Johns Hopkins’ lab-grown human retina could lead to big insights
Scientists from Johns Hopkins University have successfully grown human retina tissue from scratch in a lab. The pioneering work could help with the development of new therapeutics related to eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss.
Ekster 3.0 lets you ask, ‘Alexa, where did I leave my wallet?’
Ekster's newest smart wallet is its best yet. It's slimmer than ever, available in new colors, boasts a neat card-dispensing mechanism, and will even let you know where it is, thanks to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. Here's how you can get your hands on one.
Japanese scientists are chewing over an ‘electric gum’ that never loses flavor
Researchers in Japan may have found the secret to unlimited chewing gum -- and it just involves zapping your tongue with electricity. Using this technique they can fool your tongue into experiencing flavors using the so-called piezoelectric effect. Here's how it all works.
MIT is building a new $1 billion college dedicated to all things A.I.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has announced a new $1 billion college of computing that is designed to offer the best possible education to future machine learning A.I. experts. The college will offer its first program starting in the fall semester of 2019. You'd better get applying!
Self-correcting quadcopter can keep itself aloft even if one rotor fails
Quadcopters may have four rotors, but most will fail to fly effectively unless all four are in working order. Researchers from the Netherlands think that's a problem -- and they've come up with a means to allow drones to fly if just three rotors are functioning. Here's what it looks like.
Drop everything and watch Boston Dynamics’ robo-dog dance to ‘Uptown Funk’
After a few years of Earthbound training, Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot dog is ready to take on Mars. Bruno Mars, to be precise. Check out Skynet's future pet getting down to Mars' 2014 ear-worm 'Uptown Funk.' It's the most cheerful reminder of the rise of the machines you'll see today.
Here’s how Microsoft’s Hololens is helping NASA build the new Orion spacecraft
Lockheed Martin is turning to Microsoft’s mixed reality Hololens smartglasses to help its technicians build NASA's new Orion spacecraft, which could one day help rocket astronauts as far afield as Mars. Here's how it's helping them replace dusty old, 1500-page paper manuals.
Regular paints and plastics will soon be able to ‘heal’ like skin
Imagine if it was possible for paints, plastics, or other coatings to heal up like human skin in the event that they suffered damage. That’s what researchers at Clemson University have been working toward -- and their solution is almost ready for mass-manufacturing prime time.
What the heck is machine learning, and why is it everywhere these days?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, ignoring every big tech advance in the past decade, you’ve probably heard of machine learning.
Leafy greens are grown by machines at new, automated Silicon Valley farm
Farming hasn't changed too much for hundreds of years. Now a new startup called Iron Ox has opened its first automated hydroponics farm, producing a variety of leafy greens tended by machines. Here's how its technology promises to change the world of agriculture as we know it.
Kill it before it lays eggs! Crazy 32-leg robot moves like a cyborg sea urchin
We’ve seen one-legged, two-legged, four-legged and even six-legged robots, but researchers from Japan have gone way, way further with their latest project: A 32-legged robot. Called Mochibot, the 32-legged machine moves by telescoping its individual legs. Check it out in action.
Check out the British Army’s beefy new bomb-disposal robot
The British Army is about to get an impressive new explosive ordnance disposal robot that’s able to climb stairs, negotiate slopes of more than 40 degrees, cut wires, and… oh, yes, dispose of bombs, too. Here's what makes it so special, and when we can expect to see it in the field.
With VR dinosaurs and ‘Minecraft,’ one hospital is making medicine less scary
One of the world’s most famous children’s hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, has received a massive high-tech overhaul. From augmented reality rabbits on the wards to a Minecraft re-creation of the hospital for kids to explore, here's some of what's on offer.
New ‘parkour’ video shows Boston Dynamics robot training to overthrow humanity
Robots doing backflips? That's so 2017! In its latest jaw-dropping YouTube video, Boston Dynamics’ amazing Atlas robot pulls off some frankly astonishing parkour stunts for our viewing pleasure. Check out in all its hopping greatness. This isn't going to end well for humanity, is it?
This DIY kit teaches more than coding; it teaches you how to build a smartphone
Want a crash course in coding and electronics, with something to show for it at the end? The MAKERphone is a DIY mobile phone that you can build for yourself. And, yes, it can actually make phone calls, send text messages, and even play games. Here's how you can get your hands on it.
Biologists create a mutant fly with 140-million-year-old genes
It totally sounds like a mash-up of two of Jeff Goldblum’s best movies, The Fly and Jurassic Park, but scientists at New York University and the University of Chicago really have created mutant fruit flies carrying reconstructed genes from 140 million years ago. Here's why.
Flir’s stealthy drones will help Army vehicles spot enemies in the distance
Like modern day military scouts, Flir's Black Hornet Vehicle Reconnaissance System is an unmanned nano-drone which can be deployed by military vehicles to spot threats up ahead. Here's how the Black Hornet drones work -- and why they could soon be found on battlefields across the world.
