Energy

Three workers in orange vests and hard hats climb a ladder on the side of a massive concrete cooling tower of a nuclear power plant, against a clear blue sky.

America’s plan to resurrect nuclear power

To increase its supply of clean nuclear power, the US government is cutting licensing fees, rewarding reactor innovation, and more.

Kristin Houser

In a bustling data center, a person works with a laptop on a cart, surrounded by racks of illuminated servers and cables.

Clean Energy

The future of data centers — on land, at sea, and in space

As our digital world grows, demand for data centers is also increasing. To meet that demand sustainably, developers are getting creative.

Kristin Houser

A collage of agricultural elements including a satellite, crop fields, tomatoes, and growth charts illustrating data, boosted breeding techniques, chemical formulas, and a seedling highlights efforts to combat hunger.

Agriculture

Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger

A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.

Kristin Houser

Clean Energy

Geothermal energy is on the verge of a big breakthrough

Geothermal energy may be the key to bringing reliable, clean energy to the world.

Amanda Winkler

Robotics

Recycling robot keeps waste out of landfills

AMP Robotics has developed a recycling robot that uses AI to sort recyclables twice as quickly as humans can.

Kristin Houser

Climate Crisis

New findings could help wine survive climate change

Climate change is altering wine making as we know it. Researchers at UC Davis have identified what makes some grapes more resistant to water stress.

B. David Zarley

Animals

Scientists put bees in little reflective “vests” for bee tracking

Bee tracking is difficult and expensive, and smaller bees are left out. Lightweight, inexpensive tags may be a solution.

B. David Zarley

Ecosystems

Scientists are using old spy satellite photos to study ecological change

Researchers are using new image processing techniques designed for drones to study declassified, Cold War spy satellite photos for ecological change.

B. David Zarley

Aerospace

Electric planes will bring cheaper flights and less CO2

Electric aviation would mean less CO2 emissions and cheaper airfare — but batteries still aren't powerful enough to compete with fuel-filled commercial jets.

Amanda Winkler

Animals

We need a better way to track polar bears. This father and son found a way.

A father-son duo has teamed up to develop four different temporary tracking devices being tested by polar bears in the far North.

B. David Zarley

Genetics

Environmental DNA may prove the discovery of a new kind of whale

Researchers have found what they believe to be a new species of beaked whale. Environmental DNA will be used to prove it.

B. David Zarley

Sustainability

The ugly truth about toxic e-waste

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It’s estimated that by 2030, the amount of e-waste discarded globally will grow to 74.7 million tons per year. But fixing the problem is going to take more than recycling.

Doug Dais

Oceans

A massive iceberg is about to crash into an island of penguins

A massive iceberg is expected to hit South Georgia Island. To assess the impact of the collision, researchers are deploying a pair of robot submarines.

Kristin Houser

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