New Design Helps N95 Mask Wearers Breathe Easier
The device prevents oxygen deprivation in coronavirus-blocking respirators
Stories by Sophie Bushwick
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
High-Tech Ghost Ships Will Set Sail sans Sailors
Maritime technology groups are building robotic vessels to cross the oceans
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
How Iran Can Still Use Cyber and Drone Technology to Attack the U.S.
Cyberattacks and missile launches have already happened
New Particle Accelerator Fits on a Silicon Chip
The device uses lasers to accelerate electrons along an etched channel
How NIST Tested Facial Recognition Algorithms for Racial Bias
Some algorithms were up to 100 times better at identifying white faces
