We’ve all heard that using our phones before bed is bad for us. But is that really true? Hear why some scientists are saying otherwise.
The agony of de feet: Scientists have created robotic shorts that help people walk farther using less energy. WalkON wraps around your waist with a harness and has artificial Kevlar tendons that attach to your legs. As you walk, the shorts analyze your movement patterns and help take the strain off your hips. So many people will benefit from this cool tech.
The very first photo was uploaded to the internet in 1992. Was the image a … A.) Band, B.) Child, C.) Goat or D.) Phone? This is a toughie!
1,000-year-old seed
Grew into a 10-foot tree with biblical significance. It took 14 years, but scientists grew a once-extinct plant. It appears to be the one that produced a medical extract called “tsori” that was referred to in the book of Genesis and Old Testament accounts of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Hope for the future: Scientists are developing AI tools to monitor brain health and catch early signs of dementia before symptoms appear. Think headbands or caps that track brain activity, with AI algorithms that spot subtle patterns. In one study, AI identified Alzheimer’s disease with over 90% accuracy. Isn’t that something?!
200 to 300 milligrams
The daily dose of caffeine linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke. After a whole lot of testing, scientists say the sweet spot is two to three cups of coffee or up to three cups of tea per day. I use this iced tea maker at home and at the office!
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💥 Definitely a dipship: Chinese scientists say they’ve cracked the code for making the world’s fastest submarines. “Laser propellers” create tiny explosions, pushing subs to speeds fast enough to outrun torpedoes or jet aircraft. The downside? All that speed leaves a trail of bubbles and cavitation noise, making the subs easy to track.
“The Magic School Bus” IRL: Scientists are testing new tech that could stop a brain aneurysm before it happens. The method? Nanorobots smaller than most bacteria. They have a magnetic core that doctors can move to where they’re needed to deposit a clotting agent. That, in turn, prevents the stroke that comes after a brain aneurysm. Amazing.
🦇 Bat to the bone: Taxidermied bats are all over online marketplaces. They’re trendy Halloween decor, and some people actually wear them as jewelry. Scientists are warning it’s not just unsafe (hello, diseases), but it’s also cruel. These bats are harvested in questionable ways, and rarer species are in danger.
2 beats per minute
Slowdown in song speeds per decade as musicians age. It’s not just you; even rock stars get slower with age (paywall link). Scientists studied musicians from Eddie Vedder to Dolly Parton and found after their 30s, the songs they wrote got sleepier (read: slower). My fave Dolly quote? “I’m not offended by dumb blonde jokes. I’m not dumb and I’m not blonde.”
👨🚀 Real-life stillsuits: Scientists designed a spacesuit that can turn urine into drinking water (seriously). A silicone cup molded around an astronaut’s nether regions sends the liquid into a filtration system that recycles at 87% efficiency. The goal is to use it before 2030. Hey, that’s just in time for “Dune: Part Three!”
🧠 Putting Neuralink to shame: The only thing more sci-fi than a brain-controlled robot? A robot controlled by a lab-grown brain. Chinese scientists grew a “mini-brain,” plugged a chip into it and taught it how to control a robot using electrical signals. I just know Elon Musk is punching the air right now.
75% accuracy for AI
At spotting if a driver’s intoxication level is “Sober,” “Low” or “Severe.” Scientists are developing an in-car facial-recognition camera system to detect drunk drivers. Intoxicated drivers have distinct facial movements, gaze directions and head positions.
🦏 Stop smugglers: South African scientists are implanting nontoxic radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. This makes them unsuitable for consumption (they’re used in traditional medicines) and easier to track. This could save other endangered species, too, like elephants and pangolins, if it works. Isn’t that amazing?
126 bird species
Haven’t been spotted for at least a decade. Are they extinct? Scientists aren’t sure. They’re turning to folks like you and me to keep a lookout. Think you’ve seen a purple-winged ground dove? Reach out at the official Lost Birds website with photo or audio evidence.
Mission impossible: Scientists invented an ultra-thin battery for smart contact lenses that could support facial recognition and eye tracking one day. Here’s the kicker: You charge them with your tears! They’re powered by a saline solution instead of flammable lithium-ion batteries. Insanely cool.
👍 Thumbs-up: Scientists invented a robotic thumb that attaches to your hand opposite your natural thumb. With two thumbs on one hand, you can open bottles, peel a banana and even thread a needle — all one-handed. Guess how you control it? By wiggling your toe. Seriously, you gotta see this.
🌎 A Swedish joke? There’s Norway I can Finnish it: Scientists developed an AI-enabled bilingual brain implant. One stroke survivor communicates in Spanish and English. It uses neural network technology, essentially a decoding system that transforms brain activity into sentences in both languages. Amazing.
A cold-brew cup of Joe is made by steeping the grounds in cold water, a process that takes between 12 and 24 hours. But Australian scientists say they’ve gotten that down to 3 minutes using what technology? Is it … A.) Ultraviolet waves, B.) Ultrasound waves, C.) Radio waves or D.) X‑rays?