Edd Gent

Edd Gent

Live Science Contributor
Edd Gent is a British freelance science writer now living in India. His main interests are the wackier fringes of computer science, engineering, bioscience and science policy. Edd has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and International Relations and is an NCTJ qualified senior reporter. In his spare time he likes to go rock climbing and explore his newly adopted home.

Articles by: Edd Gent

Mild Cognitive Decline Brain Scans

Artificial Intelligence Could Help Catch Alzheimer's Early

By Edd Gent published

Real-Life Holodeck

Real-Life Holodeck? 'Star Trek' Tech Uses VR to Solve Global Problems

By Edd Gent published

Could an immersive virtual-reality environment like the fictional Holodeck in "Star Trek" help people tackle global problems like climate change or drug policy?

Self-Driving Car

Moral Dilemma of Self-Driving Cars: Which Lives to Save in a Crash

By Edd Gent published

Would you ride in a self-driving car that has been programmed to sacrifice its passengers to save the lives of others, in the event of a serious accident?

Drumbeg Shipwreck

Centuries-Old Shipwreck Recreated with 3D Printing

By Edd Gent published

Archaeologists in the United Kingdom are using 3D printing to bring two historical shipwrecks to life for history enthusiasts and experts alike.

Ingestible Origami Robot

Swallow This Robot: Foldable Droid Could Mend Stomachs

By Edd Gent published

Green Laser Beams

New Print-Out Lasers Are So Cheap They're Disposable

By Edd Gent published

Using inkjet printers, scientists have made laser devices cheap enough to be thrown out after a single use.

Steam

How Jet-Black Metal Converts Sunlight to Steam Power

By Edd Gent published

Electronic Skin

Ultrathin 'E-Skin' Turns Your Hand into an Electronic Display

By Edd Gent published

Your smartphone could one day be replaced by an electronic display laminated to the back of your hand, if the inventors of a new ultrathin "e-skin" have their way.

Artificial Intelligence

The Real Reason AI Won’t Take Over Anytime Soon

By Edd Gent published

Artificial intelligence has had its share of ups and downs recently.

Metal-Foam Hybrid Material

Shape-Shifting Drones Could Be Made from Metal-Foam Hybrid

By Edd Gent published

Self-propelled nanoparticles could rush to the scene of a scrape in an electronic and bridge the gap to complete the circuit again, shown here in an illustration.

Got a Scratched Gadget? Self-Propelled Particles to the Rescue

By Edd Gent published

Electronics such as solar panels and flexible gadgets may someday be able to heal their "wounds," thanks to tiny, self-propelled nanoparticles that detect and repair damage.

iPhone 5c

Apple vs. FBI: What's Really Going On?

By Edd Gent published

Apple iOS 9.3 - Night Shift Mode

Apple's 'Night Shift' Mode: How Smartphones Disrupt Sleep

By Edd Gent published

Apple's forthcoming iOS update promises to incorporate a feature called Night Shift that could help people sleep better. But what is it about smartphones that can mess with our slumber?

Millennium Falcon Battles TIE Fighters

'Star Wars' Tech: 8 Sci-Fi Inventions and Their Real-Life Counterparts

By Edd Gent published

Capturing Photons

'Plucking' Light Particles from Laser Beams Could Advance Quantum Computing

By Edd Gent published

A novel method for "plucking" individual particles of light out of a laser pulse could lead to major breakthroughs in quantum computing, researchers say.

Lightest Metal

Lightest Metal Ever Is 99.9 Percent Air

By Edd Gent published

How do you build the world’s lightest metal? Make it mainly from air, according to scientists.

RF-Capture Tech

'X-Ray Vision' Tech Uses Radio Waves to 'See' Through Walls

By Edd Gent published

"X-ray vision" that can track people's movements through walls using radio signals could be the future of smart homes, gaming and health care, researchers say.

Self-Folding Graphene Paper

Self-Folding Minirobots Possible with Origami-Inspired Graphene

By Edd Gent published

Origami-inspired graphene paper that can fold itself could be used to create anything from miniature robots to artificial muscles, according to a new study.

artwork of drones in the sky above a city

The Future of Drones: Uncertain, Promising and Pretty Awesome

By Edd Gent published

The future of drones is here, but are we ready?

Mantis Shrimp

Boxing Mantis Shrimp Prefer Flurry of Hits Over Knockout Punches

By Edd Gent published

Mantis shrimp have developed a form of ritualized combat that lets individuals compete without bludgeoning each other to death, a new study suggests.

a planaria, or flatworm

Look Out, Scientists! AI Solves 100-Year-Old Regeneration Puzzle

By Edd Gent published

An artificial intelligence (AI) system has solved a puzzle that has eluded scientists for more than 100 years: how a tiny, freshwater flatworm regenerates its body parts.

Octopus-Inspired Robotic Arm

Octopus-Inspired Robotic Arms Can Multitask During Surgery

By Edd Gent published

A robotic arm inspired by octopus tentacles could make it easier for surgeons to access hard-to-reach parts of the body.

Bird-Inspired Robotic Wings

Birds' Foldable Wings Could Inspire Nimble Drones

By Edd Gent published

A drone that mimics the way birds fold and flap their wings could improve the design of future unmanned autonomous vehicles, and could even help the machines withstand midair collisions.