Dyllan Furness
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Dyllan Furness is a freelance writer from Florida. He covers strange science and emerging tech for Digital Trends, focusing on the people and ideas transforming the world. His other work has appeared at outlets like Vice, Ars Technica, and Quartz. If not online, you can find him in the kitchen, on the road, or on the dance floor.
Hacking photosynthesis: Could artificial leaves fuel the future?
As demand for renewable energy sources increases, researchers have turned to leaves to develop a technology that replicates photosynthesis: the process plants use to convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into energy
Here’s an A.I. preview of what climate change will do to your neighborhood
Researchers are using machine learning to help the public visualize the impact of climate change and inform policymakers on what to do.
Robots aren’t coming to steal your job. They’re coming to improve it
Paul Daugherty, chief technology an innovation officer at Accenture, thinks it’s neither inevitable nor likely that machines will ultimately replace humans in the workforce
No soil? No problem. H2Grow can cultivate crops practically anywhere
Through tailor-made hydroponic systems, H2Grow aims to solve hunger in arid regions and help vulnerable communities become more self-reliant by securing food resources. H2Grow, a project from the United Nations World Food Programme, is helping crops flourish in unexpected places.
Conjuring catastrophes: Inside the world’s largest hurricane simulator
With their state-of-the-art hurricane simulators, researchers like Brian Haus hope to gain critical insights that help improve forecasting and fortify our coastal cities before the next big one hits.
Autonomous ships are coming, and we’re not ready for them
Cars may dominate today’s discussion about the future of autonomous transportation, but some of the world’s largest maritime companies are betting big on autonomous shipping
Bill Nye the Science Guy talks “solar sailing” and the new space race
Launching June 24, The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 will be a milestone in spaceflight, the first craft to raise its orbit around the planet using just the power of sunlight. We grilled Bill Nye on just how it works, and what it means for the future of spaceflight.
Will GPS ever become obsolete? Meet the ant-inspired tech that could replace it
GPS is today’s go-to navigational system and it’s great until it doesn’t work. Researchers at universities and some of the world’s top tech companies are developing advanced navigational techniques designed to fill in the gaps when GPS fails.
I mainlined a bag of liquid vitamins — for science
Nutrient IV therapy is a hot new trend. It involves pumping vitamins, minerals, and fluids directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract for what is meant to be a rush of wellness to the veins. But is there science to support it? DT Investigates
Climeworks wants to clean the atmosphere with a fleet of building-sized vacuums
Using machines that resemble jet engines, Climeworks wants to fight climate change by extracting CO2 from thin air. The gas can then be sold to carbonated drink and agriculture companies, or sequestered underground.
Inside the Ocean Cleanup’s ambitious plan to rid the ocean of plastic waste
In 2013, Boyan Slat crowdfunded $2.2 million to fund the Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization that builds big, floating trash collectors and sets them out to sea, where they’re designed to autonomously gobble up garbage. The organization has since raised over $35 million and a lot of questions from incredulous experts.
Are we living in a simulation? This MIT scientist says it’s more likely than not
The simulation hypothesis, which was famously probed in the 1999 film The Matrix, is the subject of a new book by Rizwan Virk, a computer scientist and video game developer who leads Play Labs at MIT. In his book, Virk endeavors to unpack the heady arguments that call our physical world into question.
Finalists from NASA’s 3D-printed Mars home challenge are out of this world
NASA has selected three finalists in its 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, an ongoing competition to design sustainable shelters for the moon or Mars. The goal is to build the structures out of recourses found on-site so that missions won’t have to carry excess resources with them.
Brown thumb? Bloomengine takes the guesswork out of growing delicate plants
Bloomengine is a plant-growing chamber designed to take the guesswork out of growing delicate plants indoors. It features an LED light, automatic water, fan for ventilation, and even a camera to record progress. The device is expected to launch in July.
Microbes survive outside the International Space Station, might do same on Mars
A new study from researchers at the German Aerospace Center shows that some microbes (in particular, the “extremophiles,” or ones that live in extreme conditions) can inhabit the inhospitable environment of space outside the International Space Station (ISS). The study raises hope for life on Mars.
