Materials
Though we live in a digital age, material science has shaped history—and it’s far from over. From quantum computers to fusion reactors, breakthroughs in materials will drive the next technological frontier.
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How Ford built “an efficiency engine” around the Model T
An excerpt from author and structural engineer Brian Potter’s forthcoming book, “The Origins of Efficiency.”
The left–right twist that could rewrite tech
Scientists are harnessing chirality — the left- and right-handedness of molecules — to build better batteries, sharper displays, and more.
America’s path to maritime leadership is clear — but it demands urgency
America leads the world in aerospace, software, and clean energy. Here’s how it can lead in maritime, too.
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You can now buy a flying car for $92,000
More than 150 companies are developing flying cars. Here’s why they’re aren’t yet off the ground and darting across city skies.
Airless tires get their public test drive
Decades in development, Michelin’s airless tires finally hit the road.
Foldable electric cars join emergency response fleet in Israel
Emergency medical service organization United Hatzalah is adding foldable electric cars to its fleet to speed up its response times
Here’s what is really going wrong at our ports — and one simple, fast solution
There’s a myriad of disruptions along the entire chain. Solving this crisis before the global economy spins out of control is going to take many different and innovative approaches.
Germany unveils first-of-its-kind autonomous train
A new system that turns a standard electric metro train into a more efficient, higher-capacity autonomous train has debuted in Germany.
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Artificial photosynthesis turns CO2 into sustainable fuel
A greener future by 2035 is in arm’s reach with this new tech decarbonizing the transportation industry.
Electric school buses: good for the planet, better for kids
School bus electrification is on the rise and heading toward a national fleet of people-movers that is healthier all around.
New EV charging station quickly powers four vehicles at once
Swiss tech company ABB has unveiled a new EV charging station that can quickly power four vehicles at once.
This drone footage from inside a hurricane is wild
Saildrone and NOAA have teamed up to collect footage and data inside a category four hurricane. And they shared the stunning footage online.
China’s experimental thorium reactor is ready for testing
An experimental thorium reactor in China could greatly expand the number of people who can benefit from clean nuclear energy.
MIT’s new bionics center may usher in our cyborg future
MIT has established a new bionics research center to help people everywhere overcome the challenges of disabilities.
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$25 flights and zero emissions: How electric planes could change air travel
You could be flying electric by 2023.
Mars colonies could be built from astronauts’ blood and urine
To minimize the cost of building Mars colonies, astronauts could make concrete using space dust and their own bodily fluids.
UK building road with “wonder material” graphene
The United Kingdom is launching a world’s first trial to test whether adding graphene to recycled asphalt can increase a highway’s lifespan.
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The man hacking hot water to save the planet
The U.S. Energy Department estimates that tankless water heaters can be up to 34% more efficient than conventional storage water heaters – cutting your annual heating costs by 40%.
Twisty nuclear fusion reactor gets twice as hot as the sun
Physicists optimized a nuclear fusion reactor to overcome a problem that causes heat loss and prevents the device from sustaining fusion.
New bionic arm is incredibly close to the real thing
A new bionic arm is so intuitive, wearers think and behave like people without amputations while using it to perform everyday tasks.
Why NASA is testing an electric flying taxi
NASA is spending two weeks listening to Joby Aviation’s flying taxi as part of a campaign to integrate eVTOL vehicles into U.S. airspace.
Rule-bending engineers protect New Orleans from Hurricane Ida
By going beyond the “100-year storm” standard for flood protection, U.S. engineers helped minimize the impact of Hurricane Ida on New Orleans.
Don’t want to buy an e-bike? Subscribe to one.
German startup Dance’s e-bike subscription service gives people a chance to enjoy the benefits of the bikes without the hassles.
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