Complete coverage on

CNN Ideas Series

The future of science and technology sounds so promising. Unprecedented advances in computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, genetics, neuroscience and biotechnology hold the potential to radically transform our world for the better and create mass abundance for all.

Latest Stories

Architect designs 'world's smallest house'updated Tue Jul 24 2012 17:11:55

As the child of refugees growing up in Germany, architect Bo Le-Mentzal spent much of his life thinking about the meaning of the word "home."

Rio mayor: How to build the city of the futureupdated Sun Jul 22 2012 10:28:38

I strongly believe being mayor is the public post in which you have the greatest opportunity to change peoples' lives for the better.

Using the Xbox to study locust swarmsupdated Wed Jul 18 2012 17:26:39

Once upon a time, people thought that swarming creatures such as fish, bees and locusts communicated their movements by "thought transference," or telepathy.

Why zombies, robots, clowns freak us outupdated Wed Jul 11 2012 10:11:31

What do zombies and androids have in common? They're almost human, but not quite. That disconnect is creepy, in a way that scientists are searching to understand.

What if you could make anything you wanted?updated Sun Jul 08 2012 10:07:45

In the 20th century, getting your child a toy car meant a trip to a shopping mall. In the 21st century, it can mean going to your computer, downloading a file and creating the toy on your 3-D printer.

Bill Nye: U.S. risks losing its space edgeupdated Mon Jul 02 2012 08:53:40

Years before Bill Nye became the Science Guy, he was a mechanical engineering student at Cornell University, where he took a course with astronomer Carl Sagan.

New world of freedom in Middle Eastupdated Fri Sep 23 2011 08:42:24

For decades, repressive governments in the Arab world controlled the media, shaping public opinion through propaganda, according to Wadah Khanfar, who headed Al Jazeera until his resignation this week.

What happens when you throw out the trashupdated Wed Sep 21 2011 09:44:09

Two years ago, Carlo Ratti, the head of MIT's Senseable City Lab, decided to find out what happened when city residents disposed of trash.

Rare polar creatures in troubleupdated Tue Sep 20 2011 07:36:30

Paul Nicklen makes friends with polar wildlife, photographing seals, polar bears, narwhals and others in remarkable closeups.

A scientist at loose in the kitchenupdated Fri Sep 16 2011 16:43:01

It wasn't enough for Nathan Myhrvold to work with Stephen Hawking on research in physics, or to develop many of Microsoft's key products, or publish books of his nature photography. He had to take his career in yet another direction -- by getting his hands dirty in the kitchen.

Cosmic music from dying starsupdated Thu Sep 08 2011 22:01:58

Many science fiction fans take for granted that there's no sound in the vastness of space. But Janna Levin, a physics and astronomy professor at Barnard College, says dramatic events in space do make a kind of music.

What we learn from doodlesupdated Fri Sep 02 2011 22:45:17

Humans have been doodling in snow, in sand and on cave walls for more than 30,000 years.

The man who can explain everythingupdated Mon Jan 24 2011 09:42:08

A few years ago, Malcolm Gladwell decided to let his hair grow longer, going back to the hairstyle he had as a kid growing up in Canada.