All Stories by Kathryn Hulick
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Tech
New robots can clean virus-laden surfaces so people won’t have to
Smart and nimble cleaning robots will soon help disinfect spaces. They twist and bend to hit hard-to-reach spaces with UV light or cleansing sprays.
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Materials Science
New device gets power from 5G signals grabbed from the air
A new way to harvest electricity relies on a tiny array of antennas and a lens. Together, they collect and focus 5G signals coming from any direction.
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Physics
Light levitation might help explore Earth’s ‘ignorosphere’
A toy called a light mill inspired researchers to invent a new way to fly. They’re using light to levitate small nanotube-coated discs.
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Tech
5G promises new energy savings for digital tech
A new way to transmit wireless communications promises time and energy savings by using networks of smaller cells.
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Tech
Greening your digital life
The less electricity you use while playing video games or using your devices, the less impact you’ll have on climate change.
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Tech
Training AI to be really smart poses risks to climate
As artificial intelligence models grow larger and consume more energy, experts have begun to worry about their impact on Earth’s climate.
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Math
What the mummy’s curse reveals about your brain
A man died soon after opening a mummy’s tomb. But don’t assume the mummy killed him. Statistics help explain why coincidences may not be meaningful.
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Tech
Bye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound
New piezoelectric systems produce electricity in unusual ways, such as when a certain nylon bends or underwater ceramics vibrate.
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Tech
New device tells smiles from frowns — even through a mask
Most facial-recognition software has to see the whole face to work. The new type can reconstruct an entire expression from just viewing your cheeks.
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Tech
Ordinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad
Engineers have figured out how to turn sheets of paper into rugged, low-cost electronic devices, such as a computer keypad.
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Psychology
You should guess answers to your homework before searching online
Over a span of 11 years, an increasing share of students performed more poorly on exams than on their homework. Online homework help may explain why.
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Health & Medicine
Healthy screen time is one challenge of distance learning
How you use screens is more important than the amount of time you spend on them. Sit less, experts say, and use those screens mainly to learn and engage with others.