Innovations

Owl-inspired innovations can reduce noise by as much as 10 decibels, similar to the difference in noise between a passing truck and a passing car.

To Silence Wind Turbines and Airplanes, Engineers Are Studying Owl Wings

No one knows exactly how the nocturnal hunters manage their whisper-soft flight, yet it's inspiring the design of quieter airplanes, fans and wind turbines

Canada-based drone tech firm Draganfly is hoping to roll out the stationary cameras and drones in the next two to three months that can detect people with COVID-19 symptoms.

How Innovators Are Adapting Existing Technologies to Fight COVID-19

Engineers around the world are tweaking drones, robots and smart tools to help prevent the spread of the virus

Currently, the toilet can test for up to ten different biomarkers from analyses of stool and urine samples, according to a Stanford press release.

Why Scientists Created a 'Smart Toilet' That Recognizes Your Butt

The bidet-like suite of devices detects abnormalities in feces that could flag signs of certain cancers

Ten Surprising Facts About Everyday Household Objects

While COVID-19 has us homebound, it’s a good time to reflect on the peculiar histories of housewares we take for granted

A lithograph by Alice Dick Dumas depicts children going to a clinic for a health check to prevent the advance of disease.

How Epidemics of the Past Changed the Way Americans Lived

Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery offers a free audio tour of its presidential portraits.

Explore World-Class Museums From Home With Smartify's Free Audio Tours

The app features a database of some two million artworks housed at more than 120 venues

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Education During the Coronavirus Crisis

With school closures underway, teachers, students and parents around the globe venture into remote learning. Here are some resources to help.

Six Crazy Attempts to Geoengineer the Weather

These scientists and inventors set out to change the planet with these out-of-the-box ideas

Documents from the Smithsonian's "Jogbra, Inc. Collection" include the company's marketing and advertising materials (above).

How the First Sports Bra Got Its Stabilizing Start

It all began when three frustrated women sought the no-bounce zone

Isle au Haut thoroughfare

A Tiny Island Off the Coast of Maine Could Be a Renewable Energy Model for the Rest of the World

Remote Isle au Haut is integrating time-tested technology with emerging innovations to create its own microgrid

In this photo taken on March 6, 2020, primary school teacher Billy Yeung records a video lesson for his students, who have had their classes suspended due to coronavirus, in his empty classroom in Hong Kong.

What Happened When Hong Kong's Schools Went Virtual to Combat the Spread of Coronavirus

A temporary solution during months-long school shutdowns, the online classrooms may be an experiment the rest of the world can learn from

European honeybees are used by commercial beekeepers worldwide to pollinate crops and produce honey.

These Bees Fight Varroa Mites With Help From Special Engineered Bacteria

Honeybees with engineered microbiomes were more likely to survive both mites and the viruses they carry

Each finger is made of two layers of hydrogel that react to temperature by contracting and leaking water.

This Robotic Hand Stays Cool by Sweating

The robot is three times more efficient at sweating than the animal kingdom's best, humans and horses

Axolotls can regrow lost limbs, again and again, making them appealing to scientists who want to understand regeneration.

Some Salamanders Can Regrow Lost Body Parts. Could Humans One Day Do the Same?

In recent decades, the idea of human regeneration has evolved from an 'if' to a 'when'

The Cape coral snake is a venomous species that lives in arid regions of southern Africa.

The Future of Antivenom May Involve Mini Lab-Grown Snake Glands

The antiquated technique used to produce antivenom requires injecting venom into horses and this new method may someday remove that step from the process

'Directional Velcro' on birds' feathers prevent gaps from forming between them when hit by a gust of wind.

‘PigeonBot’ Uses Real Feathers to Fly Like a Bird

The flying robot is better at following directions than its namesake

Photosynthetic bacteria in the concrete make it bright green until it dries and turns brown.

Scientists Design Bacteria-Based Living Concrete

Its designers hope that it could help with construction in deserts or even on Mars

A "living machine" containing frog stem cells in a new configuration designed by a computer algorithm. Parts shown in green are made up of frog skin cells, while parts in red are frog heart cells.

Scientists Assemble Frog Stem Cells Into First 'Living Machines'

The so-called 'xenobots' could replace traditional metal or plastic robots without polluting the planet, but they raise ethical questions

(Clockwise from left) Michela Puddu, Elias Sime, Richard Yim and Miranda Wang

Eight Innovators to Watch in 2020

From plastic recycling pioneers to landmine foes, these dreamers have big plans for the coming year

The petite creation measures 10 micrometers long, or roughly a tenth of the diameter of the average human hair.

This Microscopic 'Gingerbread' House Is Smaller Than a Human Hair

Although it doesn't taste great, the silicon house highlights the capabilities of electron microscopy

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