Innovation

Do you know how common everyday items, such as mirrors, fireworks or sunglasses work? This collection of Innovation articles explores the workings of objects you may come into contact with on a regular basis.

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With the launch of the Kepler telescope and observatory in 2009, scientists' knowledge of our universe has taken a quantum leap forward in a little more than five years. Orbiting our own planet, Kepler's mission is a simple one: Search for habitable planets elsewhere in the universe. This orbiting telescope is so powerful that it [...] The post 10 Mindblowing Discoveries of the Universe appeared first on Goliath.

By Jack Sackman

For generations science fiction writers have helped to shape the future with their imaginations. In his classic novel From the Earth to the Moon, Jules Verne wrote a fictional account of traveling to space nearly a century before it actually happened. What's more, radar, geostationary satellites, and powerful computers that fit in your pocket were all [...] The post 12 Of The Coolest Theoretical Ideas From Science Fiction appeared first on Goliath.

By Wes Walcott

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Although spending time upside down can be good for overall health, doing so eventually can be fatal under the right conditions.

By Jesslyn Shields

From the moment we are awoken by our alarm clock in the morning, right through to when we turn out the light before going to sleep, we use an enormous amount of inventions that make our day to day lives much easier. Many of these are relatively new inventions, whilst there are also dozens of [...] The post 10 Amazing Inventions We Don't Appreciate Enough appeared first on Goliath.

By Jonny Hughes

Not every wonderful invention was created intentionally. Some of the products we cherish most were born because of clumsiness or lazy tendencies. While others were discovered by watching how others interact with things differently than we do. For researchers who spend months, or even years experimenting, this spontaneous discovery can be thrilling. While not every [...] The post 15 Of The Coolest Accidental Inventions appeared first on Goliath.

By Rachel Despres

Before the scientific method came along, science dabbled in some pretty far-out ideas in its youth. Remember miasmas? And spontaneous generation? And the four elements?

By Nicholas Gerbis

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Most loss of life in earthquakes comes from people being trapped inside crumbling buildings. And engineers have come up with many techniques to lessen the structural damage. But is there a way to make a building completely earthquake-proof?

By Laurie L. Dove

After the success of craft breweries, it was perhaps inevitable that moonshine would get its own day in the sun. But while you can make both beer and whiskey at home, there are some major differences between them - starting with legality.

By Laurie L. Dove

Sure, novelty foods can seem gimmicky sometimes, but color-changing ice cream is a treat that's fun for your taste buds and your eyes. Learn the chemistry behind the confection - it's sweeter than you think.

By Nicholas Gerbis

Science is forever uncovering the mysteries of our universe, but some questions remain elusive. What topics have us still scratching our heads?

By Nathan Chandler

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Animal testing has a long, gruesome history, but it's also saved countless human lives.

By Oisin Curran

Seven million (and counting) YouTube viewers can't be wrong. Nano quadrotors are tiny, autonomous flying machines that have the Internet buzzing.

By Chris Opfer

Bend but don't break: That's the idea behind many of these temblor-thwarting technologies. They may even allow a building's inhabitants to walk out unharmed and start picking up the pieces after the earthquake subsides.

By William Harris

Surprisingly, the date stamped on your unopened can of tuna doesn't really have much to do with how safe it is to eat. So what does it mean, and how can you decide whether to eat it or chuck it?

By Laurie L. Dove

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You might have heard of George Washington Carver and Neil deGrasse Tyson. But what about Patricia Bath? Or Percy Julian? Meet 10 African American scientists who have made the world a better place for everyone.

By Laurie L. Dove

The Hybrid Sports Bike, still in its prototype stage, is a three-in-one: a pedal-powered bicycle souped-up with both a gas engine and an electric motor. But how could a gas-powered bike be environmentally friendly?

By Julia Layton

Despite a ho-hum name, paper shredders have an extraordinary (and juicy) history featuring the likes of Oliver North, Enron and all sorts of spies. What story will thrust this commonplace technology back in the limelight next?

By Kate Kershner

Ahhhh, the good old No. 2 pencil and its oft-used eraser. Have you ever wondered exactly what science is at work when that pink, rubbery lifesaver eradicates your blunders?

By Maria Trimarchi

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Beer is quickly becoming a trendy mixer for more adventurous cocktail drinkers. However, this acidic ingredient doesn't always play well with others. Why can't beer and milk just get along?

By Laurie L. Dove

The age of a beer can dramatically influence its flavor, and usually not for the better. But what about its alcohol content? Does a decade-old barley pop still pack the same wallop as one bottled the week before?

By Laurie L. Dove

A quickly poured beer or soda can create a layer of foam -- also known as a "head" -- toward the top of the glass. But while a soda head rapidly disappears, a beer head lingers even after you've begun to drink the beer. How can this be possible?

By Laurie L. Dove

Few would argue that lab rats lead an easy life. Add to it the assertion that they are prone to cancer just by being lab rats, and we've found a whole new level of depressing. But is it true?

By Kate Kershner

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Rats! They're just like family. Evolutionarily, anyway. So when it comes to research and biomedical study, what can they do for us?

By Kate Kershner

Comic book character Popeye is synonymous with being strong thanks to all the iron in the spinach he eats. But lately, there's been some talk that spinach is not all that good a source of iron and, in fact, it got the claim by error.

By Laurie L. Dove