Engineering Design
- Plants
Perfect pitch? Scientists lay new grounds for World Cup ‘26
High-tech turfgrass carpets will be unrolled in 16 stadiums across North America — including five that must survive despite getting no natural sunlight.
- Chemistry
New polish could turn long nails into touchscreen styluses
It registers nails' touch by disrupting the touchscreen’s electric field. But this high-tech varnish isn’t ready to hit store shelves yet.
- Artificial Intelligence
Don’t trust AI for help with citations, science-fair judges warn
Fake, AI-generated citations have begun disqualifying major science-fair projects. Such ‘ghost’ references even haunt research journals.
- Artificial Intelligence
A new shield could guard AI agents against cyberattacks
A teen’s software could help guard AI that handles sensitive data against sneaky “prompt injection attacks.”
- Artificial Intelligence
Sneaky: AI auto-complete may be shaping our views
People are increasingly using AI auto-complete features when writing. Those tools may change how we think — even without our knowing.
- Environment
Teen engineer finds eco-friendly way to fight harmful algal blooms
The Netflix series Outer Banks inspired this teen engineer to help clean up algal blooms in a local waterway.
- Tech
This Band Aid-like device could let you ‘feel’ the virtual world
Using a grid of tiny, fast-moving dots, this device realistically renders virtual textures by mimicking the feel of real-world objects.
- Space
Artemis II just made a historic loop around the moon
The astronauts had a front-row view of the lunar farside and the first eclipse ever seen from the moon.
- Tech
Scientists Say: Technofossil
Experts predict that the durability of modern, human-made materials will give rise to a radical new form of fossil.
- Artificial Intelligence
At least half of U.S. teens use chatbots for homework and more
Most also feel optimistic about benefits of chatbots and other AI. But use of this tech varies quite a bit by race and family income.
- Science & Society
Understanding algorithms — and how to make them work for you
They’re the recipes behind everything from cooking to social media feeds. Learn how algorithms work to avoid their pitfalls. You can even make your own.
- Science & Society
How ‘nutritious’ is the diet that social media feeds us?
Algorithms feed us what they’ve decided we will probably like. The problem: This often proves a truly unhealthy diet for our minds.
