Tech

Scientists, artists and technical directors talk about the challenges of building the opening scene of our new planetarium show, Expedition Reef, with thousands of animated fish and other sea creatures.

By taking high resolution images of our collections, the Academy is making our specimens available to the world.

The sperm-storing shark birth that confused even our own fish experts.

Can you weigh a rainforest? Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center explain how they estimate the biomass of rainforests from space in an effort to preserve them.

Windows cause millions of bird deaths each year. What can we learn from our building to help stop this problem?

Bio-inspiration is when engineers and scientists look to nature for ideas. Locally, researchers at UC Berkeley are developing an uber-adhesive based on a geckos feet.

Lightweight, mobile microscopes are not only being used in third world countries to diagnose disease, but also in classrooms to get kids excited about science.

Scientists are using new technologies to make more sustainable biofuels.

Hairdresser Phil McCrory had an idea twenty years ago while watching news footage of the clean-up of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Human hair absorbs oil naturally, why not in large oil spills? Hair mats and hair booms were created and continue to find their way to oil spill clean-ups around the world, in large part thanks to Matter of Trust and its founder, Lisa Gautier.

Open Access is changing the way scientific research is being published. And many say for the better. When people discover they have a serious illness, they often want free and easy access to medical research. Open access allows this.

Why not use micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungus, etc) to create sustainable energy and fuel? There are a lot of ideas currently being researched and put to use including turning cow manure into natural gas.

A local researcher describes why spider silk is so valuable and how making it synthetically can be challenging.

What is wave energy and how does it work?

iGEM students talk about their experiences with the Genetically Engineered Machine competition, a nation-wide contest for undergraduate college students. This Connect with a Scientist talk was part of the Brilliant Science! festival programming.

Scientists are studying animals and insects to learn their secrets of flight.