Science & Tech

Science & Tech

Explore the discoveries that reveal how the world works, alongside the technologies that extend, reshape, and sometimes challenge what’s possible.

singularity
Singularities frustrate our understanding. But behind every singularity in physics hides a secret door to a new understanding of the world.
crashes
Morbid fatality statistics on digital highway signs seem to distract drivers, thus increasing the number of car crashes.
extraterrestrial
It didn't look like anything I'd seen before, but I'd be a great fool to consider "aliens" as a reasonable possibility.
nanofabricators
Today, we could use Big Data to radically reform democracy. Tomorrow, we could build nanofabricators and usher in an era of abundance. Is society ready?
nanofabricators
Nanofabricators could quickly synthesize whatever we need, molecule by molecule.
volcano dinosaurs
Volcanic activity caused the end-Triassic mass extinction 200 million years ago. The dinosaurs survived and rose to dominance.
time
We take for granted that time is real. But what if it's only an illusion, and a relative illusion at that? Does time even exist?
The ability is tied to mental health, consciousness, and memory in humans.
A person in a red robe sits outdoors holding an hourglass, surrounded by greenery and a body of water, symbolizing predictions for the future.
What lies in store for humanity? Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku explains how different life will be for your descendants—and maybe your future self, if the timing works out.
John Templeton Foundation
spinlaunch
Spin, spin, spin — fire! The startup’s radical system could make satellite launches cheaper and cleaner.
“We didn’t build anything face-ish into our network [but] managed to segregate themselves without being given a face-specific nudge.”
smell COVID
Shoving platelet-rich plasma up your nose might restore your sense of smell after COVID. But whether it actually works still needs to be sniffed out.
helium 3
Ancient helium-3 from the dawn of time leaks from the Earth, offering clues to our planet’s formation. A key question is where it leaks from.
synthetic media
AI-generated photos, also known as synthetic media, are being used to create fake experts and journalists to spread disinformation.
false vacuum
You've spent almost a decade gaining extremely specialized skills. But that's ok; your value is greater than you realize.
After mammoth investments and two decades of anti-aging research, what do immortality proponents have to show for it?
Can electrical stimulation meaningfully substitute for natural touch during a complex task in the real world? We think so.
Behavioral interventions may be better for long-term health.
planet 9
Pluto failed to meet the definition of a planet, but some astronomers think there might be a legitimate Planet 9 out there.
benjamin franklin lightning rod
Benjamin Franklin's lightning rod saved countless lives, but some religious leaders denounced his invention.