Could an Industrial Prehuman Civilization Have Existed on Earth before Ours?
A provocative new paper suggests some ways to find out
Stories by Steven Ashley
Future of Substance: New Materials Promise Better Batteries, Stronger Steel
Seven next-generation materials promise to change the way the world is made
How Can We Ensure Clean Water for All? [Slide Show]
An exhibition of inventions, artwork and artifacts explores our relationship with water and how the world might cope with future scarcity of this invaluable resource
Next-Generation Flex-Fuel Cells Ready to Hit the Market
Solid oxide fuel cells that can use conventional fossil fuels as well as hydrogen are set to take a larger role in the energy game
Tiny Toilers: Precision-Controlled Microbots Show They Could Take On Industrial-Scale Jobs [Video]
Magnetically levitated microbots, some the size of a pinhead, demonstrate construction skills on the small scale
7 Radical Energy Solutions
The failure rate may be 90 percent, but if any of these exotic technologies succeeds, it could significantly improve energy security and efficiency
Sail E-way: Spacecraft Riding the Solar Wind on Electric-Field Sails Could Cruise at 180,000 Kph
A sail formed not of material, but by electric fields reaching a diameter of 40 kilometers could tap the solar wind and propel the fastest man-made object ever
Tire-Makers Try Treading Lightly on the Environment
Some new green car tires offered by major manufacturers roll easier and contain less crude oil
Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield [Slide Show]
The Pentagon ramps up efforts to field directed-energy beam weapons for land, air and sea
What Might Cause a Gas Pedal to Become Stuck?
Toyota, the world's largest automaker, has suspended sales of certain models and recalled millions of older ones as its engineers search for the elusive source of a sticky--and dangerous--accelerator problem
Newly Uncovered Enzymes Turn Corn Plant Waste into Biofuel
Cellulose-loving fungi can cut biofuel costs by enabling existing corn ethanol plants to process cheaper, woody feedstocks such as corn stover
Slide Show: 10 Things You Should Know about Toyota's New Prius Hybrid
Ten things to look for in the new Prius hybrid sedan
Slippery Surfaces Save Energy
How new lubrication aims to save the environment
Drink Up: Taking the Salt out of Seawater
Removing the salt from briny water is becoming more affordable
Flying a Reusable Space Plane Directly to Orbit
A tiny R&D firm toils steadily toward a ground-to-orbit vehicle that could pave the way for easier and cheaper access to space
Graphene Electronics Inches Closer to Mass Production
These carbon nanosheets are considered the future of smaller, faster and cheaper electronics
Slippery Ships That Float on Air
Air-carpet hulls could sail faster, save fuel and cut emissions
Gadgeteer's Playground Comes to New York City [Slide Show]
The Gizmodo Gallery, gizmodo.com's roving exhibition of technology marvels, stops by the Big Apple
GM Plugs Its Chevy Volt Hybrid, but Will It Be Road-Ready In Time?
It's the battery, stupid...
