Graphene-based supercapacitors point to breakthrough for electric cars
Better batteries are seemingly the only missing link between today’s fossil-fuel intensive transportation and the expected advent of the electric car. Batteries need to be cheaper, quickly rechargeable, provide better range, while demonstrating a sustainable lifecycle. A supercapacitor developed Read More...
Putting learning before grades to prevent cheating among students
Cheating is endemic among students, and is sometimes rampant even among teachers. Two decades of research show that this behavior is very dependent on goals. Short-term extrinsic goals such as getting good grades to avoid punishment or to obtain a reward provide a breeding ground for cheating. Read More...
How architects mitigate the Ecological Footprint of a growing population
It is a well-established fact that mankind consumes more than 1.5 as much renewable natural resources as the planet can generate. In fact, if everyone lived like the average American, we would need the equivalent of five planets. With already more than half of the world’s population living in Read More...
Growing food security in Argentina, one school garden at the time
Up to 35 percent of children in Argentina live in households with “unmet basic needs.” Only 53 percent receive of those receive food assistance. Here is the inspiring story of the Huerta Niño Foundation, an organization founded in 1999 to build agroecological school gardens in low-income areas Read More...
The power of thought shapes our physical world, including our bodies
Water constitutes about three quarters of the human body mass. Science shows that water is significantly impacted by thoughts, as observed in the varying shapes of frozen water crystals. The idea that science will soon be able to demonstrate that our bodies are deeply affected by our state of mind Read More...
Wal-Mart pressures its suppliers to ban antibiotics from animal feed
Consumers just scored an important victory over the food industry. Citing an internal study that showed 66 percent of its customers were more likely to shop from a retailer that ensures humane treatment of livestock, Wal-Mart made a historic announcement last Friday. The giant retailer, who Read More...
France to penalize supermarkets for food waste
Reducing food waste has been a top priority of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization since its Director-General José Graziano da Silva arrived at the helm in 2011. While the European Union has suggested its member states reduce their food waste by at least 30 percent by 2025, France's lower Read More...
Quadriplegic man drinks his first beer thanks to mind-controlled technology
Mind over matter—such is the path followed by scientists seeking to allow people with missing or paralyzed limbs to enjoy some autonomy of movement. Since it was first demonstrated in 2006, the technology that relies on brain implants keeps being refined. Here is the story of a man who was able Read More...
How to keep your car shiny clean in water-deprived California
Washing your car in drought-ridden California can earn you a $500 fine these days, since the process typically requires so much water as to be deemed wasteful. Fortunately, a Massachusetts-based software engineer has invented a device that makes it possible to polish your vehicle with merely 1.5 Read More...
5 tips to relax your mind before going to bed
A stressed-out mind in overdrive at bedtime is no recipe for a restful sleep. These five tips provide simple strategies to help give our thoughts a rest, and gently get ourselves ready for a truly restorative night. Think of it as your evening mental hygiene Read More...