Northwestern University

As a way of demonstrating advances in energy and where they might lead us, a team of researchers has built a Game Boy that requires no battery, instead powering itself from a combination of solar energy and the user’s interactions with the device.

Using a multi-modal approach to data analysis, scientists have identified a subtype of autism linked with a gene cluster known to affect neurodevelopment and lipid metabolism. It's suggested this subtype accounts for nearly seven percent of autism cases.

While electric vehicles usually cost more for the consumer at the point of purchase, a new study has applied a much broader scope to the economics of green transportation, and found it could actually save the US tens of billions of dollars each year.

Graphene, the electrically-conductive "wonder material" made up of a one-atom-thick sheet of linked carbon atoms, already has many uses. It now has another, however, as the active ingredient in a sensor that detects food spoilage.

Promising research is reporting progress in the development of an anaphylaxis-preventing pill. The drug, initially designed as an alternative to chemotherapy for some types of cancer, could be taken before meals to prevent serious allergic reactions.

Although we've seen many materials designed for removing oil spills from water, many of them are single-use, ultimately ending up in landfills. Now, however, scientists have created an oil-absorbing sponge that can be used over and over again.

The universe is full of explosions, and now astronomers have described a brand new class of space signals. Named fast blue optical transients (FBOTs), these events are very bright and throw off incredible amounts of energy in a short amount of time.

It was just a couple of years ago that we heard about a kinder, gentler hair dye that incorporated graphene. Well, scientists have now had success utilizing another, less exotic substance – synthetic melanin.

Once discarded, spongy polyurethane foam typically just ends up in landfills, where it takes up a lot of space. Thanks to a newly-developed process, however, it could soon be recycled into higher-quality rubbers and hard plastics.

There is a large disparity between the survival rates of prematurely born babies in the developing world and those in the developed world, but scientists at Northwestern University have developed of new kind of wireless sensor to help bridge the gap.

Scientists are continually looking at better ways to prevent ice buildup on planes, among them a Northwestern University team that is claiming a new surface coating inspired by mint leaves can reduce frost formation by up to 60 percent.

Although small amounts of fluoride in drinking water may help to strengthen teeth and bones, too much can be dangerous. With that in mind, a simple new test has been designed to determine if fluoride levels are too high.