Tech
Forecast for Processing and Storing Ever-Expanding Science Data: Cloudy
Outsourced computing power and an abundance of data storage has researchers looking online for resources to help them tackle tough problems
Stories by Larry Greenemeier
Tech
Online 24/7: "Life Logging" Pioneer Clarifies the Future of Cloud Computing
Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell, paperless for more than a decade, envisions data centers saturated with information and services readily available via the Internet
Mind
Ask the Experts: Does Bin Laden's Death Add Fuel to Conspiracy Theorists?
The al Qaeda leader's popularity was waning in Pakistan, but the nature of his death has created fodder for conspiracy theorists
The Sciences
Welcome to Scientific American's Citizen Science initiative!
You don't need an advanced degree in physics or biology to participate in scientific research, just a curiosity about the world around you and an interest in observing, measuring and reporting what you hear and see...
Tech
Amazon.com explains recent outage that took down Foursquare and Reddit
Amazon Web Services LLC (AWS), the cloud computing arm of online marketplace Amazon.com, on Friday explained what happened during last week's service outage, which disrupted many of its customers' Web sites...
Space
Countdown to space shuttle Endeavour's final launch
Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to blast off from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A at 3:47 P.M. local time on Friday en route to the International Space Station (ISS)—the second-to-last mission for NASA's 34-year-old shuttle program...
Tech
Passion Gear: Autos Appeal to Emotions This Week at the New York City Car Show [Slide Show]
The New York International Auto Show features a fleet of vehicles with brawn, brains and an environmental conscience
Tech
Neutron dance: What happens at the heart of a nuclear reactor?
As officials in Japan deal with the accumulation of radioactive seawater near the devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the wake of last month's earthquake and tsunami, the U.S...
Tech
Highway Robbery: Car Computer Controls Could Be Vulnerable to Hackers
Researchers claim to wirelessly break into automobile networks to take control of brakes and steering as the automobile industry shores up defenses
Tech
Robot measures radiation at Fukishima Daiichi site, verdict unclear
After weeks on standby, robots have been called from the sidelines to help inspect reactor buildings at Japan's damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Tech
Dose Detectives: Device Analyzes Radiation Exposure through Teeth and Nails [Slide Show]
As Japanese officials caution the Fukushima region about low levels of radioactive elements in soil and plants, researchers develop devices to more easily measure exposure levels
Health
Defending the Body Corporate: Appeals Court Puts Gene Patents on the Stand
After an unanticipated setback a year ago, Myriad Genetics has taken its case to a federal appeals court to retain its patents for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
Sustainability
Magnitude 7.1 aftershock disrupts efforts at Japan nuclear plant to stave off hydrogen explosions
As northeastern Japan coped with Thursday's magnitude 7.1* aftershock, the largest since the disastrous March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, the injection of nitrogen gas into one of the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was interrupted as Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) workers evacuated to a safer site, according to the Japan Broadcasting Corp (JBP)...
Tech
What Causes an Airline Fuselage to Rupture Mid-Flight? How Can This Be Prevented?
Cracks in the aluminum skin of an aircraft are commonplace, but the hole that opened up in the cabin of Southwest Airlines Flight 812 last week could, and should, have been prevented
Tech
Bursting MRSA's Bubble: Using Nanotech to Fight Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Researchers have developed a technique for using polymer-based nanoparticles to dissolve infectious bacteria's protective outer membranes so they cannot morph into more dangerous forms
The Sciences
Half-Life and Death: Radioactive Drinking Water Scare in Japan Subsides, but Questions Remain
Some radioactive contaminants could be filtered out or allowed to decay, whereas others would pose more serious long-term problems
Tech
Kids Take Their Best Shot (and Learn about Electronics in the Process) [Slide Show]
A Columbia computer science professor develops a build-it-yourself camera and educational Web site to promote science and engineering in young students
Electronics
Behind the scenes with the Fe Maidens at this year's FIRST Robotics Competition
Scientific American was back at the FIRST New York City regional robotics competition this year. We've covered the event more generally in the past but this year decided to focus on one team in particular—not an easy decision to make when you consider there were dozens of talented, hard-working squads competing for a chance to go to the championship round next month in St...
Robots Arrive at Fukushima Nuclear Site with Unclear Mission
Generally, bots have proved effective operating in high-radiation environments, but Japan's nuclear crisis poses new challenges
Tech
Girl Power: Student-Made Bots Break Down Gender Barriers in Science and Engineering Competition [Slide Show]
Dean Kamen's FIRST robotics program celebrates 20 years of turning education into an arena sport
