The Material World
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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Solid-state batteries are finally making their way out of the lab
Solid-state batteries could soon challenge lithium-ion as the dominant tech for powering smartphones, EVs, and more.
9 dumbphones to help curb your screen addiction
While smartphones keep getting more powerful, the growing dumbphone phenomenon is subverting expectations.
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
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Ancient technology that was centuries ahead of its time
These forward-thinking inventions are often called “ahead of their time.” They are reflections of the ingenuity of their civilizations.
Watch: Autonomous helicopter takes flight at sea
Airbus’ VSR700, an autonomous helicopter designed for naval use, has successfully completed test flights at sea.
Fully self-driving cars are finally available on Uber
Uber has teamed up with robotaxi operator Waymo to make rides in fully autonomous cars available to its customers.
Watch the world’s largest plane drop a hypersonic aircraft
Aerospace company Stratolaunch has dropped a hypersonic aircraft from its record-breaking Roc launch platform for the first time.
New tech creates liquid buttons on touchscreens
Carnegie Mellon researchers want to return a sense of touch to touchscreens.
World’s first thermal energy storage “gigafactory” opens
Israel’s Brenmiller Energy has opened what is believed to be the first thermal energy storage gigafactory in the world.
The grid isn’t ready for 300 million EVs by 2030. Here’s how to fix it.
There were 16.5 million electric vehicles on the world’s roads in 2020 – this is expected to rise to 300 million by 2030.
Massive autonomous robot is 3 to 5 times faster than a human construction crew
Built Robotics has unveiled an autonomous construction robot that speeds up the installation of utility-scale solar farms.
Battery density breakthrough could be enough to power electric planes
CATL, the largest manufacturer of EV batteries in the world, has announced a new super powerful one — but details are light.
Cruise driverless cars can now operate 24/7 across San Francisco
GM-backed Cruise has announced that it can now operate its driverless car service 24/7 in San Francisco.
Astronomers have directly detected a massive exoplanet. The method could transform the search for life beyond Earth.
There are many techniques to search for planets orbiting other stars. Perhaps the simplest of these is called direct imaging, but it’s not easy.
The paper plane world record has been shattered
Boeing engineers who grew up folding paper planes at family days have broken the distance flight record.
NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory to finally answer the epic question: “Are we alone?”
The Nancy Roman Telescope is already being built with a goal no smaller than to find inhabited planets beyond Earth.
Watch a startup drop science experiments from 2,000 feet up
To help scientists conduct microgravity experiments, UK startup Gravitilab has developed a drone that drops them from high above the Earth.
This $11,000 microcar ships flat like IKEA furniture
Swedish mobility startup Luvly has unveiled an ultra-efficient $11,000 microcar, Luvly O, for urban transportation.
New battery tech boosts EV range by 20%
A new silicon anode material for EV batteries can boost a vehicle’s range by 20% while cutting down on charging times.
Xwing puts autonomous flight on the runway to approval
Autonomous flight startup Xwing has filed for approval to do crewless cargo flights, a first step towards pilotless commercial aviation.
We used to have steam-powered cars. What happened to them — and will they come back?
Steam cars went extinct because gas-powered cars became far more convenient. Will technology ever bring back the steam car?
3D printing promises to transform architecture forever
Large-scale additive manufacturing, like 3D printing, involves building objects one layer at a time, transforming architecture as we know it.
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