Technology, features and articles | Educational Science

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...

Jan 11, 2017

In Images: Amazing Artificial Spider Silk

Unassuming creatures (Image credit: Julie Larsen Maher ©WCS)Though spider silk may seem unremarkable, it is one of the toughest materials in the world. Recent research has shown how to mass produce this remarkable fiber in the lab. Incredibly tough (Image credit: Hellen Grig , Shutterstock)Spider silk can withstand high tension...

Jan 11, 2017

Strong, Flexible Spider Silk Created in Lab

We've built skyscrapers, planes that travel faster than sound and particle colliders a mile below the Earth's surface. Yet in some ways, the humble little house spider has got humans beat: The silken threads spiders use to ensnare prey are amazing feats of natural engineering. Pound-for-pound, inch-for-inch, spider silk can...

Jan 11, 2017

US Army Wants Biodegradable Bullets That Sprout Plants

Not only are bullets a physical hazard, but they're an environmental hazard, too. At US Armytraining facilities around the world, hundreds of thousands of spent shells litter proving grounds. Because there is no efficient way to clean up the shells, they're left where they fall. But that's a problem. The...

Jan 30, 2017

Help Me, Obi-Wan! New Hologram Technology Mimics 'Star Wars'

Princess Leia's holographic plea in the classic film Star Wars inspired researchers to work toward a device that could project real-life sci-fi holograms. Now, the futuristic 3D imaging may be one step closer to reality. A team of physicists at the Australian National University (ANU) invented a tiny device that...

Feb 8, 2017

Who Invented the Refrigerator?

Refrigeration is the process of creating cooling conditions by removing heat. It is mostly used to preserve food and other perishable items, preventing foodborne illnesses. It works because bacteria growth is slowed at lower temperatures. Methods for preserving food by cooling have been around for thousands of years, but the...

Feb 16, 2017

3D-Printed Micro-Camera Sees with Eagle-Eye Vision

A bird of prey on the hunt must be able to clearly see faraway objects while remaining aware of threats in its peripheral vision. In some cases, that's also true for a drone — even one so small that its eye must fit on the tip of a ballpoint pen....

Feb 17, 2017

When Will Augmented Reality Get Real?

Augmented reality, or AR, is technology that blends virtual content with real-world surroundings. Unlike virtual reality, which immerses you in a self-contained digital world, AR overlays 3D graphics and interactive characters into your everyday world. In the hit game Pokémon Go, players use their smartphones to catch Pokémon characters in...

Feb 23, 2017

Straight Out of Sci-Fi: Hoverbike 'Surfs' Through the Air in Test

The hoverbike prototype, dubbed Scorpion-3, is capable of lifting itself and a driver into the air. (Image credit: Hoversurf/YouTube)Think of it as half drone, half motorcycle: A new hoverbike prototype aims to make flying as simple as riding a bike. Hoversurf, a Russian drone startup, recently unveiled its Scorpion-3 hoverbike...

Mar 2, 2017

Could This Hat-Camera Combo Be Google's Next Hit?

Google recently filed a patent for a technology-enhanced baseball cap that can take still photos and capture video from a camera mounted on the brim, according to news reports. The high-tech cap may be the tech giant's follow-up to its failed Google Glass and could offer competition to similar wearable...