Latest News & Analysis
HEADLINES ARCHIVE
The Day a Solar Storm Almost Brought on Nuclear War
The storm serves as a reminder of why geoscience and space research are essential to U.S. national security.
Haptics Research Could Lead to Advanced Touchscreens
Understanding why ultrasonic vibrations on a flat glass plate feel slippery to the touch could allow the design of sophisticated electronic devices that exert forces on the finger.
Ice Melt Could Trigger Toxic Leak from Army Base
The Army Corps of Engineers removed a nuclear reaction chamber but left the camp’s infrastructure and waste behind.
Electric Grid Vulnerabilities in Southeast U.S. Are Modeled
Electricity-demand increases caused by temperature rises are likely to have the greatest impact over the next 35 years in areas serving small populations.
Harnessing Earthquake Power to Generate Energy
The students' idea is to use an electromagnetic generator to act as a damper.
Low-emission CNG Engine to Power Buses
The engine can operate on CNG or liquefied or renewable natural gas.
Developer, City Sued Over Sinking High Rise
The complaint alleges that "construction failures" are causing a 58-story residential tower to sink and tilt.
"Second Skin" to Protect Against Bio and Chem Agents
The material is highly breathable yet protects against biological agents.
Concentrated Solar Thermal System Uses Fresnel Lenses
Solar Steam focuses the sun's rays through a Fresnel lens array onto a tube containing water.
Though Untested, "Blue Whirls" Could Aid Oil-spill Cleanups
Swirling flames could improve combustive oil-spill cleanups by burning the oil with greater efficiency.
DARPA Taps Hackers to Develop Machine-speed Cyber Defense
Hackers were challenged to find and patch software bugs and vulnerabilities in a matter of minutes.
Mass-actuated Control Could Change Aircraft Design
Removing ailerons and elevators could reduce a stealth plane's radar signature and, in the case of hypersonic aircraft, potentially avoid build-up of unsafe temperatures that could damage the aircraft.
Steam Turbines: A Durable and Enduring Necessity
The timeless steam turbine will likely remain an essential element of power generation.
Fabric Structures: Ancient Approach, Modern Aesthetics
Fabric architectural elements have found a permanent home in airports, stadiums, outdoor shopping centers and other commercial applications.
Steam vs. Combined-Cycle vs. Cogeneration: Understanding the Basics
Environmental rules have put the coal-fired power industry in a bind, but efficiency and economics may be even greater factors in the move to other technologies.
Hardening the Energy Coast
Efforts are under way to make the U.S. Gulf Coast more resilient in the face of hurricanes, wetlands loss, climate change and sea-level rise.
Magnesium Process to Be Commercialized
MagSonic uses carbothermal reduction to heat magnesia with carbon to extreme temperatures, producing magnesium vapor and carbon monoxide.
Technology Destroys Missile Threats with Minimal Debris
Older missile defense systems do not have the sensing or agility components required to intercept a threat head-on and instead rely on proximity fragmentation.
Smart Cameras Developed to Assist Autonomous Driving
Using sensors, the system can estimate how long the driver will need before resuming full control of the vehicle following a period of autonomous driving.
Device Enhances Surgeons' Hand Sensitivity
The device uses vibrations that are so subtle they cannot be sensed. However, the constant, uniform vibration enhances the surgeon’s feel for other, irregular sensations.