Engineering
First small modular nuclear reactor certified in US
The US’s first certification of a small modular reactor design could lead to cheaper, safer nuclear power plants.
Two-story 3D-printed house is first of its kind in the US
The US’s first two-story 3D-printed house is being built in Houston, Texas, from a mix of concrete and wood.
World’s largest plane sets new flight record
A new test flight puts the world’s largest plane one step closer to helping the US develop — and respond to — hypersonic weapons.
This Swedish start-up is building an electric airliner
A Swedish startup has joined the race to build the world’s first electric airplane to help reduce the carbon impact of flying.
How do floating wind turbines work?
Several full-scale demonstration projects with floating wind turbines are already operating in Europe and Asia. How do they stay afloat?
China’s new space station is open for business
On Nov. 29, 2022, the Shenzhou 15 mission launched from China’s Gobi Desert carrying three taikonauts – the Chinese word for astronauts.
Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source
MIT researchers have developed a scalable fabrication technique to produce ultrathin solar cells that can be stuck onto any surface.
Will physics prevent SpinLaunch from succeeding?
SpinLaunch has a working prototype successfully launching objects at 1,000 miles-per-hour, but will the laws of physics stand in the way?
Extra-salty lithium battery less likely to catch fire
Stanford researchers have developed a battery electrolyte that can allow lithium-ion batteries to operate safely at much higher temperatures.
Here’s what that fusion power breakthrough really means
This year, NIF reports that it has achieved "ignition" — that is, it has achieved slightly more fusion energy output than laser energy input.