Technology
Worms and mice at International Space Station
spaceAstronauts on the International Space Station have taken delivery of super-muscled mice, pest-killing worms and a robot that can sense how the astronauts are feeling
Drones deliver baby coral to save Reef
scienceScientists with an army of robotic drones and a fleet of backpack-sized inflatable pools are working to save the Great Barrier Reef as part of the world’s largest science and tourism group project
Operating on Obama’s 3D-printed brain
scienceIn a world-first, Australian doctors have operated on a 3D-printed brain to rehearse for a real brain operation. Up next, 40 brain surgeons operating on 3D printed brains all at once
Latest
First-ever global rule book for the internet
World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee has released the first-ever global internet rule book designed to protect people’s rights and help everyone make the internet a better place
Boy’s smart helmet wins invention award
A 9-year-old Australian inventor is heading to NASA after his Hero Helmet – designed to lock the wheels of a bike, scooter or skateboard if not worn – won a national innovation award
Smart glasses to find missing kids
Hi-tech glasses designed to scan crowds of people and spot missing children “within seconds” come with the promise that the technology won’t invade anyone’s privacy
Meet the hologram you can see, hear, feel
Researchers have invented a way to create characters that could talk to and interact with us, using speakers that whiz a tiny bead around faster than our brains can track
Revealed: Invisible ink invention
Scientists have discovered a new kind of invisible ink that we all use every day that’s virtually free. Unfortunately, to get it to work, you also need a super-hi-tech piece of coated paper
Fight on over futuristic hi-tech city
Google is trying to get everyone to agree on its plans to redevelop a neglected piece of land to build a hi-tech city complete with heated footpaths and self-driving shuttles
Baking choc-chip cookies in space
Astronauts on the International Space Station are getting a special delivery: an oven for baking choc-chip cookies. The dough is already up there waiting to be cooked and eaten
Footy-shaped subs to swarm the seas
An Australian company is preparing to send a swarm of footy-shaped, mini-submarines into the world’s oceans, lakes and waterways to create an underwater version of Google Street View
Swim and survive with virtual reality
A new water-safety program designed to prevent drownings uses 360 degree, lifelike, interactive videos to place kids inside virtual rips and teach them how to escape and survive
Tiny computer makes quantum leap
Google has achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing, developing a processor that took minutes to do what would take the world’s best supercomputer thousands of years
Wanted: a real human face for robots
A technology company has begun a global search for a real face to replicate on its personal assistant robots, offering the chosen human a payment of $190,000
Out-there plan for 13-minute journey to Mars
A NASA scientist has designed a rocket that could reach close to the speed of light without using any fuel, going to the Moon in just over a second and putting distant stars within reach
Scientist becomes world’s first full cyborg
A world-renowned roboticist with motor neurone disease is transforming himself into a robot to extend his life, with plenty more upgrades and updates planned for the future
Kid-watching home spy invention on way
Google has legal permission to develop technology that monitors where children are at home and what they are doing, eating and saying, raising concerns about privacy and children’s rights
Paralysed man walks with exoskeleton
A man paralysed from the shoulders down has walked using a four-limb robotic exoskeleton controlled by signals sent from sensors implanted in his brain
First robotic shop open for business
Robots served ice cream to excited kids on day one at Australia’s first robotic shop, in a move said to be about enhancing the customer experience rather than taking humans’ jobs
Hungry? Order a drone to bring lunch
Flying roast chickens, hot coffee, milk, bread and hardware will drop from the air into Australian backyards in a world-first drone delivery trial expected to launch within weeks
Are parents ignoring kids’ rights?