Ultra-bright LEDs give us a glimpse of all that space junk orbiting Earth
How do you make people aware of the problem of thousands of pieces of manmade space junk orbiting the Earth? According to artist Daan Roosegaarde, the answer is simple: You shine ultra-powerful LED lights into the sky to pinpoint the individual items of junk as they whiz past.
3D-printed paste could hold buildings together amid natural disasters
A 3D-printed cement paste could one day be used to make buildings more resilient to natural disasters, claim researchers from Purdue University. Although it sounds paradoxical, the paste actually gets tougher the more it cracks. That makes it a potentially invaluable new building material.
Forget laxatives — this electronic pill will literally shake the crap out of you
Suffering from constipation? Put down the spoon containing your fiber-rich breakfast cereal, What you really need is a vibrating smart pill that will shake the crap out of you. And we mean that literally. The so-called Vibrant capsule promises a chemical-free alternative to laxatives.
7 Drones that can stay airborne for hours — and the tech that makes it possible
Today, your average consumer drone has a flight time of between 10 and 25 minutes. But not all drones fall into that category. Whether it’s thanks to new types of battery or innovative charging methods, here are seven drones which buck the system with long flight times.
It’s alive! Scientists create ‘artificial life’ on a quantum computer
No, this isn't something from a Michael Crichton techno-thriller: Scientists really have created simulated 'artificial life' on a quantum computer for the first time ever. And that’s kind of a big deal -- because they hope it might just help decipher the origins of life.
No longer a gaming novelty, VR gets acceptance letter from Arizona State
Students at Arizona State University are getting an unexpected added extra for their tuition money this semester: A virtual reality headset for their course. Here's why -- and how -- one of the United States' most innovative universities is choosing to embrace the world of VR.
Here’s why the spectacular SpaceX rocket launch in California looked so incredible
Last night’s SpaceX satellite launch resulted in some astonishing scenes above the West Coast as Elon Musk's rocket lit up the sky like the world's craziest light show. Check out some of the most astonishing images captured by onlookers. There's a reason we love science.
Like a Bat-Signal for cyclists, this laser light makes bikes visible to drivers
The Laserlight Core is a smart projection system for bicycles that's designed for safer cycling. It works by projecting an image of a cyclist 20 feet in front of you as you ride. Think of it as your own attention-grabbing, cycling-themed Bat-Signal, and you won’t be too far wrong!
Here’s how scientists read a charred 16th-century scroll without unraveling it
What do you do when you’re a historian trying to recover information from a severely damaged 16th-century scroll that’s darn near unreadable? You turn to cutting-edge technology, of course. Here's how computer scientists were able to use some smart tech to solve this problem.
The secret to robots with good balance? Shakira-level gyrating hips
Researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin have created a bipedal robot, designed to be able to withstand various bumps without falling over. Here's how it works -- and why this is such a crucial problem for engineers to solve.
Give your phone the finger with this creepy, versatile robotic attachment
Called MobiLimb, this robotic finger attachment plugs into your smartphone and pulls itself along the floor by making beckoning motions. Imagine a new iPhone feature designed by The Evil Dead' director Sam Raimi, and you’ll start to get the idea! Check it out in action.
Soldiers or Terminators? U.S. Army mulling rifle that fires 250 rounds per second
The U.S. Army is testing a prototype four barrel rifle that's capable of firing all four rounds simultaneously. With all four barrels housed in one metal sleeve, the next-gen rifle looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. Oh, and did we mention that it was designed in a garage?
Domesticating crops usually takes centuries. CRISPR just did it in two years
Crop scientists have demonstrated how CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing can modify the fruit 'groundcherries' so that they can be grown outside of their native region in Central and South America for the first time. Here is why that is so significant for agricultural science as a whole.
DNA-infused tattoo ink lets your loved ones remain a part of you — literally
A new startup has pioneered a method to incorporate DNA into regular tattoo ink. Whether it’s the hair from a beloved pet or the cremated remains of a deceased family member, the resulting DNA-laced tattoos promise a connection 'even the most meaningful tattoos could never achieve.'
Drop that iPhone! Researchers suggest limiting kids’ screen time to 2 hours a day
How much screen time should our kids have per day? Researchers from Canada have attempted to answer that question with a recent analysis of lifestyle data from 4,520 American kids between the ages 8 and 11. Here's what they found, and why it shows more work needs to be done.
Worried about your screen use? These glasses block them out wherever you go
Are you worried about your screen use? Inspired by the superpowered, ad-blocking sunglasses from John Carpenter’s 1988 cult movie 'They Live', IRL Glasses counter your screen addiction by turning LCD and LED digital screens black. Here's how you can get your hands on a pair.
Scientists showcase brain-to-brain communication with game of 3-player ‘Tetris’
Researchers from the University of Washington have created BrainNet, a social network of minds which allows three people to communicate by using a type of high-tech telepathy. The goal? Playing a game of Tetris, obviously! Here's how the technology works, and why it's so exciting.