Tony Ryan

Have you ever heard of the Ig Nobel Prizes? Hilarious! They were originally established back in 1991 as a parody of the Nobel Prizes. They set out to nominate global achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them…

Imagine an electric vehicle battery that could last for 90 years without recharging. The batteries are reconstructed from nuclear waste (depending on how you view this, it's a blessing that it at least puts the waste to some use. Or…

Did you know that it can take up to 20 000 litres of water to produce a single kilogram of cotton? Here's a part-solution. A team of London students have determined how fabrics can be made from a salt-tolerant plant…

Here's one of the great secrets to (almost) sounding intelligent. Learn how to ask worthwhile questions. This article features 200 for you. That will be enough to get you through your next conversation.

I love the thinking behind this little device. It's called a Solar Buddy. And what's it for? Well... the intention is to relieve what is called 'energy poverty' in less advantaged countries. The group behind this project intend to gift…

I've always loved the work of the X-Prize Foundation. They find benefactors who are prepared to offer a large incentive for developing all-new ideas. Here's one of their latest: A competition for 18- to 25-year-olds to reimagine protective face masks.…

Here's a clever US political fund-raiser from a group of Democrats and other organisations. It's called Defeat by Tweet, and it uses President Trump's Twitter habit to raise funds for his opponents. Users can pledge between 1c and 10c for…

Highly visual icons are a language all by themselves. This innovative line of clothing features shirts that display 39 icons. When you (again) travel, they will help you to ask for things such as restrooms, hospitals, bus stops.