As one of the agency’s best employees, you’ve been selected as a finalist to take on a new top-secret mission. You’ve already shown your aptitude for surveillance and disguise, but the agency’s looking to test one last critical skill:...

Your government has introduced a plan to address record-breaking rates of traffic tickets and deadly hovercar accidents. They propose assigning “driver credit scores” to every citizen, but would need to install cameras and microphones in...

Left vs Right

When Queen Jocasta of Thebes gave birth to Oedipus, a grim air seized the occasion. Her husband, King Laius, had received a prophecy from Apollo's oracle foretelling that he would die at the hands of his own son. Determined to escape...

The convergence of AI and robotics will unlock a wonderful new world of possibilities in everyday life, says robotics and AI pioneer Daniela Rus. Diving into the way machines think, she reveals how "liquid networks" — a revolutionary...

Icy roads are a huge hazard, and typical methods of de-icing them can be pretty toxic to wildlife. Which is why researchers have been so fixated on finding better alternatives, from brine to pig pee.

Icy roads are a huge hazard, and typical methods of de-icing them can be pretty toxic to wildlife. Which is why researchers have been so fixated on finding better alternatives, from brine to pig pee.

Electric vehicles need to be more than just eco-friendly — they have to be more chic, convenient and affordable than their gas-powered alternatives, says sustainability leader Cynthia Williams. She explores what it'll take for an...

From self-healing asphalt to electrified roads, technology is steering the future of driving along some exciting new paths!

All across the world people need to get from one place to another. And sometimes to get to that other place we need bridges. Here are eight bridges that are extraordinary in their own way, from standing the test of time to handling...

Some might call sand coarse, rough and irritating, but there’s no denying that it’s used everywhere: from glass to asphalt, sand is a key ingredient for all sorts of materials in construction and technology. But this heavy reliance on...

So, moose licking cars in winter is a thing, if you live in a place that has both moose and winter. But why on earth do they do this?!

Where does the water on the road go after a rain day? And taking care of them can be very important!



Second Grade Next Generation Science

Standards

Dis

ciplinary Core Idea:

ESS2.C: The Roles of Water...

Some might call sand coarse, rough and irritating, but there’s no denying that it’s used everywhere: from glass to asphalt, sand is a key ingredient for all sorts of materials in construction and technology. But this heavy reliance on...

Animal behavior isn't complicated, but it is complex. Nicolas Perony studies how individual animals -- be they Scottish Terriers, bats or meerkats -- follow simple rules that, collectively, create larger patterns of behavior. And how...

Niti Bhan studies business strategy for Africa's informal markets: the small shops and stands, skilled craftspeople and laborers who are the invisible engine that keeps the continent's economy running. It's tempting to think of these...

You’re cruising down the highway when all of a sudden endless rows of brake lights appear ahead. There’s no accident, no stoplight, no change in speed limit, or narrowing of the road. So why is there so much traffic? It's due to a...

Tesla's Autopilot system is the most advanced available right now, but it has limitations, and some of those limitations might be us.

From self-healing asphalt to electrified roads, technology is steering the future of driving along some exciting new paths!

The most advanced robots in the world might not be exactly what you're expecting. But they're shaping humanity's future.

Mapping apps help us find the fastest route to where we’re going. But what if we’d rather wander? Researcher Daniele Quercia demos “happy maps” that take into account not only the route you want to take, but how you want to feel along...

When Bran Ferren was just 9, his parents took him to see the Pantheon in Rome — and it changed everything. In that moment, he began to understand how the tools of science and engineering become more powerful when combined with art, with...

As of 2005, only 15 percent of the world was mapped. This slows the delivery of aid after a disaster -- and hides the economic potential of unused lands and unknown roads. In this short talk, Google's Lalitesh Katragadda demos Map Maker,...

Driving can be dangerous, especially if you’re trying to juggle a variety of distractions while barreling down a busy highway. So scientists are looking into ways to keep us focused on the task at hand, even if you’re traveling in an...