All Stories by Stephen Ornes
- Tech
Seeing the world through a robot’s eyes
Engineers in California have developed a new kind of camera that aims to give drones, self-driving cars and other robots better vision.
- Chemistry
Specially coated fabric could turn a shirt into a shield
Specially treated fabrics offer a new kind of defense against chemical attacks. It could protect troops — and people living in war-torn nations where chemical weapons may be used.
- Physics
The quantum world is mind-bogglingly weird
At the smallest scales, particles are ghostly and ill-behaved. No one understands them, but that doesn’t keep scientists from trying.
- Physics
Explainer: Quantum is the world of the super small
The word quantum often gets misused. What does it mean? Think small. Really, really small.
- Materials Science
Vinegar dissolves new electronics when they’re no longer needed
Now you see it, now you don't. A new lightweight, low-cost technology disintegrates in kitchen vinegar.
- Ecosystems
Cool Jobs: Bringing caves’ dark secrets to light
These three cave researchers study caves to learn more about climate, geology and organisms that can survive some of Earth’s most hostile environments.
- Tech
These antennas turn anything into a radio station
Engineers have developed antennas that can turn ordinary objects — even posters — into radio stations.
- Tech
Star Trek gets closer to becoming home tech
Inspired by Star Trek, inventors have created handheld devices to diagnose common medical ailments.
- Tech
‘Nanostraws’ safely sneak a peek inside cells
Scientists have developed tiny straws that let them peek inside a living cell without killing it or even damaging it.
- Tech
Auto-focus eyeglasses rely on liquid lenses
Engineers have designed what could be the last eyeglasses anyone would need. Right now, they’re bulky but smart. Liquid lenses are key to their adjustability — and those lenses focus automatically.
- Computing
Germs power new paper batteries
New paper-based batteries rely on bacteria to generate electricity. These ‘papertronic’ power systems may be a safer choice for remote sites or dangerous environments.
- Computing
When your stuff spies on you
More ordinary objects are going online. These make up the Internet of Things. But as they collect data about you and your world, they also bring security risks.
