Sep 28 This lab uses coffee grounds to extract lead and other toxins from water By Nsikan Akpan Though still in its prototype phase, this coffee-infused foam might clear the worst levels of lead contamination found in places like Flint, Michigan within a few hours. Continue reading
Sep 27 Baby born from 3 parents a victory for new, controversial procedure By Nsikan Akpan The first baby born via a technique that mixes DNA from three parents raises familiar questions about regulatory loopholes and genetics. Continue reading
Sep 27 Why are most inventors men? By Laura Santhanam For 226 years, men led the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the agency that fosters American innovation and entrepreneurship. Enter Michelle Lee, the agency’s first female leader. A Silicon Valley native who built a radio with her father in… Continue reading
Sep 22 This MacArthur winner wants every child in the world to own a microscope By Nsikan Akpan Stanford University inventor Manu Prakash thinks if every child can have a pencil, then they should have a microscope. So, he built a $1 version. Continue reading
Sep 21 Watch 6:27 How robots are joining the police force By PBS News Hour In light of the recent bombings in New York and New Jersey, science correspondent Miles O'Brien takes a look at a new technology that is increasingly being used by law enforcement: bomb-disarming robots. Operated from a safe distance, these robots… Continue watching
Sep 20 The average person is better off without a fitness wearable, weight loss study finds By Nsikan Akpan Do fitness wearables aid weight loss? A new study from the University of Pittsburgh -- the longest of its kind -- says the average person on a weight loss program can cut more pounds without a wearable. Continue reading
Sep 14 Watch 7:28 Turning down the volume on human noise pollution for marine life By PBS News Hour Many see the beach as a quiet place for relaxation. But for the animals living under the water’s surface, motorized vehicles and other human-made technology can make life unbearably noisy. The problem is that many species rely on sound as… Continue watching
Sep 13 This new machine can read book pages without cracking the cover By Nsikan Akpan A new scanner, developed by engineers at MIT and Georgia Tech, can read a book without cracking the cover. Continue reading
Sep 08 Interactive: Lionfish invasion By Megan Crigger Once just an alluring pet, the ravenous lionfish is now a predatory threat to Atlantic reefs. Continue reading
Aug 31 Watch 6:53 Helping student inventors turn big ideas into the next big thing By PBS News Hour It’s back-to-school season, but these students have taken their brainstorming outside the classroom to solve pressing, real-life problems. Visit a competition where teams of student inventors pitch their entrepreneurial ideas to guests posing as investors, who vote on the best… Continue watching