Stories by Steven Ashley

New electric-powered, vertical-lift aircraft are rising to the challenge of delivering clean and cheap air taxi services

Rotating detonation engines developed by NASA and others could spark a rocketry revolution

The launch of NASA’s Artemis I mission will also be the start of the first deep-space rendezvous to be conducted by a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft

An ultraporous humidity sponge could provide 300 gallons of fresh water a day

Fuel injection through Bunsen burner–inspired tubes could cut soot emissions

A provocative new paper suggests some ways to find out

Seven next-generation materials promise to change the way the world is made

An exhibition of inventions, artwork and artifacts explores our relationship with water and how the world might cope with future scarcity of this invaluable resource

Solid oxide fuel cells that can use conventional fossil fuels as well as hydrogen are set to take a larger role in the energy game

Magnetically levitated microbots, some the size of a pinhead, demonstrate construction skills on the small scale

The failure rate may be 90 percent, but if any of these exotic technologies succeeds, it could significantly improve energy security and efficiency

A sail formed not of material, but by electric fields reaching a diameter of 40 kilometers could tap the solar wind and propel the fastest man-made object ever

Some new green car tires offered by major manufacturers roll easier and contain less crude oil

The Pentagon ramps up efforts to field directed-energy beam weapons for land, air and sea

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, has suspended sales of certain models and recalled millions of older ones as its engineers search for the elusive source of a sticky--and dangerous--accelerator problem

Cellulose-loving fungi can cut biofuel costs by enabling existing corn ethanol plants to process cheaper, woody feedstocks such as corn stover

Ten things to look for in the new Prius hybrid sedan

Removing the salt from briny water is becoming more affordable

How new lubrication aims to save the environment

These carbon nanosheets are considered the future of smaller, faster and cheaper electronics

A tiny R&D firm toils steadily toward a ground-to-orbit vehicle that could pave the way for easier and cheaper access to space

Air-carpet hulls could sail faster, save fuel and cut emissions

The Gizmodo Gallery, gizmodo.com's roving exhibition of technology marvels, stops by the Big Apple