Blog

Tech Briefs writers and editors share their opinions and find the fun, interesting, and unexpected stories behind today's leading-edge inventions.

Blog: Propulsion

Answering Your Questions: Why Land on the South Pole of the Moon?

NASA is set to return to the Moon in 2024. But why the lunar south pole?

Blog: Data Acquisition

New on NASA's Menu: A Tool to Predict Vitamin Levels in Spaceflight Food

It took over 3,000 pouches of spaceflight food, but Timothy Goulette and Hang Xiao ultimately created a mathematical model that NASA will soon use to ensure that its...

Blog: Imaging

Answering Your Questions: What Makes Some Cameras 'ITAR' vs 'ITAR-Free?'

Two industry experts respond to a Tech Briefs reader question.

Blog: Electronics & Computers

A New Heat Shield for Electronics – Just 10 Atoms Thick

Stanford Professor Eric Pop learned a valuable electronics lesson from his early days as a radio DJ.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Prospecting for Ice: NASA Challenges Students to Find Ways to Drill Down on Mars

A new NASA challenge asks university teams to find new ways to drill down to the ice on the Moon and Mars.

Blog: Materials

Answering Your Questions: Thermosets or Thermoplastic Composites?

How do thermoplastic composites compare to the thermoset composites already in use for several decades? A Tech Briefs reader asks.

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Answering Your Questions: With EV Battery Assembly, Why Adhesives Over Fasteners?

A reader asks an industry expert why adhesives are a better option for battery assembly in electric vehicles.

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

How to Make a Transistor – From Thread

Tufts University engineers are making transistors from a material you’re more likely to see in a fabric store than in the field of electronics.

Blog: Test & Measurement

When Exposed to Light, Artificial 'Chameleon Skin' Changes Color

"Actually it was not something we really planned!" Dr. Andrew Salmon told Tech Briefs.

Blog: Automotive

Answering Your Questions: Will Glazing Requirements Change When Vehicles Go Autonomous?

How much does windshield glazing matter when cars drive themselves?

Blog: Data Acquisition

A Mars Mystery Continues, As Study Rules Out Wind Erosion’s Role in Methane Spikes

Researchers from Newcastle University continue to explore the source of Mars' mysterious methane.

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

AI and Agriculture: How to Spot Bad Bananas — With a Phone

The Tumaini app will could help farmers spot pests and disease before it's too late.

Blog: Propulsion

Answering Your Questions: What Kind of Spacecraft Will Bring Astronauts to the Moon in 2024?

Lockheed Martin's Rob Chambers is working on a spacecraft that will bring astronauts back to the lunar surface.

Blog: Aerospace

Answering Your Questions: How is NASA Studying the Effects of Microgravity on the Human Body?

NASA is planning a return to the Moon and an exploration-mission to Mars, but how will the human body hold up in microgravity for long durations?

Blog: Transportation

Camera Sees Objects Around Corners (Even Better Than Before)

A new-and-improved system from Stanford University captures light from a greater variety of surfaces, allowing a wider, farther imagery than ever before.

Blog: Nanotechnology

How to Generate Electricity — From Rust

Scientists from Caltech and Northwestern University have found a way to generate electricity by combining saltwater with one of life's more undesirable compounds: rust.