Inventions
Science fiction books that predicted the future with terrifying accuracy
Science fiction writers have anticipated a variety of modern inventions, from cars to organ transplants. Some books barely seem like fiction.
New material traps CO2 — and turns it into baking soda
A new material for direct air capture systems turns trapped carbon into baking soda when introduced to seawater.
New anti-dust tech could solve this major problem for NASA
A new anti-dust technology could extend the lives of space rovers, improve the efficiency of solar panels, and more.
Cyborg fish grow electrodes in their brains and fins
A gel that turns into an electrode once inside the body might end the need for invasive implantation surgeries.
Computer scientist explains why even in the age of AI, computing isn’t limitless
A computer’s power is still limited by the number of operations it can execute per second and the efficiency of the algorithms it runs.
This “chameleon” material can heat or cool houses on demand
Thanks to “electrochromism,” a newly developed material can switch between absorbing and reflecting heat from the sun.
Scientists have discovered how to make almost any vaccine more potent
An approach called “rational vaccinology” could allow us to design more powerful vaccines, just by rearranging their ingredients.
5 AI experts predict how ChatGPT and DALL-E will affect the future of work
Will society will use this moment of AI breakthroughs to advance equity or exacerbate disparities? Five experts weigh in.
The biggest AI breakthroughs of the last year
Last year saw breakthroughs from AI tools such as ChatGPT, DeepMind, and DALL-E, which generate text and code.