May 08 Why is your Uber or Lyft stuck in traffic? Most likely because of Uber and Lyft By Vicky Stein The average American spends 26.4 minutes commuting to work. Traffic is getting worse, and it may be due to ride-hailing apps. Continue reading
Apr 18 This genetic test can predict your odds for obesity from the day you’re born By Vicky Stein Obesity could be in your future — and this $50 genetic test can predict your risk. Continue reading
Apr 11 Katie Bouman ‘hardly knew what a black hole was.’ Her algorithm helped us see one By Vicky Stein Imaging scientist Katie Bouman chats with the PBS NewsHour about how she crafted an algorithm that constructed the first ever photo of a black hole. Continue reading
Mar 27 Watch 8:55 As planet warms, scientists explore ‘far out’ ways to reduce atmospheric CO2 By Miles O'Brien The U.S. government estimates that the consequences of climate change are already costing the country hundreds of billions of dollars. But even if we stopped using fossil fuels immediately, the globe would continue to warm due to an existing buildup… Continue watching
Mar 15 How the New York pizza slice became universal By Nsikan Akpan, Jamie Leventhal A new book explains how simple inventions, like the New York City pizza oven, allow certain food producers to dominate their global supply chains. Continue reading
Feb 11 Opinion: Every student can be an inventor By Doug Scott On National Inventors Day, learn how one Massachusetts educator is teaching his students about the power of invention. Continue reading
Feb 06 Watch 6:55 How cutting-edge engineering borrows nature’s innovations By Miles O'Brien In the never-ending hunt for new designs that jump, pump, or run faster and better, scientists are finding inspiration in nature. The field of biomimicry blurs boundaries between living things -- like the butterfly’s proboscis or the flea's powerful legs… Continue watching
Jan 30 Watch 9:27 Microchipping humans wields great promise, but does it pose greater risk? By Malcolm Brabant An intense debate is underway over the benefits and drawbacks of using microchips, typically relied upon to identify ranch animals and pets, on humans. Advantages include fast communication of critical patient data to medical teams, seamless payment and automatically opened… Continue watching
Jan 23 Watch 6:56 In Thailand, tracking animal health to prevent outbreaks of human disease By Fred de Sam Lazaro Viruses like avian flu, Ebola and Marburg often fester in animals before moving into human populations. Animals in regions that are geographically remote present particular challenges for disease containment. But in Thailand, local residents are using technology, including digital scanning,… Continue watching
Jan 20 Watch 8:55 Paralyzed outdoorsman designs bike to cycle woods again By Christopher Booker, Mori Rothman Christian Bagg was an avid outdoorsman when a 1996 accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. As a mechanical designer, he spent years attempting to create a wheelchair that could withstand the rugged trails of the Canadian Rockies near… Continue watching