Technology

Science

Spider Silk Is Stronger Than Steel — And Now It Can Be Made In A Lab

8:02am January 14, 2017

Swedish scientist Dr. Anna Rising was among a team of researchers to discover how to synthesize artificial spider silk. She says they hope to use the strong silk in medical applications and textiles.

A Takata Corp. desk at an automaker's showroom in Tokyo.

National

Takata To Pay $1 Billion Over Air Bag Fraud; 3 Executives Criminally Charged

3:32pm January 13, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

The settlement with the Justice Department is tied to a deadly defect in air bags that has been linked to at least 16 deaths. The associated recall is the largest in U.S. auto safety history.

Computer scientist Avi Rubin speaking at TEDxMidAtlantic.

What Happens When Hackers Hijack Our Smart Devices?

9:48am January 13, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Computer scientist Avi Rubin says all our smart devices — cars, phones, even fitness trackers — can be hacked. He warns that our network of connected technology puts us at risk for cyberattacks.

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Are there ways to make traffic better in our cities?

Can We Improve Our Transportation Network Using...Biology?

9:29am January 13, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Wanis Kabbaj wants traffic to flow smoothly and efficiently, like the blood in our veins. He says driverless cars may be the solution to today's highway gridlock.

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The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is among the vehicles that allegedly have emissions-altering software.

EPA Accuses Fiat Chrysler Of Installing Emissions-Cheating Software

5:03pm January 12, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

The Environmental Protection Agency says Fiat Chrysler violated the Clean Air Act by allegedly installing software in about 104,000 vehicles that masked the true level of emissions.

Newly hired Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Russell Aldrich chats with strangers in a shopping mall. The exercise is meant to help rookies build up the subtle people skills that older police trainers claim are lacking among many millennial recruits.

National

In Social Media Age, Young Cops Get Trained For Real-Life Conversation

3:58pm January 12, 2017

by Martin Kaste

Some police officials say their millennial-aged recruits are so used to communicating using social media that they need training in talking with people face to face.

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Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to advise President-elect Trump on cyber security.

Rudy Giuliani To Advise Trump On Cyber Issues

2:31pm January 12, 2017

by Brian Naylor

The president-elect plans to issue a report in 90 days on how the government can improve cyber security.

Some workers in low-income countries are choosing bitcoin, a virtual currency powered by blockchain technology, to send money to their families. It's cheaper, faster and doesn't require a middleman.

Blockchain Could Be A Force For Good. But First You Have To Understand It

7:05pm January 11, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

As they say, it's complicated. But blockchain technology could be a boon for the world's poorest places.

Musi, an African elephant, is one of Fresno Chaffee Zoo's five elephants enrolled in the Elephant Welfare Initiative.

Fitness Trackers Aim To Improve The Health And Happiness Of Zoo Elephants

10:08am January 11, 2017

by Kerry Klein

OK, so they're not using Fitbits. But zoos across America are using software to minutely track the activity, behavior and physiology of captive elephants, and using that data to improve zoo life.

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National

Auto Show Lesson: The Difference Between Driverless And Self-Driving Cars

6:48am January 11, 2017

by Sonari Glinton

Major automakers at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit are betting big on self-driving vehicles. They all believe in a driver-less future, but they disagree on when it will arrive.