gets twice as hot as the sun
Physicists optimized a nuclear fusion reactor to overcome a problem that causes heat loss and prevents the device from sustaining fusion.
New bionic arm is incredibly close to the real thing
A new bionic arm is so intuitive, wearers think and behave like people without amputations while using it to perform everyday tasks.
Why NASA is testing an electric flying taxi
NASA is spending two weeks listening to Joby Aviation’s flying taxi as part of a campaign to integrate eVTOL vehicles into U.S. airspace.
Rule-bending engineers protect New Orleans from Hurricane Ida
By going beyond the “100-year storm” standard for flood protection, U.S. engineers helped minimize the impact of Hurricane Ida on New Orleans.
Don’t want to buy an e-bike? Subscribe to one.
German startup Dance’s e-bike subscription service gives people a chance to enjoy the benefits of the bikes without the hassles.
AI is helping cars spot potholes
Researchers have developed an AI system that allows cars to spot potholes.
Drone ambulances race to help cardiac arrest victims (Updated)
Drone ambulances deliver defibrillators to suspected cardiac arrest victims more quickly than traditional ambulances in a Swedish study.
Your airline miles can help Afghans escape the Taliban
To help Afghans escape the Taliban, people have donated millions of airline miles to a nonprofit that secures flights for refugees.
Nuclear fusion experiment puts ignition within our grasp (Updated)
Scientists appear on the brink of achieving nuclear fusion ignition, bringing the dream of near-limitless clean energy closer to fruition.
Ford replaces humans with robot test drivers
Ford Motor Company has built a pair of robot test drivers to fill in for humans during dangerous endurance tests at its Weather Factory.
Microbes inside concrete can warn us about rotting infrastructure
By learning about the bacteria that live inside concrete, scientists hope to develop early warning systems about damage.
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Challengers
26-year-old builds $8,000 mind-controlled bionic arms
Bionic arms used to cost $80,000. Now, a young engineer has lowered the cost by over 90%.
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