The 50 greatest innovations of 2024

In 1988, we launched the Best of What’s New Awards. The original list highlighted “the very things that make our lives more comfortable, more rewarding, more exciting, and more fun,” to quote then-Publisher Grant A. Burnett. 

Now, in 2024, we continue our decades-old tradition of honoring big ideas. We even see hints of our original honorees in this year’s list: Sea-Doo and Ford made both lists, 36 years apart. We’re proud to bring you promising innovations—from things that make life at home easier to literal out-of-this-world explorations. This is the Best of What’s New 2024. 

Gadgets

Had you asked me at the beginning of 2024 what our best gadgets list would look like, I’d have guessed it would be filled with quirky AI-driven devices like the rabbit R1 or the Humane Ai Pin. “Now with AI” is a phrase that has dominated consumer electronics in the 2020s. These devices promised unadulterated access to the power of neural networks in ways that would seamlessly integrate into our lives without relying on phones or smart fridges. Then, the devices came out. The software is slow and buggy, and the hardware is clunky. Maybe the stand-alone AI device will still have its year, and we’ll look back and chuckle at these humble beginnings. In reality, 2024’s big breakthrough came from Apple in the form of its long-rumored Vision Pro headset. The device has its own hurdles to clear, but after just a few minutes of using it, it was clear that it’s something different, important, and honestly pretty amazing. The list also includes Sony’s innovative pro-grade camera, the most accessible drone we’ve ever used, and a no-fun phone—no fun in a good way, of course. 

Innovation of the Year

Vision Pro from Apple: A new dimension for augmented reality

Credible rumors of Apple’s VR bounced around the gadget blogs and tech sites for nearly a decade. It was consumer tech’s sasquatch in that people claimed to have seen it, but no one knew if it even existed. Then, the Vision Pro emerged from the proverbial forest in February with a surprising design and a massive $3,500 price tag. It also came toting a new R-series chip and a dedicated OS meant for spatial computing. 

From a hardware perspective, this headset offers a 23-million-pixel screen, which dishes out more than 4K quality to each eye. It’s a true AR device, so external cameras pump a real-time view of the outside world into the display. Virtual displays, AR game boards, and other digital artifacts integrate seamlessly into your view of the real world. It’s actually jarring to take the headset off and see the real world free of floating UI. There are no controllers to use, buttons to press, or other obstacles between a user and the augmented space.

While AR headsets have existed before, this one gets our award because of how much potential it shows. It’s part of Apple’s overall hardware plan. The new iPhone cameras have a specific arrangement to shoot spatial video for consumption in AR. Familiar apps can offer augmented experiences specifically meant for headsets. We expect the next version of the hardware will skip the creepy image of your eyes that shows up on the exterior screen. Still, we’re curious to see what Apple does next, because a consumer-friendly price on an experience like this could be a true game changer. 

A9 III from Sony: The first consumer mirrorless camera to eradicate wiggly images

Take a photo or video of a very fast-moving object with a typical digital camera (including the one in your smartphone), and there’s a chance you’ll notice the dreaded wobble effect. Digital camera sensors don’t capture every pixel at the same time; rather, they scan horizontal rows in sequence, which can cause fast-moving objects to look warped or distorted. Sony’s A9 III employs a global shutter, which means it fires every pixel simultaneously. As a result, it can capture images at shutter speeds up to 1/80,000th of a second, without distorting objects in the frame. The company achieves this with a newly designed stacked sensor, which means the same chip that captures the light also has computing hardware built into it. Consequently, it can operate faster than a typical camera system since everything is integrated together. The speed requires some trade-offs, like slightly noisier images when shooting in low light, but that’s a small price to pay for the fastest consumer camera on the market. 

DJI Neo: A sub-$200 drone that isn’t a toy

Most cheap drones are little more than toys. They offer lousy cameras, barebones (if any) flight sensors, laggy controls, and cheap parts. DJI’s Neo drone weighs just 135 grams (well under the limit that would require registration with the FAA before flight) and can take off from a pilot’s palm. It takes commands from a smartphone app via Wi-Fi, which makes it accessible for super-green amateur pilots, but it’s also compatible with DJI controllers for upgrading down the line. The drone can automatically track and follow a subject or perform many pre-programmed flight paths like much bigger and more expensive models. The Neo feels like a real drone and not a toy. We recommend getting extra batteries if you buy one yourself—each cell only realistically gets you 15 minutes of flight time—but this is a big deal for content creators who want to shoot aerial 4K before those brand deal dollars start pouring in.

