Desktop Diaries: Oliver Sacks
Writer and neurologist Oliver Sacks explains what his desk means to him. From lumps of metal to lemurs, Sacks describes some of his treasures.
How Reliable Are Electronic Voting Machines?
Can electronic voting machines be hacked? An expert gives us a pre-election update on voting technologies.
Sandy’s CT Scan, and Other Vital Images
Satellites looked at Sandy this week, and they also looked in.
Plunge Into the Science of BASE Jumping
BASE stands for the objects the practitioners of the sport jump from: buildings, antennas, spans, earth. Wingsuits are sometimes involved; parachutes, always.
New Program Spurs Solar Development on Public Land
The plan identifies 285,000 acres of public land in six Western states for solar energy projects.
How One Guy Raised $1.3 Million for a Tesla Museum
The money will be used to turn Nikola Tesla’s final laboratory into a museum.
Geek My Pumpkin
Maniac Pumpkin Carvers Marc and Chris carve hundreds of pumpkins each fall, which go for a few hundred bucks and rarely end up on stoops. They gave us some tips for how to bring our pumpkins to the next level this Halloween.
The Secret to Making Ultrastrong ‘Gorilla Glass’
Gorilla Glass isn’t unbreakable. But it’s twice as durable as regular glass—at half the thickness.
Fifty Years Ago, a Bright Idea
Inventor Nick Holonyak describes the creation of the visible light-emitting diode, or LED.
Why Online Maps Sometimes Lose Their Way
Mapping streets is easy. The trick is pinning down businesses and giving accurate turn-by-turn directions.