Innovation for Good

Robert Sansone with his novel synchronous reluctance motor

This 17-Year-Old Designed a Motor That Could Potentially Transform the Electric Car Industry

Robert Sansone's research could pave the way for the sustainable manufacturing of electric vehicles that do not require rare-earth magnets

The ultrasound sticker

This Wearable Ultrasound Sticker Can Continuously Image Organs for 48 Hours

Developed by engineers at MIT, the new technology is about the size of a postage stamp

Travelers are facing long lines, delays, cancellations and other disruptions at airports this summer.

Will Electronic Bag Tags Make Air Travel Less Chaotic?

Amid delays, cancellations and long lines, Alaska Airlines is rolling out a new technology that could make checking a bag easier and faster

A green crab, Carcinus maenas

New Hampshire Distillery Makes Whiskey Out of Invasive Crabs

Each bottle uses about one pound of green crabs

Researchers at Northwestern University created an implantable device that attaches to a nerve to deliver pain relief.

This Dissolvable Implant Could Revolutionize Pain Management

After some success on rats, researchers are hopeful this device could provide humans a more targeted and less addictive alternative to opioids

About 3.8 million concussions from sports-related injuries occur every year in the U.S.

This Wearable Sensor May Help Detect Concussions Early in Athletes

Researchers developed a small, flexible patch that sticks on the back of an athlete’s neck and can identify whiplash

Scientists assessed changes in the gut microbiome of superworms (Zophobas morio) in a new study.

Polystyrene-Eating 'Superworms' May Provide Clues for Better Recycling

Scientists find enzymes in the gut microbiome of beetle larvae that can degrade one of the most widely used plastics

Previously other companies have used 3D printing technology to produce custom prosthetic limbs from lightweight plastics and materials. Still, the ear implant is the first known example of a 3D implant made from living tissue.

Surgeons Transplant 3-D-Printed Ear Made From Patient’s Own Cells

The 3-D printed implant is the first made from living tissue

The new gel uses a protein called ecarin from the venom of the saw-scaled viper and the protein textilinin from the eastern brown snake’s venom to seal wounds. (Pictured: An eastern brown snake)

Made From Snake Venom, These Hydrogels Could Treat Uncontrolled Bleeding

Scientists have found that two proteins repurposed from snake venom can initiate blood clotting in under 60 seconds

Royal kombu (aka sugar kelp) harvested from the Netherlands’ first organic seaweed farm enriches and flavors the Dutch Weed Burger’s soy-chip-based patty.

Is Seaweed the Next Big Alternative to Meat?

From kelp burgers to bacon of the sea, sustainable food entrepreneurs are innovating to charm hungry omnivores

ElliQ can make small talk, answer questions, remind users to take medication, help contact friends and family, initiate conversation and help with other daily activities.

New York State Purchases Robot Companions for the Elderly

The state has bought more than 800 ElliQ robots to combat loneliness in older adults

Before and after images of four study participants who recieved 36 weeks of treatment for severe alopecia areata with the drug baricitinib.

FDA Approves First Drug to Treat Hair Loss Caused By Alopecia

In a clinical trial with 1200 patients, more than half grew their hair back after a year

Vaccinations could begin as soon as next week if the FDA authorizes either the Pfizer or Moderna shots for kids under 5. 

FDA Says Both Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccines Are Effective for the Youngest Children

A panel of experts is set to vote Wednesday on whether the agency should authorize the use of the vaccines for little kids

A robotic finger coated with living human skin heals itself after researchers covered it with a collagen bandage.

How Humanlike Do We Really Want Robots to Be?

The latest development in robotics wraps a mechanical finger in human skin, leading to broader questions about the future of cyborg technology

A new exhibition in Marseille recreates the famous cave and the art found within. 

Tour a Submerged Cave Packed With Paleolithic Art—Without Ever Venturing Underwater

As sea levels rise, an immersive new exhibition in Marseille lets visitors explore an inaccessible cavern’s archaeological treasures

Unlike the other three mRNA vaccines currently available in the U.S., Novavax's vaccine is made from small nanoparticles made of proteins from the coronavirus's surface.

FDA Advisers Recommend Novavax’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Use in Adults

The vote of support is a step forward for the long-in-production protein-based vaccine that may be a different option from current mRNA-based vaccines

A Cruise car goes for a ride in San Francisco.

Driverless Taxis Are Coming to San Francisco

The California Public Utilities Commission is allowing Cruise to charge for rides in its autonomous vehicles, without a safety driver

Grotto Geyser in Yellowstone National Park

Scientists Map Yellowstone’s Underground ‘Plumbing’

The new survey could be useful for everything from microbiology to thermal energy

Like a regular sail uses wind to navigate across an ocean, solar sails use the pressure exerted by sunlight to move through space. (Pictured: a conceptual illustration of a diffractive solar sail)

NASA’s New Solar Sail Could Soon Navigate in Space

Scientists say the flashy tech could help them study the sun’s polar regions

A 3D animation created using data from LiDAR shows the urban center of Cotoca.

Lost Cities of the Amazon Discovered From the Air

Mapping technology cut through the canopy to detect sprawling urban structures in Bolivia that suggest sophisticated cultures once existed

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