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 Boom is resurrecting supersonic flight
If Boom gets its way, the future of supersonic passenger travel will be quieter, cleaner, and more affordable than its past.
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.
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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.
Drone discovers weird underwater volcano off California
An un-crewed sailing drone has discovered an unusually shaped underwater volcano, called a seamount, off California.
Researchers turned superglue into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative
Researchers discovered a way to turn superglue into strong, clear plastic that can be made into many shapes.
United Airlines plans to bring flying cars to Chicago
United Airlines plans to use flying cars to ferry passengers between O’Hare International Airport and a location near downtown Chicago.
Watch: London’s “rolling bridge”
London’s unique Cody Dock “rolling bridge” can be moved by hand winches.
General Motors is putting ChatGPT into its vehicles
General Motors is developing a new voice assistant that will give drivers access to the hugely popular ChatGPT while they’re on the road.
LA’s on-demand vans charge just $1 per ride
Los Angeles has launched Metro Micro, an on-demand public transportation service that charges just $1 per ride.
Tesla switches to motors without rare earth elements
Tesla’s future powertrains won’t contain rare earth elements, which are mined primarily in China using environmentally destructive methods.
Batteries not included: How your own body could power wearables
Batteries are the weak link for wearable and implantable devices. But what if you could harvest energy from the heat, sweat or vibrations of the wearer?
Could 3D printing help solve the US housing crisis?
3D printing could help solve the nation’s housing crisis, as it’s cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than conventional construction methods.
Goodyear announces 90% sustainable tire
Made from a variety of recycled and repurposed materials, the tire may be perfectly suited for electric vehicles.
Coastal cities created 40 Manhattans’ worth of new land since 2000
The first global assessment of land reclamation found that people have added 900 square miles of land to Earth’s coasts this century.
These 3D-printed batteries could be the future of clean energy
Silicon Valley startup Sakuu has developed a 3D-printing platform that it says can mass produce solid-state batteries, in any shape and size
You can build a house out of this super-grass material
Plantd is turning to fast-growing grasses to decarbonize construction.
New “biohybrid” machines weave electronics with living cells
By combining combine genetic and electrical engineering, scientists have developed a new technique for wiring electronics into living matter.
German scientists 3D print objects with “acoustic holograms”
By using shaped ultrasound, researchers in Germany have developed a way to 3D print objects in one shot.
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope was designed with AI
An AI-powered technique called “generative design” is helping NASA engineers design better hardware, more quickly.
China’s spy balloon: Inflatable eyes in the sky have been used for centuries
Spy balloons remind us that the oldest technologies are still being developed to achieve military effects today.
Zoox deploys first-of-their-kind robotaxis in California
Amazon subsidiary Zoox hits a new milestone, transporting passengers in its driverless robotaxis on open public roads.
World’s largest electric cargo plane can carry up to 400 pounds
The Pelican is an autonomous electric cargo plane capable of transporting 400 pounds of cargo 200 miles in less than three hours.
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