Mail-Sorting Machines Are Crucial for the U.S. Postal Service
An expert explains how automation enables quick deliveries—which will include ballots for November’s election
Stories by Sophie Bushwick
Schools Have No Good Options for Reopening during COVID-19
Bringing students back into classrooms or keeping them home can both have negative consequences
How Could the Beirut Explosion Happen? Experts Explain
To get to the roots of disasters like this one, investigators rely on video footage, documents, interviews and other evidence
Laser-Textured Metal Surfaces Kill Bacteria Faster
Zapping copper with lasers enhances its antimicrobial properties
New Design Helps N95 Mask Wearers Breathe Easier
The device prevents oxygen deprivation in coronavirus-blocking respirators
New Artificial Eye Mimics a Retina’s Natural Curve
Researchers have crafted a device that replicates the shape of the eye’s sensory membrane
DIY Tool Lets High Schoolers Practice Gene Editing
With a few dollars, researchers replicated an instrument that typically costs thousands
A Shiny Snack Bag’s Reflections Can Reconstruct the Room around It
Researchers used the light reflecting off the wrapper to build an image of its surroundings
Footstep Sensors Identify People by Gait
A supersensitive detector system can also glean clues about health
Flexible Armor Inspired by Mollusks Better Defends Joints
A scaly sea creature called a chiton sparks an idea for new protective gear
Engineers Offer DIY Solutions to Coronavirus Equipment Shortages
As hospitals beg for protective gear and ventilators, some individuals are taking a creative approach to the problem
Ultrasonic Attack Device Hacks Phones through Solid Objects
Hackers could trick voice assistants to make calls or compromise texts
Delivery from Local Store Is Greenest Shopping Method—Most of the Time
Researchers also calculated the carbon footprints for online and in-person shopping
Will Past Criminals Reoffend? Humans Are Terrible at Guessing, and Computers Aren’t Much Better
A new study finds algorithms’ predictions are slightly superior but not under all circumstances
Sweating Robot Beats the Heat
By leaking water, a soft robotic gripper cools itself more efficiently than humans do
Cyborg Jellyfish Could One Day Explore the Ocean
An electronic device increases their speed, and later versions could control their direction as well
3-D Printing Gives Voice to a 3,000-Year-Old Mummy
Researchers printed a replica of the vocal tract of ancient Egyptian scribe Nesyamun
A Simple Twist of Thermodynamics Could Lead to Greener Refrigeration
Fibers that become colder when they are untwisted could inspire more environmentally-friendly fridges
Bacteria-Filled Bricks Build Themselves
The microorganisms transform sand and gelatin into a living construction material
A Drone’s-Eye View of the Quick and the Dead
New machine-learning technique can distinguish living bodies from deceased ones
