Technology
There has been no era like ours for the rapid development of technology. Stay updated on the hottest trends and advancements from all over the world.
Anyone home? Meet the couple revolutionizing the humble doorbell
There are few things more infuriating than arriving home to a “Sorry we missed you”card after waiting hours for a delivery. A report last year from IMRG estimated that failed deliveries are costing retailers up to £780m, not to mention the frustration and inconvenience for Read More...
Owl wings could hold the key to quieter aircrafts and wind turbines
The owl has unique wing features that allow it to fly in absolute silence. Drawing inspiration from the owl, a team of scientists from China and Japan believe they have found a way to incorporate these features into wind turbine blades, aircraft wings and drone rotors to reduce the noise they Read More...
NASA mimics gecko feet to create device that will adhere to almost anything
Drawing inspiration from the sticky feet of geckos, NASA scientists have invented a device that can grip almost anything. The “gecko gripper” uses minuscule silicon wedges to latch onto a wide range of slippery surfaces, like solar panels and plastics. The grippers can work with heavy objects, Read More...
This motor-powered wheel lets you turn any bike into an e-bike
Introducing to you The Copenhagen Wheel, a motor-equipped rear bicycle wheel that can turn an existing human-powered bicycle into an e-bike. As you pedal, the motor kicks in and adds a proportional amount of electrical assistance, with a top speed of 20 mph possible to attain. One charge of the Read More...
Google bets AI and human oversight will curb online extremism
Google has outlined a four-step approach to combatting pro-terrorism content online. To start, the tech giant is pouring more energy into machine learning research that could improve its ability to automatically remove terrorist videos while keeping innocently-posted clips online. Google will Read More...
Necessity is the mother of invention: the bike is celebrating its 200th birthday
This week, 200 years ago, Karl von Drais rode his Laufsmaschine for the first time. The German baron rode his two-wheeled invention, a bicycle without pedals, five miles from the center of Mannheim and back in less than an hour—much faster than a horse. And that was the point. At the time the Read More...
Sound-dampening earbuds let you control real world audio like a volume button
Knops work mechanically to reduce real-world noise to very low levels. Sound can be a wonderful thing, but too much noise can mark the onset of migraines and hearing decay. Billed as an “acoustic hearing solution” that enables full control over the surrounding sounds you hear, this Read More...
Possibility: Drones for peace
From The Intelligent Optimist Summer 2016 Imagine for a moment that a child is critically ill in a small village weeks away from any hospital. With no quick means of transportation, the child’s worried doctor picks up the phone or sends a text and, in a matter of hours, the much-needed medical Read More...
Ode to Abeer Seikaly, Amman, Jordan
From The Optimist Magazine Fall 2015 A new kind of mobile home People move. It’s what they have always done and what they will keep doing. Architect, artist and cultural producer Abeer Seikaly, from Amman, Jordan, designed an elegant and practical home for people who are forced to move on to a Read More...
Creating cheap solar cells with an ingredient from a delicious Indian berry
The berries of the Jamun tree are popular in India. The fruit is known for its nutritional and medicinal value. It’s cheap and often sold on pavements and at traffic junctions. But Indian researchers have found a new benefit in the berries: They may be used to make solar panels far less Read More...