Palma by BOOX: An e-ink phone that’s no-fun in a good way

Smartphones are too much fun. Those glowing, brightly colored screens lather our brains in dopamine, soak up our free time, and make us painfully aware of things like The Rizzler. The BOOX Palma attempts to remedy those issues with its 6.13-inch e-ink display. It’s a monochrome screen that refreshes slowly like an e-reader. It technically runs full Android but won’t allow you to doom scroll. Instead, it encourages users to navigate essential apps and information by creating simple widgets. Text looks fantastic on the 1,200 dpi screen, and it’s a great way to consume information in a much healthier way. It won’t replace your phone in all situations, but it’s great for weaning yourself off those late-night TikTok marathons. 

Snapdragon X-series chips by Qualcomm: An AI-powered brain built for Windows computers

You’re probably familiar with the big chip makers that power almost every laptop. You choose from AMD, Intel, or Apple. This year, Qualcomm introduced its Snapdragon X chip, which is meant to extend the company’s approach to mobile hardware into full-fledged PCs and powerful tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro. Both Intel and AMD split their chip’s cores into high-power and efficiency categories to balance overall performance with battery life. Qualcomm’s chips, however, designate all of their cores as “high performance.” That comes with a promise of long battery life without serious drops in performance when unplugged from a power adapter. The first generation of CoPilot PCs have largely focused on thinness and performance, but we’re hopeful this new chip will be the key to all the weird form factor Windows PCs we’ve been wishing for. 

Entertainment

Every year, we learn about new companies from brilliant people with big ideas. They come from every corner of the planet to provide us with cool innovations to write about and nerd out over. However, it’s not often that we give an award to a company that’s been around for 401 years. That’s not a typo. Our category award winner this year, Zildjian, was founded in 1623. It has an extensive archive of its historic cymbals, which played a huge role in the development of its now award-winning electronic drumset. You’ll also find a pair of TV technologies on the list from the big players, LG and Samsung. Despite being a horrible year for big blockbusters, it was a good year for TVs. Did you all see Megalopolis? Yeah, neither did we.

Grand Award Winner, Entertainment

ALCHEM-E by Zildjian: A truly hybrid electric acoustic drumset

Zildjian has been making cymbals since the 1600s, but its first foray into electronic drums made a big wave. The ALCHEM-E drum kits employ real 7-ply maple drum shells. With typical drum heads, they play just like you’d expect a high-end kit to perform. Switch to the mesh heads, however, and the kit becomes a full-fledged electronic kit controlled by a digital controller called the E-VAULT. Digital triggers reside under the mesh drumheads, providing exceptionally quick response and sensitivity. Even more impressive are the cymbals. These aren’t rubber slabs; they’re real Zildjian cymbals with scores of laser-cut holes that drastically reduce their acoustic output. Attaching the cymbal trigger makes it fully digital, allowing players to select a wide array of actual cymbal sounds meticulously sampled from the company’s extensive archive. They even sound different depending on where you hit the cymbal, so the bell produces a pronounced “ping” while the edge lets players crash away like they’re Nirvana-era Dave Grohl. This kit feels like a real drumset because it is a real drumset. 

LG Signature OLED T: A transparent OLED TV

LG largely dominates the OLED TV market, and it has for years. Throughout that reign, we’ve seen many OLED innovations from the company, including a roll-up TV. Then, it showed off an OLED TV in a suitcase at this year’s CES. Most impressive, though, is the company’s transparent TV, the Signature OLED T. While the Signature OLED T doesn’t change shape, it does transform. A layer of contrast film sits behind the OLED panel to provide a black background for when viewers want a typical TV experience. A button press, however, converts that film to full transparency by physically moving out of the way, which leaves only the lit pixels suspended on a clear (at least mostly clear) panel. In person, it looks amazing. You get a clear view of whatever’s behind the TV and a relatively bright on-screen image. Maybe next year, they’ll combine this with the suitcase TV concept to create the coolest and least practical TV ever.

Samsung S95D OLED TV: A glare-resistant surface that changes the game for OLED TVs

OLED TVs provide exceptional color and contrast, but they struggle to hit the overall brightness levels necessary for providing a good picture in a room with lots of ambient light. Even a little errant illumination can wash out a typical OLED. Samsung has applied a proprietary coating to the surface of its typically glossy TVs to create a matte finish. By essentially roughing up the screen with an invisible texture layer, the screen’s surface scatters light rather than reflecting it directly back at your eye in a singular direction (known as specular reflections). Paired with the Quantum-Dot-powered QD-OLED display, this OLED provides a great picture in rooms where other OLEDs would suffer. This is the best TV we’ve tested so far, largely thanks to that extra layer of texture.

