Jennifer Ouellette, Author at Gizmodo

The World’s Tiniest Light-Powered Engines Could Revolutionize Medicine

Nanomachines could revolutionize technology and modern medicine, if only we had viable power sources to make them move where we wanted them to go. Now scientists at the University of Cambridge have built the world’s tiniest engines, powered by light, as described in a new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.…

Physics & Chemistry Jennifer Ouellette

Finally, An Invention That Can Tell You What Your Cat Is Really Saying

Convinced that when your cat meows, it’s truly trying to tell you something? Now there’s a 3D printed talking cat collar to pick up on Fluffy’s varied vocalizations and “translate” them via an app on your smart phone. Yes, just like the one worn by Dug the talking dog in Pixar’sUp (“Squirrel!”). It’s called the…

Biology Jennifer Ouellette

This Candidate for President Claims He’s Traveled Through Time

If the current frontrunners in this year’s presidential race just don’t appeal to you, perhaps you’d like to really think outside the box. Seattle lawyer Andrew Basiago is also running for president, as an independent. And he cites his extensive experience traveling through time as one of his strongest qualifications for office. That’s right: a…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Bacteria Evade White Blood Cells Like Antelope Evade Hungry Tigers

Mathematically speaking, the way a tiger charges a herd of antelope resembles a white blood cell attacking a colony of bacteria. That’s the conclusion of a new paper by an international team of physicists, just published in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical. This, in turn, could shed light on the intricate dynamics of…

Health Jennifer Ouellette

The Physics of Peacock Tail Feathers Is Even More Dazzling Than We Realized

Male peacocks shake their brilliantly-hued, long tail feathers to attract females in a courtship display known as “train-rattling.” But scientists had never closely examined the biomechanics behind this behavior—until now. A new paper in PLOS One concludes that the frequency at which those feathers vibrate can enhance this iridescent display—even as the eyespots remain almost…

Biology Jennifer Ouellette

Wikipedia Is Basically a Corporate Bureaucracy, According to a New Study

Wikipedia is a voluntary organization dedicated to the noble goal of decentralized knowledge creation. But as the community has evolved over time, it has wandered further and further from its early egalitarian ideals, according to a new paper published in the journal Future Internet. In fact, such systems usually end up looking a lot like…

Physics & Chemistry Jennifer Ouellette

Scientists Have Been Using a Flawed Method to Diagnose Pain

For many years, neuroscientists believed they had identified a specific pattern of brain activity acting as a kind of “signature” for pain in the brain. Recently this so-called “pain matrix” has been called into question, and a new study by British researchers may have shattered the myth once and for all. The pain matrix is…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Why Elk Bugles Sound Like Ringwraith Shrieks

Majestic North American elk are known for producing high-pitched, screeching calls that carry for miles, particularly during breeding season. Known as “bugling,” it sounds for all the world like the piercing shrieks of the Ringwraiths from Lord of the Rings. This has puzzled scientists, because the pitch of an animal’s call in the wild usually…

Biology Jennifer Ouellette

New Evidence Suggests That Limbs and Fins Evolved From Fish Gills

Over a century ago, scientists discarded a proposed theory that human limbs evolved from gills, given the lack of evidence in the fossil record. That theory is being revisited in light of new genetic results just published in the journal Development. Human beings inherited many features from creatures that lived hundreds of millions of years…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

The Way Cancer Cells Spread Is Even Scarier Than We Thought

Cancer cells have a terrifying-yet-ingenious way of passing through even the smallest blood vessels to spread throughout the human body, according to a new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Figuring out how to prevent them from doing so may help slow down the spread of this killer disease. Cancer spreads throughout the body—a…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Maybe Addiction Is More Like a Learning Disorder Than a Disease

When Saturday Night Live aired a skit this weekend riffing on America’s new heroin epidemic—a satirical fake ad for “Heroin A.M.” to help addicts remain productive while using—many people weren’t laughing. That’s because heroin and other powerful opiates are killing more people than ever, across all demographics. So much for the War on Drugs. Maybe…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Everyone Should Be Able To Explain Quantum Computing Like Justin Trudeau

When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau schooled a journalist on the basics of quantum computing yesterday, I was initially as charmed and delighted as everyone else. But then a niggling sense of dismay set in. Why should this be such a singular newsworthy event? How come so few of us can do what Trudeau did,…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

These Embroidered Antennas and Circuits Are Perfect for Wearable Electronics

Some day soon your favorite shirt could serve as an antenna for your smartphone. Armed with a sewing machine, fine silver wires, and a new patented fabrication technique, scientists at the Ohio State University have created embroidered antennas and circuits that seem destined to be a hot trend in so-called “e-textiles.” The high-precision circuitry is…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Why Discovering a New Particle Would Be Such a Huge Deal

