All Stories by Kathryn Hulick
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Tech
Welcome to the metaverse
The idea of the metaverse comes from science fiction. But technology could make such immersive virtual worlds a reality.
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Tech
This leaping robot can out-jump anything — animal or machine
Such a bounding bot might someday help explore the moon.
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Tech
Virtual critters evolve bodies that help them learn
A combination of evolution and learning may lead to more intelligent and agile robots.
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Materials Science
Engineers borrow a tree’s cellulose to toughen new materials
Cellulose gives plants their strength. Engineers are turning this renewable, environmentally friendly resource into brand new materials.
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Humans
Is the sky really blue? It depends on what language you speak
English speakers talk about color a lot but rarely about smell. Researchers are learning how those who speak other languages sense the world and why differences arise.
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Tech
These flying robots protect endangered wildlife
Flying drones make conservation work much easier. Around the world, drones and artificial intelligence help scientists study or protect endangered animals.
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Ecosystems
Secret forest fungi partner with plants — and help the climate
Forest fungi are far more than mere mushrooms. They explore. They move nutrients and messages between plants. They can even help fight climate change.
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Tech
Easy for you, tough for a robot
Robots still can’t do many things that we find easy. Can engineers reduce how klutzy robots are and boost their common sense?
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Psychology
A growing share of teens feels lonely at school
Data from kids in 37 nations links this to use of cell phones and the internet.
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Animals
Cloning boosts endangered black-footed ferrets
A cloned ferret named Elizabeth Ann brings genetic diversity to a species that nearly went extinct in the 1980s.
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Animals
Will the woolly mammoth return?
Scientists are using genetic engineering and cloning to try to bring back extinct species or save endangered ones. Here’s how and why.
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Health & Medicine
Discovering the power of placebos
If you take a fake pill and expect to feel better, you may. Researchers are learning how this placebo effect works and how to use it to help patients.