Hard Tech

A tan box with a black hose attached to it
Military
The US military just got its hands on a mini laser weapon
Laser weapons could shape the future of warfare — and the US military just got a “mini” version of the tech.
Kristin Houser
A man in a lab holding a smart contact lens in front of the camera
Batteries
New battery charged by tears will power smart contact lenses
An ultra-thin, flexible battery could lead to safe, comfortable smart contact lenses partially powered by our tears.
Kristin Houser
A group of white lights on a pole next to a body of water.
Engineering
Device offers long-distance, low-power underwater communication
Researchers create a device with piezoelectric transducers that enables battery-free underwater communication.
Adam Zewe | MIT News Office
An image of a cross made of glass.
Blockchain
Where next for crypto and the evolution of blockchains?
Koray Caliskan
a gif with streaks representing muons raining down on a beach
Physics
New navigation system works even when GPS fails
Kristin Houser
Clean Energy
3D-printed “superalloy” could make power plants more efficient
Sam Jarman
a flat, clear piece of rubber in a spiral shape with thin wires running through it
Brain
This soft brain implant unfurls its arms under the skull
Kristin Houser
a closeup of a tiny LED in the middle of a microchip
Computer Science
MIT breakthrough creates world’s smallest holographic microscope
Kristin Houser
a close up of a piece of white fish on a plate with vegetables and chopsticks
Food
Startups serve “world’s first” lab-grown fish filets
Kristin Houser
an image of the back of a man's head. he is wearing a headset device. a robot dog is in the background.
Brain
Graphene sensor could let you control robots with your mind
Kristin Houser
Illustration of a brain
Brain
Our new brains: neurotechnology advances that could change everything
Allison Duettmann
a neon green circle with a black dot in the center
CRISPR
New CRISPR tool reversed blindness in mice — permanently
Kristin Houser
Big Tech
Technology over the long run: See how dramatically the world can change within a lifetime
Max Roser | Our World in Data