Whey Protein Could Help Stop E-Waste (Cool Weird Awesome 1197)

Could the secret weapon against electronic waste may be cheese? Research finds a process involving the byproduct of cheesemaking known as whey protein could help recover gold and other precious metals from old computer motherboards.

By |2024-03-06T09:01:33-05:00March 6, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Whitney Smith Flew The Flag For Studying Flags (Cool Weird Awesome 1190)

Today in 1940, the birthday of the world’s number one flag expert: Whitney Smith, who not only studied flags his entire life, he invented the word for studying flags.

By |2024-02-26T07:30:15-05:00February 26, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Meet ESTHER, A Robot That Plays Wheelchair Tennis (Cool Weird Awesome 1005)

We’ve talked a lot on the show about the many different skills robots are learning. Now we can tell you about Experimental Sport Tennis Wheelchair Robot, which is learning to play tennis. 

By |2023-05-10T07:44:21-04:00May 9, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

A Company In Mexico Is Making 3D Printed Bricks Out Of Eggshells (Cool Weird Awesome 970)

Can you build a wall out of eggshells? You can if you're the Mexican design studio MANUFACTURA, which developed a sustainable way to make bricks out of discarded shells and bio-binders.

By |2024-03-15T08:52:19-04:00March 15, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

Sound Waves Could Help Keep High-Tech Batteries Going And Going And Going (Cool Weird Awesome 941)

Rechargeable batteries like the ones in our smartphones typically last a few years, but a new project out of Australia could lead to batteries that last nearly a decade. And that's thanks in part to sound waves.

By |2023-11-17T10:01:17-05:00February 2, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

This Solar Powered System Can Help Address Both Plastic Waste And Greenhouse Gases (Cool Weird Awesome 935)

Too much waste plastic? Too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Researchers in the UK may have a partial solution for both problems: a process that uses solar energy to convert plastic and greenhouse gases into useful products.

By |2024-01-25T12:09:35-05:00January 25, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Hydrogel Sheets Could Clean Up Spills Quicker Than Ever Before (Cool Weird Awesome 933)

A lot of us turn to paper towels when there’s a mess to be addressed, but they could also be greener. Researchers are developing a reusable kitchen towel made of hydrogel.

By |2024-01-23T09:42:47-05:00January 23, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Cranberry-Based Packaging Is Plastic-Free And Completely Dissolvable (Cool Weird Awesome 924)

A lot of products, even some otherwise green ones, still use a lot of disposable single-use plastic. But there’s a research project that aims to replace that plastic wrapping with a completely biodegradable version made from cranberries.

By |2024-01-10T18:44:55-05:00January 10, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

With Solar-Reflective Paint, School Playgrounds Are Getting Cooler (Cool Weird Awesome 850)

Hot days make for stuffy classrooms, and that can make it hard to learn, but going outside to scorching hot asphalt playgrounds isn’t much better. A school near Atlanta is demonstrating one partial solution, and it’s as simple as getting a fresh coat of paint.

By |2022-09-22T18:50:59-04:00September 22, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

Could We Replace Concrete Walls With Ones Made Of 3D-Printed Soil? (Cool Weird Awesome 829)

The new 3D printing project called To Grow A Building is working on a method to 3D print the components of structures out of dirt, with the goal of reducing the significant amount of emissions that come from using standard building materials.

By |2022-08-17T12:04:24-04:00August 17, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |
Go to Top