Innovations

At Surf Ranch in May (where Kelly Slater leaned into a cutback), 5,000 spectators gathered to watch 25 world-class surfers compete for prize money.

Engineering the Perfect Wave

A technology breakthrough allows surf legend Kelly Slater to manufacture the same wave over and over again

The charred papyrus scroll recovered from Herculaneum is preserved in 12 trays mounted under glass. Here is PHerc.118 in tray 8. The scroll was physically unrolled in 1883-84, causing irreparable damage.

Buried by the Ash of Vesuvius, These Scrolls Are Being Read for the First Time in Millennia

A revolutionary American scientist is using subatomic physics to decipher 2,000-year-old texts from the early days of Western civilization

A Canines for Conservation handler and his dog inspect a vehicle as a part of a 12-week training course.

It's Pooches vs. Poachers in the Fight Against Wildlife Smugglers

A new breed of law enforcement is on the scene—and its bite is stronger than its bark

Defense is the only option against a never-ending onslaught.

The Original 'Space Invaders' Is a Meditation on 1970s America's Deepest Fears

One of the first digital shooting games reflected a fear of, well, invaders—a fear that still resonates today

A wildlife biologist checks a big brown bat for signs of white nose syndrome, which can cause tears or even dime-sized holes in their delicate wings.

Three Ways Bats Could Bounce Back From Devastating White Nose Syndrome

Scientists are testing light therapy, a fungus-killing fungus—and maybe, doing nothing

Say hello to SMAP

This NASA Satellite Can Map the Planet's Soil Moisture Content In Just Three Days

The speedy collection of this data will help with crop management and flood prediction

Fully 73 percent of the patents studied in the paper pertained to microbial species, which account for about 20 percent of marine life.

Nearly Half the Patents on Marine Genes Belong to Just One Company

Who owns biodiversity? No one and everyone—or maybe, a German chemical company

Aerial view of Guadalajara

How Guadalajara Reinvented Itself as a Technology Hub

Mexico's second largest city has nimbly transformed into a R&D hotpsot, offering a model for the country's future

Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand partially collapsed after a 2011 earthquake.

How Computer Scientists Model the Role of Religion in Society

Virtual simulations attempt to show how faith influences human behavior in the face of terror

AI will be able to analyze compounds in your breath.

Artificial Intelligence May Be Able To Smell Illnesses in Human Breath

Compounds in your breath could help AI detect illnesses, including different cancers

Computer-generated dinosaurs walk the Earth

How ‘Jurassic Park’ Made History 25 Years Ago, Propelling Computer-Generated Animation Forward

It was the first time that computer-generated characters interacted with human actors on screen. How has the technology improved since then?

Bycatch is a major problem in fisheries, resulting in the deaths of countless endangered animals. New dynamic software helps fishermen avoid this harmful phenomenon.

Smart Software Helps Fishermen Catch the Fish They Want, Not Endangered Species

Like a dynamic weather app for the sea, the program allows fishermen to pinpoint areas of conservation and can be updated daily

How Ketchup Revolutionized How Food Is Grown, Processed and Regulated

The condiment really is the perfect complement to the American diet

Playing with Native American instruments, fifth-graders from New York City Public School 276 play with percussion instruments made of pelts and other fibers.

How Native Civilizations Innovated to Conquer the Wilderness

A new activity center at the American Indian Museum in NYC sheds light on the original know-how of the Americas

It doesn’t look like a kidney, but this ‘kidney-on-a-chip’ is a breakthrough for new drug testing.

How Putting Organs on Chips Could Revolutionize Medicine

Scientists are now working to connect these ersatz "organs" together into systems

Window Cleaning One of Chicago's Tallest Buildings

Chicago, home to some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, throws some pretty unusual challenges at its daring window cleaners

Most Parents Want to Test Their Unborn Kids' Genes For Disease Risk

Despite the fact that they might not like what they learn

When it comes to diving, humans can't hope to keep up with flippered mammals. But an anatomist thinks she may have identified a crucial structure in dolphins that could help humans avoid the bends.

Dolphins Have a Mysterious Network of Veins That Could Be Key to Preventing the Bends

It might be possible to make an external device that protects divers from the deadly condition

Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle Unveils New Look After $100 Million Renovation

The update allows visitors to experience 360-degree views of the city from the observation deck

Silverman's mushroom shoe prototype is sustainable—but will it hold up in the rain?

Are These Baked Mushroom Sandals the Future of Fashion?

As sustainable fashion goes mainstream, multiple designers are turning to fungi for compostable attire

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