The UK’s water pipe upgrade has made it harder to detect leaks – now the race is on to discover new ways to find them

Why the UK still loses 3 billion litres of water a day through leaks.

Jen Muggleton, Principal Research Fellow in Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton • conversation
July 17, 2023 • ~6 min

To help protect newly hatched baby sea turtles, we designed a tool for sensing activity inside their nests

Scientists don’t know what prompts turtle hatchlings to emerge from their nests and head for the water, but vibrations appear to play a role.

Erin Clabough, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia • conversation
Oct. 26, 2022 • ~8 min

Vibrators had a long history as medical quackery before feminists rebranded them as sex toys

From its roots as an electric version of snake oil, by the 1930s vibrators were just another household electric appliance that could soothe your pains at the end of a long day.

Kim Adams, Postdoctoral Lecturer in English, New York University • conversation
June 8, 2020 • ~10 min

Tiny gyroscope is 10,000X more accurate than your phone’s

A new gyroscope, so small it can fit on the tip of your finger, could help drones and driverless cars stay on track without a GPS signal.

Nicole Casal Moore-Michigan • futurity
March 23, 2020 • ~5 min

Colliding rocks in fault zones may cause earthquake vibrations

High-frequency vibrations are some of the most damaging ground movements earthquakes produce. Now, researchers have a new theory about how they happen.

Kevin Stacey-Brown • futurity
March 4, 2020 • ~5 min

‘Micro-bristle bot’ is so small it’s hard to see

Tiny 3D-printed 'micro-bristle-bots' move by harnessing vibrations. One day they could monitor the environment or repair injuries in the body.

John Toon-Georgia Tech • futurity
July 18, 2019 • ~6 min

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