Will we ever fly supersonic again? Unraveling the Concorde’s complex legacy
In a new book, Last Days of the Concorde, journalist and author Samme Chittum delves into the mindset that inspired engineers to design this marvel, the series of events that led to its fatal crash, and the possibility that commercial SSTs may someday take to the skies again.
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.
Transformers for your feet. 21st-century design creates an all-condition shoe
Whether you're trekking through far-off lands or just on a day hike, comfortable and functional shoes are essential. Typically, you need rugged hiking boots, breathable shoes for hot days, and something comfortable to wear around the campfire. Or you could just bring these.
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.
Incredible images reveal the eye of a weevil and other microscopic wonders
Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not stunning. The winners of the 2018 Nikon Small World competition are a mix of both science and art. The winning entry captures the eye of a weevil and the jewelry-like scales surrounding the eye. Ninety-five images in total were recognized in the contest.
This high-tech shopping cart from Walmart could save your life
Walmart has an idea for a high-tech shopping cart that can detect your heart rate, temperature, and how tightly you're gripping the cart's handle. The data could help Walmart to improve the shopping experience, as well as respond quickly to any accidents or health-related problems among its customers.
Singapore reclaims longest flight, but could you sit on a plane for that long?
Singapore Airlines has reclaimed the record for the world's longest commercial flight with a 19-hour service between Singapore and New York. Aware that few people would want to sit in economy for almost a day, it's done away with cattle class entirely and instead offers only business and premium economy seats.
Tesla’s referral program lets owners send laser-etched photos into space
Tesla has a referral program that provides its loyal owners who recommend the company's cars to others with rewards. The latest reward offered through the program is an interesting one: Tesla will laser-etch any photo of the owner's choosing and shoot it into space.
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.
Space tourism: Virgin Galactic ‘weeks’ away from first test flights in space
Virgin Galactic chairman Richard Branson said on Tuesday, October 9 that test flights for its space tourism service will take crew into space for the first time "within weeks," with the first commercial flights coming "in months and not years." A seat on the spacecraft costs a wallet-melting $250,000.
A projection onto Sydney Opera House causes huge rumpus in Australia
An idea to project an ad for a big-money horse race onto the iconic sails of Sydney Opera House recently sparked a fierce national debate in Australia. The boss of the Opera House clashed with politicians and radio hosts over whether it should go ahead, with some 300,000 people signing a petition in a bid to stop it.
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.
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.
This is the result when a quadcopter strikes the wing of an aircraft
Responding to increasing concern over drone flights near airports, researchers in the U.S. have conducted lab tests to see what happens when a quadcopter collides with an aircraft wing at high speed. Launching a DJI Phantom drone at the wing of an airplane, the results of the experiment may surprise you.
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.
Banksy artwork self-destructs after it auctions for $1.4 million
Banksy pulled a spectacular stunt on Friday by shredding one of his most famous works just seconds after it fetched $1.4 million at a Sotheby's auction. The secretive street artist said later he built a shredding machine into the frame in case the artwork — Girl With Balloon — was ever put up for auction.
Bose’s latest hearing aid has its own app
The Food and Drug Administration has granted Bose approval to sell an intuitive new hearing aid. The device, which is the first to be approved for marketing and sale by the FDA, is aimed at those with mild to moderate hearing loss and can be controlled and programmed via a mobile app.
Here’s who won the 2018 Nobel Prizes in Science and why
Thanks to the achievements of this year's winners of the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and medicine, we can better fight caner, probe quantum biology, and manufacture greener chemicals. One winner also includes the first female recipient in physics in 55 years.
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.
There are now vending machines in London that dry-clean your laundry
Londoners who have neither the time nor inclination to do their own dry-cleaning can now shove it in a vending machine and collect it, all ready to wear, within 24 hours. The new machines are heading to 200 locations across the capital, with the first ones opening at a number of its subway stations.
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.'
Disney takes to the air with an autonomous paint-spraying drone
Look what has just flown out of Disney Research's workshop. It's an autonomous spray-painting drone that can apply colorful designs to 3D objects as well as flat surfaces. The PaintCopter, as Disney is calling it, offers "accurate and fast painting results" and could be useful in industrial settings.