Technology, features and articles | Educational Science

Dec 5, 2017

Smile (or Not): Photos Can Be Animated to Show Expressions

With the help of an actor and some high-tech motion-capture techniques, computer scientists can now take a still photo of a person's face and animate it. The photos can be animated to express emotions such as happiness, anger or surprise. They can even include details such as teeth when the...

Jan 8, 2020

How to turn off web notifications for Google Chrome and macOS

Hey, science fans! If you're a science geek like me and the writers here, it's possible you've signed up to receive notifications from your favorite science news websites. Maybe even from ? (If so, we thank you.) While it may be helpful to receive news and updates from those notifications,...

Sep 3, 2020

Quantum internet breakthrough could help make hacking a thing of the past

The advent of mass working from home has made many people more aware of the security risks of sending sensitive information via the internet. The best we can do at the moment is make it difficult to intercept and hack your messages — but we can't make it impossible. What...

Feb 17, 2022

The Internet: Do you know how it works?

The Internet is one of the greatest inventions in human history, revolutionizing communication and changing the world forever. This vast network connects computers across the world via more than 750,000 miles of cables running under land and sea. It’s our fastest method of communication, making it possible to send a...

Mar 15, 2022

The internet: History, evolution and how it works

The internet is a vast network that connects computers across the world via more than 750,000 miles (1,200,000 kilometres) of cable running under land and sea, according to the University of Colorado Boulder. It is the world's fastest method of communication, making it possible to send data from London, U.K....

Apr 1, 2022

Latency: Definition, measurement and testing

Latency is the technical word that describes how long it takes data to get from one place to another. You can measure it with a ping. Your computer sends a small packet of data to a server, the server sends it back again, and you time how long it takes....

Apr 4, 2022

TCP/IP: What are the rules of the internet?

Internet Protocol (IP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) are the languages computers use to communicate with one another, and they out the rules of the internet. TCP/IP makes the internet work a bit like a postal system. There is an address book that contains the identity of every device on...

Apr 8, 2022

Internet history timeline: ARPANET to the World Wide Web

In internet history, credit for the initial concept that developed into the World Wide Web is typically given to Leonard Kleinrock. In 1961, he wrote about ARPANET, the predecessor of the internet, in a paper entitled Information Flow in Large Communication Nets. According to the journal Management and Business Review...

Nov 28, 2016

Sweat Detectors? Tiny Sensors Use Perspiration to Track Health

Imagine if taking a snapshot of your health were as easy as slapping a sticker on your skin. A new study finds that a tiny adhesive sensor can read what's going on in your body based on your sweat, and relay information about your well-being wirelessly to a smartphone. This...

Dec 6, 2016

This Tiny Electronic Chip Is Just 3 Atoms Thick

A tiny electronic chip just three atoms thick could yield advanced circuits that are powerful, flexible and transparent, researchers said in a new study. The scientists said the chip demonstrates a new way to mass-produce atomically thin materials and electronics. These materials could be used to develop electronic displays on...

Dec 15, 2016

Who Invented the Traffic Light?

Traffic lights, or traffic signals, are located on most major corners in cities and towns around the world. The red, yellow and green lights let us know when it is safe to drive through the intersection and when to walk across the street as well as when to stop and...

Dec 16, 2016

How to Build a Death Star

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. I'm very excited about seeing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which tells the tale summarized in the original Star Wars' opening crawl. This is the story of how...

Jan 3, 2017

Build Your Own Death Star: How to 3D Print a Real-Life 'Tractor Beam'

Ever wanted to be Darth Vader? Good news: You can now bring Star Wars to life with an actual tractor beam to move small objects using sound waves, in the comfort of your own home — at least if you own a 3D printer. A team of physicists, led by...

Jan 5, 2017

Who Invented the Microwave Oven?

A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that is in nearly every U.S. home — 90 percent of households have one, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the touch of a couple of buttons, this ubiquitous device can boil water, reheat leftovers, pop popcorn or defrost frozen...

Jan 10, 2017

Ancient Toy Inspires Low-Cost Medical Diagnostic Tool

Modern medicine often feels like magic: A technician pricks your skin, draws a drop of blood and whisks it away into another room. Oftentimes, this gives the doctor enough information to make a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment. But for people in developing countries, these kinds of diagnostics can be...