All Stories by Kathryn Hulick
-
AnimalsWill the woolly mammoth return?
Scientists are using genetic engineering and cloning to try to bring back extinct species or save endangered ones. Here’s how and why.
-
Health & MedicineDiscovering the power of placebos
If you take a fake pill and expect to feel better, you may. Researchers are learning how this placebo effect works and how to use it to help patients.
-
TechNew robots can clean virus-laden surfaces so people won’t have to
Smart and nimble cleaning robots will soon help disinfect spaces. They twist and bend to hit hard-to-reach spaces with UV light or cleansing sprays.
-
Materials ScienceNew device gets power from 5G signals grabbed from the air
A new way to harvest electricity relies on a tiny array of antennas and a lens. Together, they collect and focus 5G signals coming from any direction.
-
PhysicsLight levitation might help explore Earth’s ‘ignorosphere’
A toy called a light mill inspired researchers to invent a new way to fly. They’re using light to levitate small nanotube-coated discs.
-
Tech5G promises new energy savings for digital tech
A new way to transmit wireless communications promises time and energy savings by using networks of smaller cells.
-
TechGreening your digital life
The less electricity you use while playing video games or using your devices, the less impact you’ll have on climate change.
-
TechTraining AI to be really smart poses risks to climate
As artificial intelligence models grow larger and consume more energy, experts have begun to worry about their impact on Earth’s climate.
-
MathWhat the mummy’s curse reveals about your brain
A man died soon after opening a mummy’s tomb. But don’t assume the mummy killed him. Statistics help explain why coincidences may not be meaningful.
-
TechBye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound
New piezoelectric systems produce electricity in unusual ways, such as when a certain nylon bends or underwater ceramics vibrate.
-
TechNew device tells smiles from frowns — even through a mask
Most facial-recognition software has to see the whole face to work. The new type can reconstruct an entire expression from just viewing your cheeks.
-
TechOrdinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad
Engineers have figured out how to turn sheets of paper into rugged, low-cost electronic devices, such as a computer keypad.