InventorSpot

Scientists are looking at human hair on the microscopic level to try to determine the differences between frizzy and silky hair. They hope their research could lead to better shampoos and conditioners, and give people more "good hair days."

Scientists have recently created a balloon made of graphene, which is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon, making it the world's thinnest balloon.

Researchers have pinpointed a gene that helps determine if an individual is at a risk for developing a nicotine addiction. Generally, when smoking a cigarette for the first time, people either experience a pleasant buzz or a nauseating cough.

Secure in the shoulder harness of a 250-pound jet pack, 16-year-old Harrison Martin rose a few feet off the ground. With two fans at his sides providing upward thrust, he hovered for about 45 seconds before settling back down on earth.

Researchers have developed a "microscopic microscope" - a microscope that's small enough to fit inside a cell phone yet that still delivers top-quality magnifying power.

Carbon nanotubes may be the key in overcoming a challenging roadblock for scientists trying to create artificial photosynthesis.

A scientist from the University of Florida has recently filed a patent that is attracting everyone from NASA and the US Air Force to UFO-seekers and sci-fi enthusiasts.

Since 2006, Subrata Roy, a mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor, has been working on a "flying saucer" aircraft design that turns surrounding air into plasma to generate its propulsion. The saucer, or "wingless electromagnetic air vehicle" (WEAV), has no moving parts and therefore could be more stable than airplanes and helicopters that rely on aerodynamics to provide lift.

As countless coaches have advised their athletes, often the best way to improve technique is to break things down into one movement at a time.

A new T-shirt that measures muscle output could take this strategy to the extreme. The shirt, which is embedded with small sensors, enables athletes to find out which muscles they're using at different moments, and how hard. The invention is part of the ConText Project.