When physicists at the Large Hadron Collider announced the detection of a possible, unexpected new particle last December, we advised caution, since most such hints go away when more data comes in. We won’t know for sure until this summer whether it’s real, or just random noise in the data masquerading as a signal. While…

Physics & Chemistry Jennifer Ouellette

Neuropsychologist Has a Secret Life as a Bullwhip-Cracking Stuntwoman

Indiana Jones proved just how useful a good bullwhip can be, both as a tool and as a weapon, but people are still surprised when neuropsychologist Jessica Cail tells them that one of her favorite hobbies is practicing whip-cracking. She talks about this peculiar sideline in the latest installment of the NOVA video series, Secret…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

The Brazil Nut Effect Is More Complicated Than You Think

We’ve all experienced that moment of dismay when we open a fresh can of mixed nuts, only to find loathed Brazil nuts at the top of the heap, with the tasty cashews and trusty peanuts all the way down at the bottom. It’s called the Brazil Nut Effect. There’s well-known physics behind why this happens,…

Physics & Chemistry Jennifer Ouellette

Humans Can Still Do One Thing Better Than AI

Google’s AlphaGo computer may have bested a human in four out of five matches last month, but human beings still excel when it comes to intuitive leaps in problem solving. That’s the conclusion of a new paper in Nature by Danish scientists. Blending the two approaches yields the best of both worlds—a marriage of man…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

The Best Little Brain Reader Your Money Can’t Buy (Yet)

Let’s be honest: it would be really cool to have a wearable personal brain-computer interface (BCI) that would monitor your brain waves while you do all your favorite activities. Not to mention being able to operate smart phone apps using your thoughts alone. That day is closer than you think. Meet the BrainStation—your brain interface…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

When Things Go Viral and Everybody Wins

An intrepid team of postdocs at the Santa Fe Institute pulled off a hell of a feat last week. They gleaned some useful insights into how fads, technology, and new words spread rapidly throughout the population—even faster than a deadly virus. And they did it all in just 72 hours. The research project looked at…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Now There’s Video of BB-8’s Surprise Visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab

Remember when we shared those fantastic photographs of BB-8 visiting NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab? (That’s the adorable rolling droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, for anyone who’s been living under a rock the last few months.) Now the folks at Disney have released the video footage from BB-8’s visit, whereby the plucky little droid…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette

Jennifer Ouellette

The World’s Tiniest Light-Powered Engines Could Revolutionize Medicine

Finally, An Invention That Can Tell You What Your Cat Is Really Saying

This Candidate for President Claims He’s Traveled Through Time

Bacteria Evade White Blood Cells Like Antelope Evade Hungry Tigers

The Physics of Peacock Tail Feathers Is Even More Dazzling Than We Realized

Wikipedia Is Basically a Corporate Bureaucracy, According to a New Study

Scientists Have Been Using a Flawed Method to Diagnose Pain

Why Elk Bugles Sound Like Ringwraith Shrieks

New Evidence Suggests That Limbs and Fins Evolved From Fish Gills

The Way Cancer Cells Spread Is Even Scarier Than We Thought

Maybe Addiction Is More Like a Learning Disorder Than a Disease

Everyone Should Be Able To Explain Quantum Computing Like Justin Trudeau

These Embroidered Antennas and Circuits Are Perfect for Wearable Electronics

Why Discovering a New Particle Would Be Such a Huge Deal

Neuropsychologist Has a Secret Life as a Bullwhip-Cracking Stuntwoman

The Brazil Nut Effect Is More Complicated Than You Think

Humans Can Still Do One Thing Better Than AI

The Best Little Brain Reader Your Money Can’t Buy (Yet)

When Things Go Viral and Everybody Wins

Now There’s Video of BB-8’s Surprise Visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Holds a Record Low Price as Bone Conduction Headphones Stock Quietly Clears Out on Amazon

Avast Premium Isn’t Flashy — But It Might Be the Smartest Cheap Antivirus Right Now

Data Centers Create Heat Islands Stretching 6 Miles, Study Finds

Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition Smartwatch at 41% Off Is Flying Off the Shelves on Amazon

Aragorn Is Officially Being Recast For ‘The Hunt for Gollum’

DJI Slashes $500 Off the Mini 5 Pro Fly More Drone After Avata 360 Launch, Bundled With RC 2, Batteries, and More

Artemis 2 Day 3: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

Illumination Is Officially Learning Nothing

Good News for Nintendo Switch Users, This 45W Charger With Cable Just Hits Its Lowest Price on Amazon

Apple MagSafe Duo Charger Gets 42% Off, Finally Worth It for iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch Users

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life