As the UN reviews the rights of children in the digital age, it has found parents who share online their children’s pictures or personal information may be violating their human rights
Happy or sad? Students send teachers emojis
School kids will soon be able to use emojis to instantly tell their teachers whether they’re feeling happy, confident, overwhelmed, bored or confused by what’s going on in the classroom
Students see benefit of phone bans, like it or not
Not everyone likes or agrees with banning phones in schools, but students with bans in place admit school is better without devices. We check in on phone bans around the country
Feeling sick? Pepper the robot is here to help
Get ready for robots offering health advice and even criticising your bad health habits. In fact, humanoid robots have already been on the job in Australian hospitals and clinics
Teen Fortnite world champ now a millionaire
A teenager has collected more than $4.3 million in prizemoney after becoming world champion of the computer game Fortnite, beating 40 million gamers who applied to compete
Flying man with jetpack wows Sydney crowds
Personal flying devices look closer to becoming a reality after a man wearing a jetpack flew around Sydney Harbour and another man zoomed over Paris on a high-speed hoverboard
Chatty family dinners at risk of dying out
Few Australian families sit down together for dinner every night and many use their phones, watch TV or sit in silence or argue while they eat, according to new research
Celebrating World Emoji Day with Tears of Joy
World Emoji Day on July 17 is a fun, annual celebration of one of the world’s newest ways of communicating. We look at what emojis are, who invented them and if they are a real language
Plan to power Singapore with Australian sunshine
Our hot Northern Territory sunshine could soon be farmed for electricity to power Singapore in an ambitious plan to make Australia a world leader in making renewable energy
Aussie teen inventor’s big chicken nugget plan
A young Australian inventor plans to change the world one chicken nugget at a time, with one of the biggest food companies investing millions of dollars to help him develop his recipe
NASA to send dragonfly to Saturn’s moon Titan
Using a drone called Dragonfly, NASA will have a good look around Titan to see if microbial life or even humans could live on Saturn’s large, icy moon
Victoria bans student phones at schools
Students at all Victorian government schools will be banned from using or carrying phones from first to last bell from next year in an attempt to reduce distraction and cyber bullying
Push for in-ground traffic lights for phone users
Looking at a smartphone while walking near or across roads is dangerous. To keep people safe, Sydney and Melbourne have trialled in-ground traffic lights, with Adelaide set to follow
Weird ways tech could be changing our skeletons
Modern life could be causing big changes to our bodies. Not all the possible changes are desirable and some of them are alarming, from spiky skull growths to narrower elbows
Flying cars preparing for take off in Australia
Melbourne has won a global competition to host the first international base for Uber flying cars, with test flights to begin next year and driverless flights planned for the future
NASA welcomes holiday-makers to space
The International Space Station is about to become the latest holiday destination with the first tourists blasting off next year. A ticket will cost about $83 million, air included
Video game addiction officially a disease
A small number of people are developing a big problem with gaming. The World Health Organisation has just officially declared this addiction to games a disease
Australian teen inventor stars in YouTube Story
YouTube has chosen an Australian teenage inventor to feature in a special documentary about her work and her potentially lifesaving creation and now the whole world is watching
Billionaire reveals space cities to house a trillion people
The world’s richest person has unveiled his plans to colonise space with huge, floating, rotating habitats holding cities, farmland and even national parks
Exploring Minecraft’s new Australian city
Dig for false teeth, look for drop bears and search for wildlife in a new Minecraft mini Melbourne to learn about science, maths, archaeology and engineering
What is cryptocurrency and how does it work?
