Scientific Innovation

Arsenic tests for the Lydia Sherman trial of 1872

What a 100-Year-Old Lie Detector and 150-Year-Old Arsenic Tests Tell Us About Forensic Science Today

An exhibition at the National Museum of American History examines how humans influence and judge investigation techniques

A composite image of Jupiter, taken by the Juno spacecraft

The Seven Most Amazing Discoveries We’ve Made by Exploring Jupiter

The giant planet is a world of extremes

The cutter Douglas Munro and crew searching for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity—including high seas drift-net fishing

How A.I. Is Revolutionizing Marine Conservation

Driven by a childhood marked by war and environmental devastation, marine scientist Dyhia Belhabib developed an innovative technology to combat illegal fishing

 Nikola Tesla in his laboratory in Colorado Springs around 1899

Nikola Tesla and the Tower That Became His 'Million Dollar Folly'

The eccentric inventor's dream of a wireless-transmission tower would prove to be his undoing

The synthetic antibody targets a toxin produced by the Elapidae family of snakes, which includes cobras, kraits and mambas.

Deadly Snake Venom Is No Match for This New Synthetic Antibody

Scientists have created a treatment that targets a toxin produced by cobras, mambas and kraits, laying the foundation for a future universal antivenom against snake bites, according to new research

Hunters, trappers and other land users in the North are using Siku, a mobile app named after the Inuktitut word for “sea ice,” to share environmental information, including ice conditions. Here, an Inuit hunter prepares to test the safety of sea ice near Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, with a harpoon.

This App Lets Inuit Combine Traditional Knowledge With Scientific Data

Indigenous communities from Alaska to Greenland are harnessing information to make their own decisions

Fabrizio Fidati, a 57-year-old amputee, uses the MiniTouch device with his prosthetic to accurately sort cubes of different temperatures.

In a First, a Prosthetic Limb Can Sense Temperature Like a Living Hand

The advance may help users feel a greater sense of human connection through touch

A tornado churns up dust at dusk near Traer, Iowa.

How and Why Do Violent Tornadoes Form?

Scientists hope new technology and computing power will help them understand destructive twisters

Gene-editing silkworms produced this spider silk.

Genetically Modified Silkworms Can Produce Spider Silk That's Stronger Than Kevlar

The sturdy, biodegradable fibers could one day be used for surgical sutures or armored vests

Data from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera were used to make this extremely detailed image of the Southern Ring Nebula.

Seven Amazing Accomplishments the James Webb Telescope Achieved in Its First Year

The observatory has yielded jaw-dropping shots—and surprising facts—about our universe

The Hunterian is one of few places in the United Kingdom where the public can see specimens prepared specifically to show human anatomy.

See Tables Crafted From Human Tissue, a Toad With Eggs on Its Back and More at This London Museum

The newly reopened Hunterian Museum acknowledges the ethical quandaries posed by its collection of anatomical specimens

Artist’s rendition of the Rosalind Franklin rover.

The Mission That Could Transform Our Understanding of Mars

A next-generation instrument on a delayed Martian rover may be the key to answering the question of life on the Red Planet

Computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton in 2015

The 'Godfather of A.I.' Now Warns of Its Dangers

Geoffrey Hinton quit Google this week to speak his mind on artificial intelligence, which he says may soon grow smarter than—and even manipulate—humans

This functional connectivity map, a kind of “fingerprint” of the brain, displays how different regions interact with each other in 12-year-olds. The map was constructed from resting-state MRIs, where participants were lying down and not completing a task. Larger red circles denote brain “nodes” with more connections.

Can a ‘Fingerprint’ of Your Brain Help Predict Disorders?

Using new medical imaging techniques, researchers are working to identify early signs of developmental disorders and mental illness

Whales are tricky to see from a satellite. Belugas, with their light skin standing out against the water, are a bit easier to spot.

Can Satellites Really Detect Whales From Space?

Distant identification of whales is improving rapidly, but finding the behemoth creatures is still surprisingly tricky

The new hydrogel might someday lead to shock-absorbing smartphone cases, as well as better bullet-proof vests and space equipment.

This New Shock-Absorbing Gel Can Withstand Supersonic Impacts

Made from a resilient protein in human cells, the technology could improve body armor, space gear and even cell phone cases

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

Researchers say photo recognition could help scientists learn more about how seals move around.

Introducing Facial Recognition Software for Seals

A neural network, trained using thousands of photos of harbor seals, offers a noninvasive way of telling the pinnipeds apart

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

A taxidermied Cumulina holds a block of toy cheese.

The Mouse That Squeaked Its Way Into Scientific History

Forget Dolly the Sheep. The birth of a mouse named Cumulina 25 years ago launched a genetic revolution

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