msnbc.com: Innovation

Schooling fish inspire efficient wind farms

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:36:26 GMT

The patterns that schooling fish form to save energy while swimming have inspired a new wind farm design that researchers say will increase the amount of power produced per acre by at least tenfold.

Energy - Wind farm - Wind power - Business - Renewable

Bendy antennae could reshape electronics

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:54:34 GMT

Tiny antennas that can bend, twist and stretch, before snapping back to shape, could find themselves in flexible electronics and equipment that needs to be rolled up before deployment.

Antenna - Wireless - Radio - Electronics - Business

Paper-thin batteries made from algae

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:45:32 GMT

Scientists worldwide are striving to develop thin, flexible, lightweight, inexpensive, environmentally friendly batteries made entirely from nonmetal parts.

Environmentally friendly - Business - Shopping - Accessories - Consumer Electronics

‘Smart’ armor learns more with every bullet

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:26:26 GMT

Smart armor being developed by scientists and engineers can not only predict its own failure, but also identify the size of bullets shot at it and even generate electrical power upon impact.

Electricity - Business - Electronics and Electrical - Engineering - Substation and Transmission

Robotic spy planes go green

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:23:53 GMT

Robot spy planes are harnessing alternative energy to make them more covert and longer lasting than ever.

AlternativeEnergy - Technology - Energy - Environment - Renewable

Zap! Light used to paralyze tiny creatures

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:17:32 GMT

Set your ultraviolet rays to stun. Researchers have now developed a molecular on-off switch that can paralyze animals when they are exposed to ultraviolet beams.

Light - Ultraviolet - Shopping - Technology - Home and Garden

Could cheap algae oil power our energy future?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:09:59 GMT

Algae oil production on land is expensive, but the costs could go down if brought out to sea.

Extraction of petroleum - Energy - Business - Oil and Gas - Operating Companies

Hyperlens sharpens sights with sound

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:58:06 GMT

A versatile, new hyperlens could soon give expecting parents high-definition baby pictures as well as provide ship captains incredibly accurate maps of the sea floor.

Home - Family - Baby Homepages - Babies - Shopping

Radioactive batteries keep going and going

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:45:29 GMT

With the ability to keep electronic devices powered for years, radioactive batteries could handle even the most extended iTunes playlist.

Electronics - Business - Batteries - Consumer electronics - ITunes

7 ways to generate and save energy at home

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:01:43 GMT

After you’ve replaced your incandescent lightbulbs with fluorescent and chucked the energy-hogging fridge, it’s time to integrate reduced energy use with at-home generation.

Energy - Technology - Conservation - Energy Efficiency - Organizations

Fastest computer used for planet-saving science

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:03:21 GMT

At least for the moment, the world's fastest supercomputer is devoted to solving scientific questions that may save the planet — climate change, renewable energy, new medicines — rather than advances in nuclear weapons that might blow it up.

Climate change - Renewable energy - Nuclear weapon - Environment - Supercomputer

6 ways to smarten the electricity grid

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:55:41 GMT

Check out some of the technologies supported by President Barack Obama’s $3.4 billion in grants for projects designed to modernize the grid with cutting-edge innovations.

Barack Obama - Electricity - United States - Politics - Society and Culture

Army using spray foam to keep tents cool

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:19:32 GMT

To cool down sweaty troops and improve energy efficiency, the U.S. military recently began coating 900 air-conditioned tents with spray-on insulating foam.

Efficient energy use - United States armed forces - Technology - Energy - Conservation

10 cool gadgets we really, really want

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:08:18 GMT

Santa's little helpers have been busy cranking out some great stuff, from connected media players and multitouch screens to wafer-thin HDTVs and groovy netbooks.

Netbook - Gadgets - Components - Shopping - Business and Economy

The reality of flying cars

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:58:15 GMT

Flying cars have long filled our fantasies. That fantasy may will become a reality within the next five years. These six designs might someday soon send you soaring over traffic jams.

Traffic congestion - Flying car - Recreation - Aviation - Aircraft