Bitcoin, Litecoin and Etherium are three examples of cryptocurrencies being used to buy goods online. We explain what cryptocurrency is, how it works and if it is here to stay
3D printer making recycled plastic fantastic
An Australian hairdresser is turning plastic shampoo bottles into 3D-printed prosthetic limbs, helping repurpose waste and giving a hand to those who need one
Compulsive phone use affects wellbeing
Port Adelaide AFL players are putting away their phones and a new study has found we might all feel better about ourselves if we follow their lead
Astronauts take six-hour space walk
Two NASA astronauts took a walk out in space for more than six hours to change some batteries on Friday. They finished early, so had time for some cleaning and sightseeing
High-speed rail on the fast track to reality
PM Scott Morrison has promised to spend billions of dollars on high-speed rail links across Australia with the first project linking Melbourne to Geelong in 32 minutes
Harry Potter on mission to get gamers outdoors
Get ready for the next Harry Potter craze — and one of its main aims is to get fans and gamers spending more time outdoors in a Pokemon Go-style treasure hunt
The World Wide Web turns 30
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the internet, celebrates and reflects on the achievements and challenges for the future, 30 years on from the internet’s beginnings
Superhero night vision for humans
Like Spider-Man and Batman, humans could one day have the power to see in the dark after scientists successfully tried their idea on mice
Australia under attack from cyber hackers
In the wake of several recent cyber attacks of major Australian organisations, we look at hackers, malware and the simple things we can do to help keep our information safe
Young people need to turn down the music
More than 1 billion young people around the world are risking deafness by listening to loud noise through headphones, prompting the UN to issue international safe-volume standards
Teens win award for looking after nan
Two young Tasmanians have taken out Australia’s top student science award for an invention to keep Mitchell’s great-grandmother, Gwen, safe from a fall
Predicting drought and bushfires from space
Australian researchers have moved their focus to space to learn more about how to foresee and manage future droughts and bushfires on Earth
Robot with skin can sense humans nearby
An incredible car-making robot in a Porsche factory will wear special skin over its metal muscles to sense human co-workers and help keep them safe from injury
Voyager 2, Australia is listening to you
After 41 years in space, Voyager 2 has finally left the Sun’s heliosphere. As it moved into interstellar space, Earth received its farewell messages via Australia’s very special radio telescope and antenna
Apple’s iSheet invention for a better night’s sleep
The technology company that brought us the iPhone has a new invention that watches us as we sleep, helping keep us healthy but not, Apple promises, invading our privacy
Aussies a vital link for asteroid landing
Australia’s deep-space experts are an important communication link between NASA and a far-off spacecraft about to arrive at the asteroid Bennu. And this important mission has only just begun!
Robot builds three-bedroom house in three days
It lays bricks quickly and perfectly and won’t put bricklayers out of a job, according to the inventors of a robot that just built a family home over a long weekend
Plan to microchip workers to boost security
Big companies are working with a Swedish tech giant to explore the possibility of microchipping employees to boost workplace security
Human brain and memory enhancement possible soon
Researchers are already working on changing, improving and rewriting humans’ memories, which means they also have to find ways to keep our brains safe from hackers
Technology causing drop in hand strength
Young people aren’t spending enough time playing with toys and at craft activities to develop their hand dexterity. Do you think technology is reducing the time you spend using your hands?
China’s giant fake-moon plan
A bold plan to launch a giant artificial moon into orbit around the Earth to light China’s night sky has lots of people pretty excited. But can it really work?
Kids building helping hands
Students are setting aside Lego and picking up the makings of prosthetic hands in a program that helps those in need overseas. What would you make if you were an engineer?
Car that drives itself while you catch up on sleep
Volvo has devised a driverless concept car complete with sleeping cabin to replace short-distance flights. But would you feel safe to have a snooze?
France’s school mobile ban begins
France’s mobile device ban in all schools is an interesting case study for Australian teachers, parents and students. But should Australia follow France’s lead?
School spying trials in Australia
Advanced facial recognition technology is being trialled in Australian schools to check where students are. Do you agree with this idea?
Drone films Amazon tribe
A drone has filmed a tribe in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, which experts believe has never been in contact with the outside world
VR film here at last
Forward thinkers first dreamt of virtual reality more than 100 years ago, but it’s taken a long time for the technology to catch up. Now, VR film is finally becoming an everyday reality
Screen time can be green time
Research tells us we love technology and it’s nature that makes us feed good, but you don’t have to choose one or the other. How could you use your screen time in nature?
New job for Australia’s first computer
Australia’s first computer goes on display to inspire kids to be part of the next generation of scientists and innovators. Can you believe how big it is?
Massive asteroid zooming past Earth
Look up in the night sky near Sagittarius right now and you can see a glowing, yellow sphere that’s a very big and very near asteroid. Can you see it?
