Showing titles in Inventions & Inventors

Vroom! A semitruck roars as it goes up a steep hill. The trailer is loaded with goods. A truck with a big engine pulls the trailer along. Together, the truck and trailer have 18 wheels! Young listeners will find out about the main parts of these huge vehicles, the kinds of cargo they carry, and why they are an important type of transportation.

Electric cars are becoming more common around the world. Young listeners will get a basic introduction to the main parts of these vehicles. They will see how electric cars are different from gas-powered vehicles and why electric cars are better for the environment. Get young listeners excited about electric vehicles!

It's time to go camping! With an RV, you will have everything you need! An RV is like a house on wheels. It has beds for sleeping. You can cook in an RV's kitchen. There are comfy places to sit too.

Zoom! Who needs four wheels when two wheels can be so much fun? While street motorcycles zoom around cities, dirt bikes fly over jumps and twist around dirt trails. Young listeners will find out about the types of motorcycles, their main parts, and why these vehicles are so popular.

Human transportation has come a long way since the invention of the wheel. Vehicles of all sorts have us speeding across land, through water, and in the skies. What might be next? From self-driving cars to jet packs, listeners will discover exciting new ways they may get around in the future.

People have been traveling over water to get from here to there for thousands of years, but not in these vehicles! Long ago, people could only dream of what modern technology would bring. Take a tour of some of the most unique and fascinating watercraft around.

Imagine you arrive at school and realize you forgot to feed the dog. No problem. Pull out your phone and command the dog dish to dispense a serving of food. That's all there is to it—if you live a smart home. What once sounded like science fiction is now a reality for some families.

A virtual assistant by any name—Alexa, Siri, whoever—can be a sweet addition to your home. You might use one for simple jobs like playing music or streaming podcasts. And you might use one to communicate with friends and remind you about homework coming due while helping you make your breakfast. Find out how digital assistants work and what the future might hold for this part of a high-tech home.

Trains and other vehicles that travel on rails and tracks have been around for hundreds of years. While most of these are for transportation, roller coasters and a few others are just for fun! Find out how maglev trains use magnets to reach speeds of more than 250 miles per hour. Discover what it's like to travel in a pod car, and learn how the world's wildest roller coasters live up to their scream-worthy rankings. See the most awesome rides on tracks and rails!

From the written word to the cell phone, human communication has come a long way. What might the future hold? Listeners can discover how virtual reality, holograms, and a fully connected "internet of things" may affect how they communicate in the near and distant future.

Hear about some of the world's most messed-up medical mishaps. Find out how each procedure, tool, or surgery failed, the basic science that was missed, and what doctors learned from their mistakes.

Streaming puts a world of options at your fingertips when you’re at home and, with a smartphone or tablet, when you're on the go. Find out how streaming was invented, how it works, and what the future might hold for this part of a high-tech life.

Hear about some of the world's fastest transportation breakdowns. Find out how each form of transportation failed, the basic engineering missed during construction, and what engineers learned from their mistakes.

Hear about some of the world's greatest gadget disasters. Find out how each gadget failed, what went wrong with its design or manufacture, and what programmers learned from their mistakes.

Hear about some of the world's biggest building blunders. Find out how each structure failed, the basic building block that was missed during construction, and what engineers learned from their mistakes.

Humans are ingenious when it comes to meeting challenges. We invent all sorts of useful contraptions from the wheel to the can opener. But some of the things people have come up with are truly odd. Who came up with grass sandals, and why? Have you ever heard of a portable radio hat? Not many people have, but someone invented it. Get the inside scoop on these odd contraptions and many more weird inventions.

With trusted expertise from Mayo Clinic, the Edge of Medicine series sets out to inspire and educate the next generation of young scientists by highlighting the medical breakthroughs of a diverse range of scientists and researchers. From the stethoscope to the clinical trial, this exploration of...

From machine learning to virtual surgery practice, this exploration of scientific inquiry celebrates the greatest developments to date in medical artificial intelligence. Get to know the physicians, scientists, and other researchers responsible for these breakthroughs in medicine, and explore...

From laboratory robots to robotic prosthetics, this exploration of scientific inquiry celebrates the greatest developments to date in medical robotics. Get to know the physicians, scientists, and other researchers responsible for these breakthroughs in medicine, and explore the ups, the downs...

From the discovery of the Polio vaccine to the breakthrough in mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, this exploration of scientific inquiry celebrates the greatest developments to date in vaccine science. Get to know the physicians, scientists, and other researchers responsible for these breakthroughs in...