Interesting Engineering

Tidal energy has a serious issue: there's enormous power to be harnessed from the ocean, but getting it efficiently is proving difficult. In our latest IE Explains video, we look at some of the most innovative solutions companies are exploring to extract energy from the sea, including tidal kites.

Watch now!

1 hour ago | [YT] | 1

Interesting Engineering

Every atom in your body, every planet, every star — 99% of visible matter in the universe — is made of protons and neutrons whose internal structure remains poorly understood. Brookhaven's Electron-Ion Collider is designed to change that with the most detailed images of atomic nuclei ever created.
bit.ly/4fLa9wx

#NeutrinoDetector #DUNE #ParticlePhysics

16 hours ago | [YT] | 106

Interesting Engineering

Hydrogels are the soft, water-heavy, Jell-O-like materials behind medical patches, wound dressings, drug-delivery glues and the sticky pads that hold heart monitors to your skin. They're stretchy and skin-friendly, but they share one flaw: they can't breathe. Worn too long, they trap sweat and moisture, irritating skin and weakening the seal. On July 8, 2026, MIT engineers led by Professor Xuanhe Zhao reported in the journal Nature a hydrogel that is both hydrated and aerated - permeable to air - without giving up its water.

20 hours ago | [YT] | 3

Interesting Engineering

San Francisco startup Tau Robotics has launched an invite-only humanoid cleaning service at a flat $30 for a one-hour visit. CEO and co-founder Alexander Koch announced it on X, stating that all footage was shown at 1x speed and that "each humanoid is jointly controlled by a human operator and AI." The robots handle house cleaning, deep cleaning and office cleaning — wiping counters, vacuuming hardwood and rugs, taking out trash and clearing floor clutter.

21 hours ago | [YT] | 4

Interesting Engineering

Russia's reported tests of a captured Bradley revealed surprising results against the BMP-3. Here's how the two infantry fighting vehicles compare in armor, firepower, mobility, and survivability.

22 hours ago | [YT] | 6

Interesting Engineering

Cyberattacks are reaching one of the most basic pieces of critical infrastructure: water. The FBI and EPA say water and wastewater facilities in at least seven states have been targeted, with attackers compromising internet-connected control systems. Some incidents reportedly caused flooding and loss of water pressure, highlighting how hacking a digital system can disrupt physical infrastructure.

#Cybersecurity #CyberAttack #WaterInfrastructure

23 hours ago | [YT] | 53

Interesting Engineering

Scientists at Tufts University have developed flexible “thread-ectronics” that pack sensors, transistors and other electronic components into thread-like structures. The technology can detect subtle signals such as blinking and changes in breathing, while being flexible enough to bend, stretch and move with the body. The researchers say the threads could eventually be woven into everyday clothing or even used for more advanced medical monitoring applications.

#WearableTech #MedicalTech #Health

1 day ago | [YT] | 45

Interesting Engineering

China’s growing fleet of electric vehicles could eventually become a major source of the materials needed to build new ones. A new study modeling China’s EV industry through 2050 found that recycled materials could supply a large and potentially dominant share of demand for several key battery and motor materials, depending on how battery and motor technologies evolve. The researchers analyzed materials including lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, graphite, copper and rare-earth elements. The catch: reaching that potential would require much more effective collection, tracking and recycling infrastructure as millions of EVs reach the end of their lives.

#China #EV #Recycling

1 day ago | [YT] | 55

Interesting Engineering

Google has paused a new AI image-generation feature in Google Earth just one day after launching it. Powered by Nano Banana 2, the tool let users generate photorealistic images of locations using text prompts, grounded in Google Earth’s satellite, aerial and 3D imagery. Google said users had shared generated images that appeared to violate its policies, while also raising concerns about the potential for fake scenarios to be created around real-world landmarks. The company has not specified which images triggered the violations and says it is working on stronger safeguards before bringing the feature back.

#GoogleEarth #Google #AI

1 day ago | [YT] | 39

Interesting Engineering

A routine Texas building permit has confirmed that Tesla has installed an autonomous cleaning robot at its Austin robotaxi hub, according to reports. 

Tesla first teased the Cybercab at We, Robot event in October 2024, where a short film showed a robot vacuuming a Cybercab and wiping down its touchscreen. Later, the company posted a clip captioned "This robot sucks," showing a large robotic arm inside a Cybercab cabin swapping between attachments to vacuum debris, pick up trash and wipe surfaces.

1 day ago | [YT] | 6