Tech
- Earth
Robots and ‘green energy’ win the day at Intel ISEF
The top three awards — each worth $50,000 to $75,000 — went for a window-washing robot, low-cost big batteries and ‘green’ capacitors
- Psychology
Teen fights fake news, one newsfeed at a time
How do we get rid of misleading news? One teen found that warning signs might help, but the most effective option, to him, looks too much like censorship.
- Tech
This robot can wash a skyscraper’s windows
Cleaning windows on high-rise buildings can be perilous. But an Australian 12th-grader has created a robot to spare people the risk.
- Materials Science
New black hair dye uses no harsh chemicals
Scientists have developed a new black-carbon-based hair dye. Instead of using damaging chemicals to dye hair, flexible flakes of carbon coat each strand.
- Physics
An ancient plant inspires a new lab tool
Researchers have designed a lab tool that moves liquids from one place to another by mimicking a plant called a liverwort.
- Tech
Star Wars‘ cutest droids would get stuck on the beach
On screen, R2D2 and BB-8 travel over every type of terrain. But in real life, any sandy path would stop these droids short.
- Tech
This power source is shockingly eel-like
The electric eel’s powerful electric charge inspired this new squishy, water-based new approach to generating power.
- Computing
Computers mine online reviews for signs of food poisoning
Health officials are getting help in identifying restaurant goers who got food poisoning by teaching computers to scout social-media posts for signs of illness.
- Materials Science
Zap! Laser tattoos could create electronics to eat or wear
Lasers can tattoo a nontoxic form of carbon onto everyday items. This one day could lead to wearable — even edible — electronics.
- Tech
Electricity sensor harnesses a shark’s secret weapon
A new “quantum” material mimics the sensors that help a shark sense its prey. Like a shark, it can detect tiny electric fields.
- Science & Society
On Twitter, fake news has greater allure than truth does
In the Twittersphere, fake news gets more views than real stories, based on an analysis of more than 4.5 million tweets.
- Physics
Wireless devices crowd out cosmic radio signals and more
Cell phones and other devices emit radio waves that can interfere with important scientific research. That’s why researchers are seeking ways to share the radio spectrum.