Turning plastic into something precious
Australians are getting together in their backyards to turn the world’s plastic pollution into beautiful, valuable new things
Hypersonic jet to fly New York-London in two hours
Hypersonic jets that travel five times faster than the speed of sound could be taking passengers by 2030
Australia-first review into phones at school
NSW orders Australia’s first review into the dangers and benefits of smartphone use in schools
Australian cities fight for flying car trials
Flying car trials by UberAIR are planned for three cities by 2020. Melbourne and Sydney are battling it out to be part of that plan
World-first bionic eye ready to see
An amazing new Australian bionic-eye invention looks set to change the lives of millions of blind people around the world
People power builds Australia’s electric highway
Tired of waiting for the government, electric-car owners of Australia have united to build a massive “electric highway” of charging stations right around the country
Apple acts to stop iPhone addicts
Apple has launched a new tool to stop children and adults spending too much time on their phones and becoming addicted
Medical drones the next frontier
Drones are not just toys. They’re already being tested as a way to save lives in medical emergencies. We look at what other important jobs could they do
Call to block phones in cars to cut road toll
Government report predicts texting and selfies will cause road death numbers to rise. A national safety organisation says the only way to stop phone use is to block mobile signals in every car
Virtual Prime Minister beams in
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern couldn’t be at a technology conference in person. So, she attended as a hologram, in a world first for a national leader
How astronauts stay in touch from space
Astronauts can feel isolated while spending months in space, but technology is helping them stay entertained and connected with loved ones back on Earth
Robots replace humans
Internet company Google has invented a way for robots to replace humans on the phone, sending emails and driving cars. Is that exciting or creepy?
Robot teachers take over class
In classrooms all around the world, a new type of teacher is helping students learn. And it’s not a human. It’s a robot. Would you like a robot teacher?
Aussie students on Mars robot mission
An Australian robot designed and built by students could one day work on Mars alongside humans, helping us learn more about this harsh, hot planet
We’re hanging up on the home phone
Home phone use could be extinct in Australia in 20 years as residents switch to mobiles and internet devices
Hacker’s good and evil tale of technology
A former teen hacker nicknamed Mafiaboy explains how kids have to protect themselves in a world where technology can be positive or take them to the dark side
Great ideas that started in garages
We take a look at five of the world’s biggest companies that started with inventors working out of garages to create famous products
Hannah builds bionic hand on holidays
Year 8 student Hannah Black builds a working bionic hand as a holiday project.
Are your parents spying on you?
Survey reveals one in three parents are spying on their children with technology — and some even want to microchip their kids to know their exact location
Students visit Mars in new hi-tech Pod
Coomera Anglican College students visit Mars, the Sahara and rainforests all without leaving school in their new $4.5 million hi-tech learning Pod
VR helps cure fear of flying
An Adelaide doctor is using virtual reality to help patients overcome their fear of flying.
Get off that screen for just one day
This weekend’s National Day of Unplugging is urging all Australians to turn off their digital devices for one day and reconnect with loved ones
iPhone helps the deaf hear music
The latest version of the cochlear implant can connect directly to an iPhone allowing users to stream music and videos straight to their brain
Your face will soon be your passport
Australian airports are testing technology that recognises your face instead of having to carry a passport.
Robot dog’s new trick — it opens doors
Meet SpotMini, the robot dog that’s been taught a new trick — it opens doors by itself.
Powerful rocket sends car into space
SpaceX successfully launches world’s most powerful rocket and sends a car into space in the hope it will reach Mars. VIDEO
Call to ban smartphones in schools
There’s a push to ban smartphones in schools to prevent cyberbullying and to improve students’ focus on learning
Bringing school technology up to speed
Amid fears many students are lacking in digital literacy by having out-of-date technology in their classrooms, HP is offering half a million dollars worth of grants to bring classrooms up to speed
Robotic hand could have magic touch
A ROBOTIC hand that restores* the sense of touch could soon be a reality with researchers close to unlocking the brain patterns that control natural hand actions.
Google view of Christmas Island crabs
Parks Australia has teamed up with internet giant Google to show off one of the country’s most incredible natural phenomena. VIDEO
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