Technologys Child

In ancient China, an alchemist mixed an exploding medicine and accidentally invented gunpowder. Learn about the development of gunpowder and other explosives, like nitroglycerin and dynamite, in this fun feature.

Jeff and his cousin Liz are waiting to see the solar eclipse! Together, they learn about why eclipses happen and why seeing one is special. Do you know why eclipses happen? Learn how the moon and sun interact with Earth in order to create this solar spectacular!

Many inventors throughout history have built cars. Some tried powering their machines with steam, others tried modeling their designs on horse-drawn carriages, and one even found a way to make the car work on land and sea!

Can you imagine having to sit still for 30 minutes just to have your picture taken? Or having to send film away to be developed? Technology has come a long way since then! Listen to learn about photography inventions like flashbulbs, Kodak and Polaroid cameras, and more!

Kids have always had amazing ideas, like how to keep your ears warm on a cold winter day or an icy treat to enjoy on a hot summer day. Learn about four young inventors and their inventions that helped to change people's lives.

Have you ever wished you could have Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak? At some point soon, you just might be able to get one! Scientists are experimenting with a special material that bends light so the material is concealed. They still have a long way to go, but if they succeed, it could be one of the coolest inventions of the century!

Kaboom! Find out how explosions are used to demolish large buildings. Demolition experts say it's the safest way. Learn why!

Have you ever wondered how a river forms, which animals live near rivers, or where those rivers lead? Rivers are a vital part of life and the ecosystem. Rivers help transport water to humans and animals as well. It can also be used to create energy. Water from rivers can end up in many different places downstream!

Aluminum was once more valuable than gold. A breakthrough in refining aluminum from rock transformed it from rare matter to sandwich wrapper. In this science story, you'll learn how two chemists, Charles Hall and Paul Héroult, solved the problem.

Plastic was once considered the material of the future, but now it has become a nuisance that results in too much trash for the planet to handle. Learn about the durability and longevity of this 19th-century invention and hear recycling ideas from a chemist who hopes to salvage plastic's reputation.

How is lightning created? And what is thunder? What kind of weather creates the most lightning? This science story shows how lightning is like the spark from static electricity, but much bigger.

Beliefs about the shape of the earth have varied over the millennia, but the Ancient Greeks were able to observe that our planet is round and even Eratosthenes attempted to measure its size. It was not until explorers had fully charted the globe that most people were really able to comprehend its spherical shape.

For thousands of years, people have been using the engineering design process.

Off to battle? You'll want to invest in some armor! Learn about the different kinds of armor used throughout the ages in different cultures.

Are self-driving cars the way of the future? How do they work? Are they safe? Will we see them in our lifetime?

Colors can help identify healthy substances in foods, such as vitamin A in oranges.

Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. In the animal kingdom, fathers have some fascinating (and strange!) ways of helping their young. Some animal dads protect their babies. Some provide food. Some teach survival skills.

Regarded as a mechanical genius, John Joseph Merlin is sadly remembered most for a party at the Carlisle House, where he careened into the hostesses' plate glass mirror, wearing his newly invented roller skates, and playing the violin.

Our world is teeming with robots. Robotic arms build cars in factories. Military robots disarm bombs in war zones. And robot vacuum cleaners suck the dirt off our floors. But how do all of these robots work? From their computer brains to their super sensors, learn how robots are changing the world we live in.

People often see foreign objects fly across the sky. Are those objects satellites? Are they meteorites? Or is there something else in outer space? Listen to find out more about UFO sightings.