Health
World Changing Ideas 2010
Ten thoughts, trends and technologies that have the power to transform our lives
Stories by Matthew L. Wald
Sustainability
Gas from Trash
Modified microbes eat waste and secrete fuel
Sustainability
How to Build the Supergrid
The U.S. needs a new electric transmission system to deliver cleaner, more reliable power nationwide. Four steps could clear hurdles
Sustainability
Is There a Place for Nuclear Waste?
Yucca Mountain was supposed to be the answer to the U.S.'s nuclear waste problem, but after 22 years and $9 billion, that vision is dead. Now, some say that doing nothing in the near term may be the smartest solution...
Sustainability
Giving the Power Grid Some Backbone
The U.S. needs a high-voltage transmission system to deliver plentiful energy from wind and sunshine to power-hungry cities. At least one plan has emerged
Sustainability
How Renewable Energy and Storage Solutions Stack Up
The need to tackle global climate change and energy security makes developing alternatives to fossil fuels crucial
Sustainability
Dismantling Nuclear Reactors
Taking apart a nuclear power plant that has reached the end of its life is a complicated task. But not for the reasons you might expect
Sustainability
Can Nuclear Power Compete?
Newly approved reactor designs could reduce global warming and fossil-fuel dependence, but utilities are grappling with whether better nukes make market sense
Tech
Is Ethanol for the Long Haul?
Ethanol could displace gasoline, but it won't pay off until we find a way to distill cornstalks, not corn
Sustainability
Questions about a Hydrogen Economy
Much excitement surrounds the progress in fuel cells, but the quest for a hydrogen economy is no trivial pursuit
Tech
Dismantling Nuclear Reactors
Taking apart a nuclear power plant that has reached the end of its life is a complicated task. But not for the reasons you might expect
