Robots Are Learning Complex Tasks by Watching Humans and Other Robots
A new kinetic intelligence framework allows robots to rapidly learn complex tasks by watching other robots without any human intervention
Engineering
Clean Energy Breakthrough: Bottled Lightning Produces Methanol in New “Bubble Reactor”
Lightning in a bottle, in a literal sense, may be the key to new, clean energy by reducing carbon emissions in methanol production.
“Learning Gives Our Metamaterials the Ability to Evolve”: Scientists Invent Intelligent Materials That Learn, Change Shape, and Move on Their Own
Scientists have invented intelligent metamaterials that can learn, remember, change shapes, and move on their own without external control
“First Plasma” Achieved in the Race for a Propulsion System that Could Cut the Travel Time to Mars in Half
“First plasma” has been achieved by the Sunbird exhaust test system, marking a major step toward a direct fusion drive spacecraft.
“A Microcosm of Life Itself”: Archaeologists Use ‘Radioactive’ Method to Date Historic Coral Polynesian Structures
Scientists have revealed a new timeline for historic coral structures in French Polynesia thanks to the modern uranium-thorium dating method
Scientists Have Turned Unwanted Sawdust into a Fire-Resistant Super Material
Scientists have created a fire-resistant material out of sawdust that offers a more sustainable alternative to burning the sawdust for energy
Bottom’s Up! Scientists Turn a Kentucky Bourbon Byproduct into a ‘Super’ Supercapacitor
Scientists have invented a 'super' supercapacitor made from bourbon stillage that stores 25 times more energy than current devices
This New Invention Will Let Robots Work Directly Inside a Failed Nuclear Reactor
Tokyo scientists have developed a resilient Wi-Fi robot controller chip that can withstand the ultra-high radiation inside a nuclear reactor
New Research Could Help Prosthetic Legs Work More Like Natural Limbs
For the first time, scientists have successfully decoded detailed leg movements from the existing nerves of individuals with above-knee amputations.
Innovative New Design Helps Superconductors Withstand Heat and Magnetic Fields
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology shaped the surface where superconducting material is grown, improving its performance at higher temperatures, and preserving its stability in strong magnetic fields.
“We Bring the Universe to the Lab”: Powerful Galactic Cosmic Ray Simulator Will Fuel Deep Space Experiments on Earth
Researchers at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility have received a Galactic Cosmic Ray simulator that 'brings the universe to the lab.'
Quantum Computers Reveal a Strange New Molecule With Twisting Electron Motion
A new type of molecule, not only never before seen but not even predicted, was created with the aid of quantum computers.
Dolphin-Shaped Robot Skims Oil From Water Using Sea-Urchin-Inspired Technology
Researchers at RMIT University designed a small, remote-controlled robot that uses a sea urchin-inspired filter to remove oil from water.
After 10 Years of Training, NASA’s Humanoid Robot ‘Valkyrie’ Has Finally ‘Graduated’ College
After ten years of intense college 'training,' NASA's humanoid robot Valkyrie has finally returned home. But her advancements live on.
U.S. Army Research Lab Announces the Creation of ‘Super Foam’ That Absorbs 10X More Energy
Research funded by the U.S. Army Research Lab has resulted in a 'super foam' that absorbs 10X more energy than existing protective foams.
Unexpected Speeding Electron Discovery Could Boost the Future of Solar Power
New solar energy research has demonstrated that electrons can move across solar panels at a speed far greater than previously understood.
This Device Promises to Mitigate Earthquake Damage in the World’s Most Vulnerable Regions
A newly patented device could protect essential infrastructure from the worst effects of earthquakes, wind storms, and even man-made forces.
Traveling at 20% The Speed of Light: Scientists Demonstrate ‘Practical’ Light Sails to Explore the Universe
Scientists have successfully tested a material design for light sails using photonic crystals that could achieve 20% the speed of light
Engineers Create Full-Color Solar Windows Without Reducing Energy Generation
Korean scientists have created a tunable, full-color solar window that does not lose its energy generation capability regardless of color.
High-Energy Laser Turns Ordinary Moon Dust into Futuristic Materials for Lunar Colonists
A futuristic sounding process using a high-energy laser turns ordinary moon dust into versatile manufacturing and construction materials
‘Adaptive’ Robotic Wing Senses and Reacts to Wind Changes More Rapidly Than a Barn Owl
Scientists have revealed an adaptive robotic wing equipped with artificial nerves so sensitive to air currents that it outperformed a barn owl
Scientists Create ‘Unsinkable’ Metal Tubes that Still Float After Severe Damage and Submersion
A video shows unsinkable metal tubes retaining their buoyancy even after they are damaged or fully submerged for extended period of time.
Scientists Have Developed a Laser-Controlled Magnet With No Heating Required
Swiss researchers have developed a new technique allowing for magnetic polarity changes using only a laser beam.
Did Thomas Edison Create Graphene More Than 130 Years Before it Was Officially Invented?
Experiments with identical replicas of Thomas Edison's original light bulbs shows the inventor may have accidentally created graphene
Spacecraft Heal Thyself? Engineers Invent Futuristic Material That Heals Itself and Lasts for Centuries
Scientists have invented a futuristic material that heals itself capable of lasting for decades or centuries on aircraft and spacecraft.
Ancient Cannabis Enzymes Reveal How THC and CBD First Evolved
A team of scientists has taken a closer look at the origins of cannabis chemistry by reconstructing enzymes from ancient plants.
