Nanoparticles in baby formula: should parents be worried?

May 17, 2016 16:34 pm UTC| Health Science

Theres a lot of stuff youd expect to find in baby formula: proteins, carbs, vitamins, essential minerals. But parents probably wouldnt anticipate finding extremely small, needle-like particles. Yet this is exactly what a...

What stressed humans can tell us about keeping animals happy

May 17, 2016 16:05 pm UTC| Health Science

Its hard to avoid stress, and the expectation that we are camels with unbreakable backs. I know this from personal experience as part of the squeezed generation with young children, an old parent and a demanding job. Often...

Want to build a moon base? Easy. Just print it

May 17, 2016 02:42 am UTC| Science

Planetary Resources, a company hoping to make asteroid mining into a trillion dollar industry, earlier this year unveiled the worlds first 3D printed object made from bits of an asteroid. 3D printing, and additive...

A brief history of telling time

May 16, 2016 13:23 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

We live in a world where time is all important. Nanoseconds mark the difference between success or failure to make an electronic transaction and where we are continuously reminded of the time: of being early or late, of...

Vanadium: the 'beautiful metal' that stores energy

May 13, 2016 11:14 am UTC| Science

An unheralded metal could become a crucial part of the renewables revolution. Vanadium is used in new batteries which can store large amounts of energy almost indefinitely, perfect for remote wind or solar farms. And whats...

What a tiny micrometeorite from the Pilbara can tell us about the ancient sky

May 13, 2016 10:40 am UTC| Science

Not long ago, my colleagues and I found some micrometeorites in the Pilbara region in Western Australia. Whats truly remarkable about them is that these tiny meteorites can tell us a great deal about the chemistry of...

How to design trustworthy robot butlers that we won't want to treat like humans

May 13, 2016 09:26 am UTC| Science Technology

Does your car not want to start on cold mornings? And does your toaster like burning your toast? This kind of intentional language is natural to us and built into the way we interact with the world even with machines....