How did the Concorde fly so fast?
The Concorde passenger jet set a record when it flew between New York City and London in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds. The supersonic plane could fly at more…
Engineering
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): New ‘wastewater’ jet fuel could cut airplane emissions by 70%
A new technology can convert wastewater into biofuel to cut plane emissions by 70% versus conventional jet fuel, scientists say. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) currently makes up less than 1%…
A new ‘electronic tongue’ can monitor food for safety issues
Ever wondered if that old carton of fruit juice in the back of your fridge is still safe to drink? A new “electronic tongue” could tell you. The system, powered…
Lasers powered by sunlight could beam energy through space to support interplanetary missions
Laser beams powered by the sun are one small step closer to becoming a reality after researchers received funding to develop the pioneering technology. These lasers could eventually help power…
World’s 1st nuclear-diamond battery of its kind could power devices for 1000s of years
The world’s first nuclear-powered battery, which uses a radioactive isotope embedded in a diamond, could power small devices for thousands of years, scientists say. The nuclear battery uses the reaction…
Stealth destroyer 1st to carry hypersonic missiles that travel 5 times the speed of sound — with testing imminent
A U.S. Navy stealth ship is getting a major upgrade: USS Zumwalt is currently being fitted with an experimental hypersonic weapon system called Conventional Prompt Strike. Hypersonic weapons are seen…
Who invented the car? The history of the automobile
Working out who invented the car is a long and winding road, and pinpointing a single person responsible is not a simple matter. If you rewind the development of cars…
Chinese scientists claim they have built a Death Star-inspired beam weapon
Do you remember the moment in “Star Wars” when the Death Star destroys Alderaan? Eight laser beams converge at a single point to form a super-powered laser that obliterates the…
Supersonic passenger planes 1 step closer to return after successful Boom XB-1 test flight nears sound barrier
Boom Supersonic has set a new speed record for its XB-1 prototype aircraft while confirming the stability of its design at high speeds for subsonic flight. The successful test puts…
‘It invites us to reconsider our notion of shadow’: Laser beams can actually cast their own shadows, scientists discover
A quirk in scientific 3D modeling has led to the discovery that laser light can — under the right circumstances — cast its own shadow. The finding challenges our current…