A.I. analyzes video to detect signs of cerebral palsy in infants
An artificial intelligence algorithm capable of signaling early signs of neurodevelopment disorders in infants has been created by researchers in Finland and Italy. The research could improve early detection of neurodevelopment disorders such as cerebral palsy, so doctors can provide treatments sooner.
VR tool lets you see the world through the eyes of an endangered primate
Researchers at Dartmouth College have developed a virtual reality system that gives it wearers a sense of what it’s like to see the world through highly specialized eyes of an endangered tarsier. The goal is to give students an immersive experience of the natural world.
Cheese tastes different when it listens to Led Zeppelin, Swiss study finds
A funky new study says that exposing cheese to music changes its aroma and flavor. What’s more, the genre of music matters. Researchers from the Bern University of Arts played music to nine, 22-pound wheels of Emmental cheese, a semi-firm variety of Swiss cheese popular in Europe.
This very talented robotic leg learned to walk all by itself
Researchers at the University of Southern California have developed a robotic limb capable of walking without preprogrammed knowledge of the task. It’s an impressive feat that could help future robots navigate the world independently.
Eat up! This robot is built to feed dinner to people who can’t feed themselves
Engineers have developed a robot that can feed people with disabilities that inhibit them from feeding themselves. Powered by an artificial intelligence algorithm, the system detects pieces of food on a plate, stabs them with a fork, and transports the morsels to a person’s mouth.
Scientists discover a strange shape that blocks almost all sound
Called an “acoustic meta-material,” the shape was developed based on a mathematically modeled design that enables it to cancel up to 94 percent of sound by reflecting certain frequencies back to their source.
Be prepared to bug out over this insect-inspired winged drone
A French inventor took to Kickstarter to raise funds for an insect-inspired winged drone called MetaFly. It generated quite a buzz. As of the time this article was published, more than 1,850 people have pledged over $187,500 to bring the drone to market. It's expected to ship in September 2019.
SoftBank’s solar-powered drone could dispense 5G internet from the skies
An experimental, solar-powered drone capable of beaming internet down to Earth is set to take off. The drone is the product of a tightlipped partnership between Softbank and AeroVironment, an American aerospace company, aimed at delivering 5G and Internet of Things connectivity from the skies.
For second time ever, a groundbreaking stem cell treatment has cured HIV
For the past decade, an American named Timothy Brown was the only person thought to have ever been cleared of the virus following an innovative cancer treatment procedure. Today, a study published in the journal Nature suggests that there may have finally been a second.
The Great White Shark’s genome has been decoded, and it could help us end cancer
In a significant step for marine and genetic science, researchers have decoded the genome of the great white shark. The genetic code revealed a wealth of insight into what makes these creatures so successful from an evolutionary standpoint.
After Kepler kicks the bucket, NASA releases its final image
The final images from the Kepler Space Telescope have arrived. After nearly a decade of operation, NASA’s groundbreaking telescope ran out of fuel last year and was placed into permanent sleep mode on October 30. But days earlier, it captured one last image — a full view of the sky.
Does a steam-powered spacecraft hold the key to exploring the solar system?
Steam power might be poised to make a comeback. Researchers at University of Central Florida have built an experimental spacecraft that runs on steam — and it’s not nearly as ridiculous as it might sound.
A.I. system seeks to turn thoughts of people unable to talk into speech
A new system developed by neuroengineers can turn thoughts into intelligible speech. Powered by speech synthesizers and A.I., the technology lays the groundwork for helping individuals who are unable to speak due to disability regain their capacity to communicate verbally.
Artificial ‘superhuman’ skin could help burn victims, amputees ‘feel’ again
Researchers have developed a new kind of sensor designed to enable artificial skin to sense pressure, vibrations, and even magnetic fields. The technology developed by engineers, chemists, and biologists could help burn victims and amputees “feel” again through their prosthetic limbs.
Meet Wiliot, a battery-less Bluetooth chip that pulls power from thin air
A tiny chip being developed by a semiconductor company called Wiliot could harvest the energy it needs out of thin air, the company claims. No battery needed. The paper-thin device pulls power from ambient radio frequencies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cell signals.
The weird, worrying, and wonderful science that happened in 2018
2019 was full of big scientific news and breakthroughs, so we rounded up all of the best headlines for your perusal