Mars (NASA)

NASA rover discovers possible precursor to life on Mars

NASA's Curiosity found the element boron on Mars — an element that offers tantalizing clues about whether ancient Mars once harbored life.
Farmer and tractor (© AP Images)

How NASA helped launch self-driving tractors

Automated tractors are already harvesting a huge portion of the world's food supply, thanks to a partnership between NASA and manufacturer John Deere.
Illustration of blue objects orbiting and creating waves (R. Hurt/Caltech-JPL)

Discovery of gravitational waves named top breakthrough of 2016 [video]

Science magazine has named the discovery of gravitational waves as the top scientific breakthrough of 2016.
Small car on street (© AP Images)

5 technologies set to take off

2016 was an exciting year for technology and innovation. Here are some of the technologies you can expect to hear more about in 2017.
Earth seen from orbit (NASA)

2016: A year of new horizons in space [video]

2016's stories from space featured preparation for Mars, breakthroughs in rocket reusability, NASA's untold history and exciting science.
Illustration of computers connected with different national flags (State Dept./Doug Thompson)

Making the world more accessible through translation

Online translation services are getting better thanks to machine learning, opening up a world of options to non-English speakers.
Hands holding a phone displaying the White House and dollar bill on the table (White House)

Got a dollar? Take a virtual tour of the White House.

With a phone and a dollar bill, you can explore the residence of the presidents in 1600, an augmented reality app, available for Apple and Android.
Large group of people posing for photo (Courtesy of Andela)

A jump-start for Africa’s new generation of tech talent

Andela, a New York–based training company, has set out on a mission of finding and grooming the best software developers in Africa — thousands of them.
Harvard University campus (© AP Images)

Harvard beats its own environmental goal

Harvard has met a 2008 target to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in 2016 and is now looking to set new climate goals.