Launching June 24, The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 will be a milestone in spaceflight, the first craft to raise its orbit around the planet using just the power of sunlight. We grilled Bill Nye on just how it works, and what it means for the future of spaceflight.

As demand for renewable energy sources increases, researchers have turned to leaves to develop a technology that replicates photosynthesis: the process plants use to convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into energy

Researchers are using machine learning to help the public visualize the impact of climate change and inform policymakers on what to do.

Paul Daugherty, chief technology an innovation officer at Accenture, thinks it’s neither inevitable nor likely that machines will ultimately replace humans in the workforce

Cars may dominate today’s discussion about the future of autonomous transportation, but some of the world’s largest maritime companies are betting big on autonomous shipping

An innovative new beehive harnesses the power of the sun to target Varroa mites, one of the most devastating factors in colony collapse disorder.

These wireless sensors are designed to monitor health and dietary habits, relaying data about sugar, salt, and alcohol intake to a wearer’s mobile device.

Nutrient IV therapy is a hot new trend. It involves pumping vitamins, minerals, and fluids directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract for what is meant to be a rush of wellness to the veins. But is there science to support it? DT Investigates

The simulation hypothesis, which was famously probed in the 1999 film The Matrix, is the subject of a new book by Rizwan Virk, a computer scientist and video game developer who leads Play Labs at MIT. In his book, Virk endeavors to unpack the heady arguments that call our physical world into question.

Bloomengine is a plant-growing chamber designed to take the guesswork out of growing delicate plants indoors. It features an LED light, automatic water, fan for ventilation, and even a camera to record progress. The device is expected to launch in July.

An artificial intelligence algorithm capable of signaling early signs of neurodevelopment disorders in infants has been created by researchers in Finland and Italy. The research could improve early detection of neurodevelopment disorders such as cerebral palsy, so doctors can provide treatments sooner.

Researchers at Dartmouth College have developed a virtual reality system that gives it wearers a sense of what it’s like to see the world through highly specialized eyes of an endangered tarsier. The goal is to give students an immersive experience of the natural world.

A funky new study says that exposing cheese to music changes its aroma and flavor. What’s more, the genre of music matters. Researchers from the Bern University of Arts played music to nine, 22-pound wheels of Emmental cheese, a semi-firm variety of Swiss cheese popular in Europe.

Researchers at the University of Southern California have developed a robotic limb capable of walking without preprogrammed knowledge of the task. It’s an impressive feat that could help future robots navigate the world independently.

For the past decade, an American named Timothy Brown was the only person thought to have ever been cleared of the virus following an innovative cancer treatment procedure. Today, a study published in the journal Nature suggests that there may have finally been a second.

Engineers have developed a robot that can feed people with disabilities that inhibit them from feeding themselves. Powered by an artificial intelligence algorithm, the system detects pieces of food on a plate, stabs them with a fork, and transports the morsels to a person’s mouth.

Called an “acoustic meta-material,” the shape was developed based on a mathematically modeled design that enables it to cancel up to 94 percent of sound by reflecting certain frequencies back to their source.

A French inventor took to Kickstarter to raise funds for an insect-inspired winged drone called MetaFly. It generated quite a buzz. As of the time this article was published, more than 1,850 people have pledged over $187,500 to bring the drone to market. It's expected to ship in September 2019.

An experimental, solar-powered drone capable of beaming internet down to Earth is set to take off. The drone is the product of a tightlipped partnership between Softbank and AeroVironment, an American aerospace company, aimed at delivering 5G and Internet of Things connectivity from the skies.

In a significant step for marine and genetic science, researchers have decoded the genome of the great white shark. The genetic code revealed a wealth of insight into what makes these creatures so successful from an evolutionary standpoint.

The final images from the Kepler Space Telescope have arrived. After nearly a decade of operation, NASA’s groundbreaking telescope ran out of fuel last year and was placed into permanent sleep mode on October 30. But days earlier, it captured one last image — a full view of the sky.

Steam power might be poised to make a comeback. Researchers at University of Central Florida have built an experimental spacecraft that runs on steam — and it’s not nearly as ridiculous as it might sound.

A new system developed by neuroengineers can turn thoughts into intelligible speech. Powered by speech synthesizers and A.I., the technology lays the groundwork for helping individuals who are unable to speak due to disability regain their capacity to communicate verbally.

Researchers have developed a new kind of sensor designed to enable artificial skin to sense pressure, vibrations, and even magnetic fields. The technology developed by engineers, chemists, and biologists could help burn victims and amputees “feel” again through their prosthetic limbs.

Taking up just about 97 square feet, the Ecocubo is designed to be both environmentally friendly and inconspicuous among its surroundings.

A tiny chip being developed by a semiconductor company called Wiliot could harvest the energy it needs out of thin air, the company claims. No battery needed. The paper-thin device pulls power from ambient radio frequencies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cell signals.

John Szivek, a scientist at the University of Arizona is investigating ways to mend broken bones using 3D printing and adult stem cells. The research is geared toward helping veterans who suffer combat injuries, which can often lead to prolonged ailments and bone defects.

China’s “artificial sun” has reached a temperature of 180 million ºF with a heating power of 10 megawatts -- six times hotter than the center of the sun. The device is designed to harness the energy of nuclear fusion, and could mark progress towards fusion as a clean energy source.

In order to bring the internet to those who lack it, a company called Loon is launching balloons into the stratosphere. From more than 12 miles up, these balloons beam connectivity over a large area on the ground. Loon hopes to empower people to build businesses, improve healthcare, and even increase crop yield.

Metrologists are meeting at the General Conference on Weights and Measures in Versailles to vote on whether to redefine the kilogram as a constant that can be observed in the natural world. Rather than defined by a block of metal, weights will be expressed in terms of the Planck constant (h).

Frogs have partially regrown amputated limbs thanks to a bioreactor developed by a team of researchers at Tufts University. By jump-starting tissue repair, the bioreactor was shown to help the amphibians regenerate a bigger, more complete appendage than they usually do in the wild.

In a new series of antimatter experiments, CERN researchers aim to unravel one of the many unknowns of antimatter — whether it falls in response to gravity at the same rate as ordinary matter, or if it instead behaves peculiarly. The researchers have developed two experiments called ALPHA-g and GBAR.

The narrative artbook follows the journey of a young traveler, Michelle, and her robot, Skip, as they head west to the Pacific coast through an alternative America torn apart by civil war and the trappings of military-grade virtual reality.

In a new book, Last Days of the Concorde, journalist and author Samme Chittum delves into the mindset that inspired engineers to design this marvel, the series of events that led to its fatal crash, and the possibility that commercial SSTs may someday take to the skies again.

Researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland have proposed a plan to use ultra-hot and ultra-short laser beams to punch through cloud layers and transmit information from satellites to Earth. The technique could be used to send thousands of times more information more securely.

Healthy mice have been born from two mothers, and later went on to bear healthy offspring of their own, according to a recent paper published by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research could pave the way for advanced breeding methods in other mammals.

By mimicking the vision of mantis shrimp, researchers were able to make significant improvements on today’s commercial cameras. They hope their technology can help mitigate accidents by letting self-driving vehicles see more clearly and making underwater GPS more accurate.

Thanks to the achievements of this year's winners of the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and medicine, we can better fight caner, probe quantum biology, and manufacture greener chemicals. One winner also includes the first female recipient in physics in 55 years.