News

Coolest Inventions of 2011

Read about some of this year's best inventions.

December 02, 2011

Inventors don't always drink their milk. Sometimes, they make dresses with it. Inventors bring to life ideas that seem impossible. They find ways to make our lives easier, greener and more fun. Check out the results. Can you imagine what inventors will think of next?

The Fastest Car

The BLOODHOUND SSC is built for speed. Its makers hope it will become the world's quickest car. It will be able to travel at a speed of 1,000 miles per hour.

It's a Boat! It's a Plane!

At sea, the FLYING YACHT has four sails that tower more than 100 feet above the water. The sails fold down and turn into airplane wings when the craft is ready to take to the sky.

Easy Energy

Solar power comes from the sun. The energy is collected using special panels. They can take up a lot of room. But not Ascent Solar's THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS. The sheets can be built right into walls and roofs, saving both space and energy.

Smart Cat Ears

The NECOMIMI headband uses brain waves to show feelings. When the ears stand up, it means the wearer is thinking hard. When the ears go down, it means the wearer is relaxed.

Soccer Bot

Goal! Robot CHARLI-2 sure can kick a ball. The adult-size bot was a winner at RoboCup 2011. That is a soccer competition for robots.

Power Plant

A leaf can take energy from the sun and store it. The ARTIFICIAL leaf can too. The energy from the artificial leaf may be used to heat homes and more.

Got Milk Clothes?

Moo-ve over, cotton. There's a fabric made from milk. It is called QMILCH. It takes one and a half gallons of milk to make a shirt or dress.

An Eye in the Sky

It looks like a hummingbird. It flies like a hummingbird. But it's not a hummingbird. It's a tiny aircraft called the NANO AIR VEHICLE (NAV). The NAV can fly up to 11 miles per hour. It has a video camera inside. Its small size makes it a perfect spy.

TIME reporting by J. Kluger; K. Mahr; H. McCracken; A. Park; A. Ramzy; B. Saporito; D. Van Dyk; B. Walsh; K. Webley; TIME FOR KIDS reporting by V. An; B. Iasevoli; J. Levit; K. Plasket

To access the digital edition of this issue, click here.


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