“It’s Just a Tube Hanging from an Axle”: Breakthrough Energy-Harvesting Device Makes Electricity from a Vibrating Underwater Pendulum
Catalan scientists have built a pendulum-based energy-harvesting system that converts the vibrations of water currents into usable power.
“The Waves From an Earthquake, Only On the Surface of a Small Chip”: This Vibrating Laser May Be the Future of Wireless Technology
Tiny, artificial earthquake-like waves generated by lasers may be the key to smaller, faster, and more efficient computer chips.
Researchers Unveil Futuristic Eye-Tracking Technology That Sounds Like Something from Science Fiction
Scientists have successfully demonstrated a low-cost, self-powered eye-tracking technology that is powered by the friction of blinking eyes.
“This Discovery Changes How We Think About the Quantum World”: Physicists Reveal New Evidence of Quantum Particles Working Together
Evidence of quantum particles working together to generate self-sustaining energy pulses has scientists rethinking the entire quantum world.
Robots with Feelings: New Robotic Skin Reproduces the Human Experiences of Touch and Pain
Chinese researchers have developed a novel "e-skin" that allows robots to mimic our ability to touch and feel pain.
“Zentropy Theory” May Unlock Previously Impossible Electronics Based on Transparent Ceramics
New 'zentropy theory' based on quantum mechanics could unlock seemingly impossible electronic devices made with transparent ceramics.
“Bold and Creative Concepts” Wanted: If You Have a Cool Idea for a Space Base, You Could Win $20,000
The Aurelia Institute has launched the $20,000 Aurelia Prize in Design for Space Urbanism, seeking "bold and creative" space-based concepts.
This YouTube Creator Built a Camera That Shows You Don’t Need a Major Lab to Film Light in Motion
A YouTube creator working out of his garage has engineered something that is normally found only in major research facilities: a camera capable of filming a laser beam moving at the speed of light.
Creating Matter with Light: Breakthrough Method Creates Electrodes Using Visible Light
Scientists have announced a breakthrough method for manufacturing electrodes from conductive plastics using nothing but visible light.
Bionic Hand With Built-In Artificial Intelligence Moves Closer to Natural Human Function
Researchers at the University of Utah are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make this innovative bionic hand design more intuitive.
Breakthrough Transparent Material, MOCHI, Could Replace ‘Frozen Smoke’ as the Ultimate Heat Stopper
A new window-covering material called MOCHI that is almost completely transparent but blocks heat could significantly reduce on energy usage.
“This Material Can Heal Itself Over Thousands of Years”: MIT Scientists Have Deciphered the Ancient Mystery of Roman Concrete
MIT scientists have used modern technology to unravel the mysterious self-healing properties of ancient Roman concrete.
2,000-Year-Old ‘Hjortspring Boat’ Mystery May Point to Foreign Invaders, New Archaeological Clues Suggest
Scientists trying to unravel the mysterious origins of the 'Hjortspring Boat' found off the coast of Denmark have found tantalizing new clues
Moving Objects without Touching Them: Scientists Invent Chip that Generates Acoustic Waves as “Invisible Grabbers”
Viriginia Tech scientists have created a new electronic chip capable of moving objects without touching them thanks to acoustic waves.
Martian Colonies Could Be Built by Living Microbes That Produce Concrete Under Extreme Conditions, Scientists Say
Future Mars astronauts may use microbial life to produce the building materials for a permanent human colony on the Red Planet.
Engineered ‘Nanopores’ Displayed Learning-Like Traits in Recent Breakthrough Experiments, Scientists Say
A team of researchers from EPFL has discovered that biological nanopores exhibit electrical signal responses that resemble learning-like behavior.
“Magic-Angle” Graphene Superconductor Research May Herald “The Holy Grail of the Entire Field”
With a “magic-angle,” MIT researchers have discovered a new path to possible room temperature superconductivity.
From Spider-Like Walking Chairs to Emotionally Intelligent Cars, Toyota Unveils Game-Changing Futuristic Designs
Toyota recently unveiled a lineup of futuristic concepts—from a four-legged autonomous walking chair to emotion-responsive vehicles—that showcase the company’s bold vision for the future of mobility.
“Targeted Ultrasound Echolocation” Inspired by Bats is Helping This Engineer Develop Tiny Flying Robots That Navigate in Total Darkness
A robotics engineering professor is building tiny, autonomous flying robots that can use sound waves to navigate in total darkness like bats.
Quantum ‘Time Reversal’ Breakthrough Doubles the Accuracy of Optical Clocks, May Advance the Quest for Dark Matter
MIT researchers unlock a hidden effect to stabilize optical clocks, which may help advance the search for elusive phenomena like dark matter.
Shape-Shifting ‘Chinese Lantern’ Structure Could Pave the Way for the Next Generation of Adaptive Machines
Engineers have developed a 'Chinese lantern' structure that can shape-shift into various three-dimensional forms on command.
Researchers Can Now “Grow” Metals 20 Times Stronger Than Average Using This Breakthrough 3D Printing Technique
Researchers are "growing" metals and ceramics using 3D printing technology, producing hydrogel-based materials up to 20 times stronger than average.
Canadian Breakthrough Unveils Cost-Effective Method of Turning CO2 Pollution Into Useful Products
Scientists have created a catalyst that matches the performance of precious metals in turning carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.
These 5 Geoengineering Ideas Won’t Save Humanity, and Will Probably Do More Harm Than Good
Top climate experts say that some geoengineering-based climate solutions may be cures worse than the disease.