Tech

  1. Tech

    Robotics might someday give us an extra hand

    We could control a bonus limb with the movements of our diaphragm.

    By Payal Dhar
  2. Tech

    Lasers help put the cork on spilled oil

    Treating cork with lasers made the material able to quickly sponge up oil while repelling water, scientists in China and Israel found.

    By Stephen Ornes
  3. Tech

    Laser-based tech can identify illegal elephant ivory

    Most elephant ivory is illegal to sell. Ivory from extinct mammoths isn’t. They look similar, but lasers can tell the difference to help catch poachers.

    By Stephen Ornes
  4. Tech

    Where are the flying cars? 

    Flying cars are a common sci-fi trope, and engineers have the technology to make them. So where are they?

    By Helen Bradshaw
  5. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Superconductor

    At cold enough temperatures, these materials can conduct electricity with no resistance.

    By Katie Grace Carpenter
  6. Artificial Intelligence

    Soccer-playing robots show how nimble AI-powered machines can be

    Being controlled by reinforcement learning — a type of AI — helps robots navigate tough terrain. This could bring computer smarts to the real world.

    By Matthew Hutson
  7. Tech

    Holey basketballs! 3-D printing could be a game-changer

    Wilson’s 3-D printed “airless” basketball is nearly silent and will never deflate, but will it prove a slam dunk for players and fans?

    By Sarah Wells
  8. Computing

    Teen’s battle simulator could help Ukraine’s troops fend off attacks

    At the 2024 Regeneron ISEF, Volodymyr Borysenko showcased software he created to help Ukraine defend itself in ground attacks by Russia.

    By McKenzie Prillaman
  9. Artificial Intelligence

    Does AI steal art or help create it? It depends on who you ask

    With AI image generators on the scene, artists see both power and peril ahead.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  10. Artificial Intelligence

    AI image generators tend to exaggerate stereotypes

    The racism, sexism, ableism and other biases common in bot-made images may lead to harm and discrimination in the real world.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  11. Tech

    This computer scientist is making virtual reality safer

    Niall Williams creates algorithms that lowers the odds of motion sickness and bumping into obstacles while using virtual reality headsets.

    By Aaron Tremper
  12. Physics

    Here’s why scientists want a good quantum computer

    These machines could tackle big problems in climate, medicine and more. But the tech is still in its infancy — and runs on truly strange physics.

    By Stephen Ornes