There’s a way to weaken hurricanes, but scientists say it’s too crazy to try
There's a weird natural phenomenon that helps to weaken hurricanes destined for the United States. What if we could re-create that phenomenon ourselves?
The writer of The Meg just launched a giant, virtual sea monster aquarium
The author of The Meg series is launching Sea Monster Cove, a new kind of virtual storytelling project for lovers of all things monstrous and aquatic.
Pandemic-fueled automation is gobbling up jobs, and we’ll never get them back
The automation of jobs was already happening before 2020, but now the COVID-19 pandemic has kicked the trend into high gear.
Neuroscience’s superstar explains how A.I. is weak, why we dream, and more
To celebrate David Eagleman’s new book, Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, Digital Trends picked his brain about brain science
Meet the MIT artist who builds with fungus and paints with swarms of drones
Digital Trends caught up with Carlo Ratti to discuss his past and future projects, and how he manages to blur the lines between architecture and art.
This is how the universe will end (according to a theoretical astrophysicist)
In her new book, The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking), Katie Mack explains five ways the universe could end. Digital Trends interviewed her.
Data storage and dirty energy: What Big Tech’s carbon neutral pledges leave out
Big Tech companies position themselves as leaders by touting their carbon neutral pledges. But these don't always paint the full picture.
The Big Tech antitrust hearing is today. Here’s why it matters
The CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook will face a congressional hearing on Wednesday, July 29. Here's why it matters.
The airship is making a futuristic, luxury comeback
Airships are on a promising path to passenger-travel relevance again.
She lived in a simulated Mars habitat for four months. Here’s what she learned
Kate Greene, author of Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars, spoke to Digital Trends about her book and how her simulated mission feels similar to the pandemic.
Sleep tracking is coming to Apple Watch, but monitoring your sleep is a bad idea
The Apple Watch is adding sleep-tracking features, but wearables have a bad track record for sleep tracking, so we recommend charging overnight instead.
Noah’s Ark, but for germs. Inside the plan to build a doomsday bank of bacteria
Researchers who study microorganisms that live on and in humans think they're worth preserving. They want to create a microbiota vault in case of emergency.
Inside the quest to 3D print a perfectly palatable steak
The 3D-printed steak industry is growing crowded, and companies are taking differing approaches toward the future of both plant- and cell-based fake meat.
Three words: Robot. Talent. Agency.
The company promises to do for 'robot actors' what talent agents do for human performers: Pair them up with producers and take a cut of any proceeds generated.
Pro-level athlete tech is filtering down to your high school’s football team
Professional-level football technology — from high-tech helmets to video replay tools — have been filtering down into the high school and prep-level game.
Supercomputers and spray foam: How tech can stunt forest fire season
Hoses and helicopters aren't the only tools at a firefighter's disposal these days. Some departments are using things like supercomputers and spray foam to help
Can chloroquine cure coronavirus? Here’s what science says
In response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the FDA OK'd adding chloroquine to the Strategic Nation Stockpile, but will the drug actually do anything?
Practice makes perfect: How VR is revolutionizing surgical training
Trainee surgeons don't get enough practice at performing procedures. A new virtual reality training tool could help them gain the skills they need.
In the future, touchscreens will be obsolete. This lab designs what’s next
The Future Interfaces Group at Carnegie Mellon has a simple mission: Invent the way we'll use computers in 25 years time. Doing it isn't so easy, of course.
Inside the MIT project that’s making Inception-style dream manipulation possible
Created by MIT's Dream Lab, Dormio is a wearable device that makes it possible to control dreams. Think of it like Inception, but real.
Lithium-ion is just the beginning. Here’s a peek at the future of batteries
Battery technology is booming right now. The pace of progress has picked up thanks to increased demand for portable power. What does the future hold?
Caretaker bots and starfish assassins: Meet the tech that protects Earth’s reefs
Coral reefs are dying everywhere. Can technology help reverse this tragic trend? Here are six examples of cutting edge tech that might assist with exactly that.
The 50-year old Silicon Valley lab that practically invented modern computing
Xerox PARC, the legendary Silicon Valley R&D lab, turns 50 years old in 2020. Here's what it's brought to the world of computing, and what it's up to today.
Online school has a massive blind spot, and it’s hurting young learners the most
Teaching math and science online is easy, but when it comes to fundamental social skills like cooperation and sharing, online classes are grossly inadequate.
Affordable exosuits are here, but they don’t look (or work) how you’d expect
Vanderbilt researchers have built a soft textile exosuit called HeroWear Apex. It promises to augment wearers' strength -- on an impressively low budget.
Pizza vending machines are coming, and they’re perfect for the pandemic era
How many people have touched your takeout before you eat it? This pizza-serving vending machine may turn out to be the perfect solution in the age of COVID-19.
Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Ultrafast toothbrushes and a laptop/phone hybrid
Every week, Digital Trends combs through crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to round up all the best gadgets, gizmos, and gear currently in preproduction. If you're looking for innovative ideas, keep an eye on this column. This week's offerings include a Backyard biodigester.
The high-tech quest to detect COVID-19 via voice
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon have developed a web app that may be able to identify coronavirus by listening to you speak. But it has not been proven.
Why everyone is watching livestreams of normal life amid social distancing
Being stuck in their homes has left many of us uneasy, but some people are finding solace in live webcam views of normal everyday life amid social distancing.
Crowdfunding in the age of coronavirus
Crowdfunded projects are being hit hard by coronavirus-fueled factory closures, but entrepreneurs are still finding creative ways to bring their ideas to life.
The age of human exploration is behind us. Machines will take it from here
Drones and robots are ushering in a new era of investigation, enabling mankind to go farther out in space and even uncover new facts about well-known places.
DARPA is building a robotic space mechanic to fix satellites in orbit
DARPA, the agency responsible for developing technologies for the U.S. military, is building a new high-tech spacecraft that will repair satellites in orbit.
From the Arctic to Antarctica, Erika Bergman pilots submarines to the seafloor
Erika Bergman has been piloting submarines for a decade, and she's also been getting girls excited about engineering so she has some company in the ocean.
MIT’s coronavirus-tracking app could be a game-changer — if it goes viral
Private Kit: Safe Paths is a coronavirus-tracking app that will only work to maximum effect if its adoption can keep up with the spread of the real coronavirus.