Science & Technology
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Engineering a solution to dirty water
From Africa to Michigan, more than 800 million people around the globe lack access to clean drinking water. Northeastern students are working to solve this…
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Physics discovery unlocks ingredients of 2-D sandwich
Layering 2-D crystals is a little like building a club sandwich, says Northeastern physicist Swastik Kar. But a new discovery allows researchers to rearrange the…
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What loss of net neutrality could mean for consumers, content providers
Twitter, Facebook, and dozens of other websites participated in a virtual protest to protect net neutrality last week. “The internet is critical infrastructure. So much…
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Hello, aliens. Can we talk?
As a group of scientists and amateur space enthusiasts work toward sending a direct message into outer space, two big questions emerge: How do we…
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The science behind fireworks
Have you ever wondered what makes a firework…work? We did. So we asked Michael Pollastri, associate professor and chair of the chemistry department, what’s happening…
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Could the tech snafu in Silicon Valley’s finale actually happen?
As it often does, fiction mirrors reality, and Silicon Valley is no exception. But as is also often the case, the showrunners push the limits…
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Why politically motivated cyberattacks might be the new normal
An international ransomware attack struck parts of Europe, Asia, and the United States on Tuesday, crippling tens of thousands of computers at banks, hospitals, and…
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Why is there so much air in a bag of chips?
This week’s installment of Why is That? is all that and a bag of chips. Professor Thomas Gilbert tackles the question that has plagued snack…
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What caused Navy destroyer's deadly collision?
On Saturday, a U.S. Navy destroyer collided with a Philippine container ship off the coast of Japan, resulting in the deaths of seven Navy sailors.
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Chatbots aren’t Terminators—they’re just trying to ‘optimize outcomes’
Yes, Facebook’s chatbots have created their own, non-human language to communicate with each other. No, this doesn’t mean they’re planning to take over the world.
