Science & Technology

The future is in good hands with these innovators, and these stories of inventions, technology, and scientific ingenuity are changing not only the way we see the world, but also the world itself.

Are Automatons the Ancestors of Google? How Finding Inspiration in the Past Improves the Future

What can we learn from a mechanical humanoid that mesmerized people hundreds of years ago? Let’s see what the future can gain from peering into the past, at phenomenons known as automata.

Renee Laroche-Rheaume
December 27, 2021

The Magical Music of Trees: Artist Transforms Biology Into Song

Yes, trees sing! A special technology lets you hear this magical song. An artist is harnessing this technology to connect people with nature in an ethereal concert, increasing respect and awareness for majestic trees.

goodnet
October 8, 2021

World’s First Underwater Farm is Growing Fruits and Vegetables

Nemo's Garden is not your typical farm. That's because this unique agricultural enterprise is located under the sea just off the coast of Italy. And the unique biosphere is teaching us tons about the future of sustainable agriculture.

goodnet
September 10, 2021

Image: A senior couple standing in a field of yellow flowers, smiling at the camera.

This 81 Year Old Learned to Code to Create an App for Seniors

You're never too old to learn or try something new. Not ever. If you need proof, take a look at 81 year-old Masako Wakamiya, who after never touching a computer until she was 58, coded an entire app to help seniors in her community stay connected and live more fulfilling lives.

Ellen Allerton
September 6, 2021

Image: A collection of three of Rosemary Mosco's comics

The Key to Learning? Make it Fun! Nature Comics with Rosemary Mosco

From ants with two butts to the weird and wonderful world of bird mating dances, there’s a lot of strange things going on in the natural world. This cartoonist is on a mission to make science approachable using a new medium: comics.

Sam Burns
July 9, 2021

Image: Ginormous fossil hanging in the middle of a museum with golden arches

The Secret Rooms You Aren’t Shown at the Natural History Museum

Can we predict the future by looking to the past? Behind the fossils and neatly arranged collections we see at a Natural History Museum is a hidden world; one which is unlocking discoveries that are changing our future!

Liesl Ulrich-Verderber
April 5, 2021

Image: view of a platypus in the water from the top

New Discovery! More Mammals Are Glowing in the Dark?

Platypus are already known to be strange creatures, but there’s a new characteristic to add to these odd-balls: they GLOW! The thing is, scientists are finding that they actually aren't the weird ones when it comes to this. It turns out, glowing in the dark is a trait far more common in mammals than we've ever thought! Ready to test what you think is possible?

Sam Burns
February 18, 2021

Image: solar mamas learning to become solar engineers

Why Grandmas Are Training to Be the Best Solar Engineers

Grandmas around the world are learning a new skill! These “solar mamas” are learning to become solar engineers and bringing light back to their communities that once spent their nights in darkness.

Liesl Ulrich-Verderber
February 2, 2021

We’re Going to the Moon Again! The Reasons Why Are Amazing

Need something awesome to look forward to? In 2024, you'll be able to look up at the moon and know that humans are on it! That's right, we're going to the moon again, and this historical mission is bringing us closer to a better shared future, for everyone.

Liesl Ulrich-Verderber
January 5, 2021

Image: Person drinking coffee and looking intently at their laptop

Meet the Hackers Who Are Saving Lives!

Can hackers really be saving lives?! This group of hackers is combining their unique skills to do good! They've developed an extraordinary partnership that is quite literally saving lives.

Sam Burns
January 3, 2021

Image: a bunch of freshly washed asparagus in a strainer

Asparagus: A New Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries?

A feeling very familiar to most of us almost kept this life-changing treatment for spinal cord injuries from making it to testing! Here's how Andrew Pelling and his fellow researchers overcame self-doubt to create this breakthrough innovation.

Liesl Ulrich-Verderber
December 28, 2020

Image: hermit crab on a colorful pile of bottle caps

These Bacteria Have Found a Way to Break Down Plastic!

Could it be that single-celled organisms have found a solution to our plastic problem? It turns out that nature is far more adaptable than we may think—and we can use their skills to combat plastic pollution!