Ground Control to Astronaut Abby
Like many children, Abigail Harrison wanted to be an astronaut. In fact, she wanted to be the first astronaut to land on Mars. However, unlike other children, Abigail (known as Astronaut Abby) began working to make her dream a reality early on. At the age of 13, she began speaking publicly about her aspirations, all while interviewing...
Vantablack The “Invisible” Material Helps Self-Driving Cars See
A “blacker than black” material is changing the way scientists and engineers are able to identify objects on land and in space. Vantablack, as the material is called, is considered to be the blackest man-made substance ever created. Vertically Aligned Carbon NanoTube Arrays (Vanta) are engineered in a lab and painstakingly deposited...
This Robotic Fish is Revolutionizing Marine Research
Imagine if you could view the ocean floor with the ease and grace of a fish. What would you learn about the surrounding environment? What would you discover about the health of the ecosystem or the behaviors of other fish? Researchers at MIT’s robotic lab have spent years trying to answer that question. And recently, they completed the...
Stephen Hawking: Genius and Pop Culture Phenomenon
It’s rare that geniuses and innovators spend much time in the limelight. Many of the world’s greatest geniuses have been socially aloof, concentrating primarily on their work rather than participating in pop culture. Of course, today, we have the likes of Elon Musk, who is nearly constantly thriving in the spotlight. However, before...
The Scientific Importance Of Calling Your Dog A "Good Boy"
“Who’s a good boy?” has become a pretty popular saying for dog and other pet owners over the years. And, interestingly enough, it’s not just the phrase itself, but how it’s said that stands out. After all, just reading that phrase, I’m pretty sure you hear it as a specific tone in your mind. Well, it turns out that the...
India’s Igloos: Coming Soon to a Moon Near You
The Moon is a pock-marked wasteland with extreme temperature variations and few resources. Rather than blasting rockets full of building materials to its airless atmosphere, researchers in India are discovering innovative ways to create livable spaces on this largely inaccessible natural satellite. The Indian Space Research Organisation...
Elon Musk And SpaceX Have Successfully Launched The Falcon Heavy
Elon Musk and SpaceX have successfully launched the Falcon Heavy rocket, the world’s most powerful rocket, only rivaled by the Saturn V rocket that brought astronauts to the moon nearly 50 years ago. Musk is also being famed for launching the world’s fourth electric car into space, a Tesla Roadster. Rather than using a dummy test...
A Lawmaker’s Guide To The Galaxy
At the 2017 International Astronautical Congress, Elon Musk boldly announced his goal to land two rockets on Mars by 2022, then the first crews by 2024. As space settlements are becoming more of a reality, the issue has begged many questions and concerns: “Who owns outer space?” “Who can settle the moon?” To understand the...
Deciphering Dolphins: Using VR to Uncover Their language
Dolphins have long impressed and entertained off the bows of boats with their acrobatic feats and playful nature. But there may be more to their interactions with humans than we thought. In fact, dolphins have a very sophisticated form of communication and have even attempted to connect with people. Few researchers are more familiar with...
A Skull-Shaped Asteroid Is Approaching Earth Next Year
2018 is on its way, and you know what that means: plenty of fear and uncertainty for the future. Between political unrest, the much-discussed repeal of net neutrality, and the controversial new tax bill, there’s definitely some reason for uncertainty in the future. Well, let’s go ahead and add one more fear to that list: a...
Artificial Intelligence Has a Racism Issue
It’s long been thought that robots equipped with artificial intelligence would be the cold, purely objective counterpart to humans’ emotional subjectivity. Unfortunately, it would seem that many of our imperfections have found their way into the machines. It turns out that these A.I. and machine-learning tools can have blind spots...
The Fascinating Fish That Lives Five Miles Deep
Deep-sea creatures have always been a fascinating topic. Perhaps it’s the fact that you have to plunge deep into the unknown to see them. Or perhaps it’s because they live in such fascinating environments. Or maybe it’s the fact that they pretty much look like real-life Pokemon. Well, whatever the case, there’s no doubt that sea...
Origami Muscles Lift 1,000 Times Their Own Weight
Can a duck lift a car? It’s not a trick question. The answer, as far as I know, is no. A duck would never be strong enough to lift a car. It would be something to see, though. A small duck lifting a 2001 Honda Civic. Are you going somewhere with this? I have things to do. Of course! It all comes back to artificial muscles. As...
Ann Druyan and the Sound of Science: Looking Back at Voyager 40 Years Later
Forty years ago, Ann Druyan, along with future husband and famed astrophysicist Carl Sagan, set out to create one of humanity’s greatest legacies. Her mission? Developing a phonograph record to represent the entire planet. Nature, language, music – the essence of Earth was etched into the golden records affixed to the Voyager...
Pass That Pufferfish: How Dolphins Get High
We’ve known for quite some time now that dolphins are fairly similar to humans. After all, they speak different languages like humans, have names just like humans, and even… ahem, make love for pleasure much like humans. Sorry for getting so edgy there. Well, did you also know that dolphins get high just like humans as well? Not any...
Elon Musk Just Tweeted About Flat Earthers. When Will It End?
****Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect those of IPW, LLC or Innovation & Tech Today. This article is part of the problem. I'm about to talk about Flat Earthers, which is exactly what they want. Indeed, the lion's share of Flat Earther awareness can...
There's A Chicken-Flavored Gatorade For Dogs
So, after reading that headline, I’m sure you’ve got no shortage of questions. Questions such as “Who are you?”, “Why are you writing about this?”, and “Why are you wasting so much time in the intro of this article?” Well, let’s just get down to the nitty gritty: there’s a Gatorade for dogs. And it tastes like...
The Finch That Lost Its Way … And Started Its Own Species
Lost at sea for he couldn’t remember how long, our protagonist found refuge on the island of Daphne Major amongst the Galapagos island chain. It was the late 1970s and he had traveled nearly 100 kilometers to his destination. Without the ability to get home, he didn’t despair, rather, he assimilated with the locals. In only three...
Thanksgiving Survival Guide: Be the Cornerstone of Conversation
Ah, the holiday season. The time of the year when you’re obligated to spend time with your pretentious cousin who studied abroad in Spain and never lets you forget it. Or maybe it’s your father-in-law who’s always asking about your future career plans (spoiler alert: he’ll be dissatisfied with anything but ‘doctor’ or...
