The Ten Most Intriguing Stories of 201810 Stories

A new artificial synapse is faster and more efficient than ones in your brain

Finally, the drug that keeps you young

Anti-aging pioneer Judith Campisi explains how a recent breakthrough could ward off age-related disease.

An electric plane with no moving parts has made its first flight

The turbineless design uses electroaerodynamic propulsion to fly and could herald the arrival of quieter, lower-emission aircraft.

DNA-based molecular computing will pave the way for programmable pills

Molecular circuitry offers a better way to measure, and potentially harness, cellular signaling mechanisms.

The first “social network” of brains lets three people transmit thoughts to each other’s heads

BrainNet allows collaborative problem-solving using direct brain-to-brain communication.

Using Wi-Fi to “see” behind closed doors is easier than anyone thought

With nothing but a smartphone and some clever computation, researchers can exploit ambient signals to track individuals in their own homes.

The man turning China into a quantum superpower

Jian-Wei Pan, China’s “father of quantum”, is masterminding its drive for global leadership in technologies that could change entire industries.

How to mod a smartphone camera so it shoots a million frames per second

Researchers have developed an image-processing trick that allows any electronic camera to take ultra-high-speed images–but only in black and white.

Edible electronics tattooed on your food could help track your health

The development of organic circuits that can be transferred onto food and pills paves the way for a new era of biomonitoring.

These boots were made for generating power

Embedded in a boot heel, a microfluidic device based on a 19th-century invention harvests energy from human footsteps.