Building the Transcontinental Railroad
Source: PBS
View the photo gallery and read the captions for an overview of the settlers and workers affected by the transcontinental railroad. Explore the links on the left for more information on the topic.
Technology
Using data from social networks to understand and improve systems
Source: MIT News
Researchers at MIT are looking at how data collected from individuals and groups can be used for functions such as predicting sociopolitical change or measuring the effectiveness of policies in the developing world.
Hawking backs interstellar travel project
Source: BBC
In April, physicist Stephen Hawking and a Russian billionaire announced plans for mankind’s furthest-ever exploration.
WI-Fi-enabled school buses leave no child offline
Source: PBS
Superintendent Darryl Adams decided that every student in his California school district would have access to the internet. Read about how he put school buses to work at night to get students connected to their schools.
All Systems Go for NASA’s Mission to Jupiter Moon Europa
Source: NASA
In the 1990s NASA sent Galileo to Jupiter and as a result believe strongly that there is an ocean beneath the frozen crust of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Another mission is planned for the 2020s to discover more about Europa’s potential to host life.
Robber barons and silicon sultans
Source: The Economist
This article compares the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley to the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age.
Ada Lovelace, the First Tech Visionary
Source: The New Yorker
Nearly two centuries ago, the daughter of the poet Byron pursued a very different line of interest, one that has led to her being called the world’s first computer programmer.
Top 10 Civil War Innovations: Slide Show
Source: Discovery News
One overlooked positive aspect of the deadly Civil War was the large number of inventions and innovations the conflict spurred.
Infographic: Curiosity Rover’s “Seven Minutes of Terror”
Source: KIDS Discover
You don’t have to be in a space shuttle to feel fear during a landing. NASA scientists felt terror as the Laboratory rover “Curiosity” attempted its landing on Mars.
How the Pacific Northwest is preparing for a catastrophic tsunami
Source: PBS
Scientists calculate that the Cascadia fault is overdue for a major quake and resulting tsunami. Find out how coastal communities are preparing for such a disaster.