Tech
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Health & MedicineImplant traps cancer cells on the move
A device implanted under the skin extended the life of mice with breast cancer. It trapped injected cancer cells before they created tumors in organs throughout the body.
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AnimalsThese young inventors had to make like a crab
This year’s top challenge for Broadcom MASTERS finalists was to design and build a robotic arm based on a crab’s arm and claw.
By Sid Perkins -
PhysicsHack: How to spy on a 3-D printer
Computer scientists have found that a hacker can eavesdrop on a 3-D printer using a smartphone. The technique uses sound and energy data produced by the printer.
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EarthWater sensor quickly detects algal poison
A new sensor can detect poisons from harmful algae within minutes so that drinking-water plants can start timely treatments.
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EnvironmentRocket nozzle research propels teen to big win
A 13-year old won the top prize at this year’s Broadcom MASTERS science competition. She had determined the best shape for a rocket nozzle.
By Sid Perkins -
ComputingHow computers get out the vote
Increasingly computers play a role in voting. Here’s why that concerns scientists, even as they acknowledge that computers may be increasingly essential.
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ChemistryNew coating for metals could cut engine wear
Scientists have developed a new coating for engine parts that could reduce friction and engine wear. One big benefit: Cars may require fewer oil changes.
By Sid Perkins -
BrainCool Jobs: Video game creators
Meet an engineer who worked on StarCraft II, an expert building a new kind of reality and a neuroscientist who uses games as brain therapy.
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ChemistryChemistry Nobel honors pioneers of world’s smallest machines
Three chemists are being honored with a Nobel Prize for their pioneering work creating itty bitty machines, including a microscopic ‘nanocar.’
By Tina Hesman Saey and Thomas Sumner -
TechHot, hot, hot? New fabric could help you stay cool
A plastic fabric can let body heat escape efficiently, if the material is filled with tiny bubbles of just the right size
By Sid Perkins -
BrainOne day, computers may decode your dreams
Scientists are learning how to translate brain activity into words and thoughts. This may one day allow people to control devices with their minds.
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BrainExplainer: How to read brain activity
Electricity underlies the chattering of brain cells. Here’s how scientists eavesdrop on those conversations.