Environment
World Changing Ideas 2012
10 innovations that are radical enough to alter our lives
Stories by Christopher Mims
Technology
Gingrich Tops Scientific American's Geek Guide to the 2012 GOP Candidates
"Newt Skywalker" nudges out Romney and Paul based on the former congressman's engagement in issues related to energy, the Internet and military weapons
Technology
World-Changing Ideas
10 new technologies that will make a difference
Technology
A Chip that Thinks Like a Brain
Neural computers will excel at all the tasks that make regular machines choke
Environment
Crops that Don't Need Replanting
Year-round crops can stabilize the soil and increase yields. They may even fight climate change
Technology
Liquid Fuel for Electric Cars
A new type of battery could replace fossil fuels with nanotech crude
Technology
The Wallet in Your Skin
Forget cell-phone payment systems--just wave your hand to charge it
Technology
Good Riddance: Human Creations the World Would Be Better Off Without
Our highly selective list includes Teflon, dropped calls and the space shuttle
Environment
Good Riddance to the Population Explosion: Keys to Prevent Unsustainable Growth
The nine billion people expected by 2050 will stress the planet, but cost-effective means can prevent overpopulation
Technology
World's Mightiest Solar Boat Unveiled
The PlanetSolar catamaran will circumnavigate the globe in 120 days running on nothing but the sun's energy
Environment
Defusing the Methane Greenhouse Time Bomb
Could methane-digesting bacteria and an Arctic cap of fresh water prevent a climate catastrophe?
Environment
The No-Money-Down Solar Plan
A new wave of start-ups wants to install rooftop solar panels on your house. Upfront cost: nothing
Environment
World Changing Ideas: 20 Ways to Build a Cleaner, Healthier, Smarter World
From solar power to powering our planet with garbage, Scientific American explores ideas that would improve our planet
Environment
Hurricane Forcing: Can Tropical Cyclones Be Stopped?
New details on Bill Gates's hurricane-alteration scheme haven't convinced some scientists that it's likely to succeed
Environment
"Albedo Yachts" and Marine Clouds: A Cure for Climate Change?
A deep dive into one of the least scary geoengineering schemes to control global warming
Environment
Replacing the Honeybee
Entomologists struggle to find an alternative to the vanishing honeybee
Environment
Slide Show: The World's 10 Largest Renewable Energy Projects
From wind and wave to sun and trash, a look at how existing power plants are providing electricity generated from renewable sources on a massive scale
Technology
Hackers Weigh In: 8 Big Things to Do with a Mini Server
We weren't sure what to do with a SheevaPlug, a cheap and powerful home server stuffed into a package the size of a power brick, so we asked a bunch of uber-geeks--Here's what they said
Environment
Slide Show: Hybrid Trucks Are Here for the Long (Medium and Short) Haul
An explosion in the number and kind of commercially available hybrid trucks means battery power isn't just for lightweight commuter vehicles anymore
Biology
Slide Show: Exoskeletons Give New Life to Legs
Honda was in New York City this week demonstrating its Stride Management Assist and Body Weight Support Assist exoskeleton devices