Snap Tap by Razer: A faster way to move in PC games

If you’re not a PC gamer, this may not seem like a big deal, so you might have to ask your Valorant-playing kid about Snap Tap’s impact. With a typical keyboard setup, pressing two opposing-direction keys at the same time will cause your on-screen character to stop in their tracks. For instance, if you’re moving left and press the right key without letting up the left key, you’ll simply stop and, as a result, probably lose your game. Snap Tap registers the last input and gives it priority, so if you’re moving left and press the right key, you’ll move to the right whether you have two keys pressed down or not. Is it tedious? Perhaps. But it’s a huge deal for competitive gamers, from living room warriors to world championship competitors. The best part is that it doesn’t require a single specific keyboard to implement. Razer has added it as a feature to several boards already in its lineup.

MW75 Neuro by Master & Dynamic: Brain-tracking headphones that tell you when to take a break

When you’re cruising headphone spec sheets, you probably don’t expect to see electroencephalography on the list. More commonly known as EEG, this tech records brain activity from electrical impulses caused by firing neurons. These high-end headphones were developed as a collaboration between luxury audio company Master & Dynamic and Neurable. Each soft earcup employs dry fabric EEG sensors to monitor brain activity, which the companion smartphone app analyzes using AI. The app uses that data to suggest when wearers’ brains are working at maximum capacity. It recommends the best times to buckle down and work and, more importantly, when to take a break. This isn’t meant as a medical device, but it provides a unique and easily implemented way to improve efficiency. Even if you turn off the EEG, they’re still big headphones that will block out workplace distractions.

Aerospace

The past year in aerospace was so full of exciting developments that we had a tough time picking a final five. From the rise in sustainable and green aviation to the overall growth in public and private space innovations, 2024 has been an inflection point for the future of flight tech. The boldest breakthroughs, though, came in the form of a flying taxi powered by hydrogen, a rocket plane that can reach outer space, commercial astronauts outside their spacecraft, the potential return of supersonic air travel, and the launch of a mission to find life beyond the asteroid belt. 

Grand Award Winner, Aerospace

Hydrogen-electric VTOL air taxi by Joby: Fly from Boston to Washington without visiting an airport and with no emissions

Between the negative impact of carbon emissions and the headache of TSA lines, flying often feels like more hassle than it’s worth. But Joby Aviation’s hydrogen-powered air taxi might just be the breath of fresh (and clean) air we’ve been waiting for. By swapping out traditional batteries for a cutting-edge liquid hydrogen fuel system, Joby has supercharged the range of its electric vertical takeoff aircraft beyond its original roughly 150 miles on battery power. To prove it, they pulled off a 523-mile test flight in July, showing off what could soon redefine regional travel. As if on cue, the FAA in October introduced its first new category of civilian aircraft since the helicopter debuted in the 1940s, clearing the runway for air taxis to potentially become as common as choppers in our daily lives.

Mk-II Aurora rocket-powered aircraft by Dawn Aerospace: A rapidly reusable spacecraft

One of the biggest challenges to the commercialization of space remains relatively high launch costs. Dawn Aerospace’s Mk-II Aurora offers a solution to this problem by combining rocket-powered performance with the operational flexibility of an aircraft. Though still in the testing stages, the Aurora is designed to demonstrate rapid reusability, allowing it to complete multiple flights in one day. This is a key step toward making commercial space as accessible and efficient as commercial aviation. The Aurora’s innovative design allows it to take off from standard runways without requiring exclusive airspace, making it ideal for applications including atmospheric research, Earth observation, and microgravity experiments. As a technology demonstrator, it also serves as a foundation for development, perhaps one day proving that the sky is no longer the limit for runway-based flight.

Polaris Dawn spacewalk by SpaceX: First EVA by private astronauts

Imagine stepping out of your cozy spacecraft into the vast, uncharted expanse of space—no government agency holding your hand, just you, your crew, and the infinite cosmos. That’s precisely what the Polaris Dawn team achieved on September 12th with the first-ever commercial spacewalk. By venturing into the void without the usual safety net of governmental oversight, the Polaris Dawn mission has opened the door to a future where space isn’t just the playground of governments. Instead, it’s accessible to private enterprises and, possibly someday, everyday adventurers. The Polaris Dawn spacewalk also tested SpaceX’s new EVA suits to show that private companies can develop and deploy the technology needed for humans to survive in outer space.

X-59 Quiet Supersonic Transport by NASA and Lockheed Martin: A return to supersonic air travel 

NASA’s Quesst Mission is attempting to make sonic boom-free supersonic travel a reality with their X-59 supersonic aircraft. Traditional supersonic planes like the Concorde were notorious for their earth-shaking sonic booms, limiting their ability to fly over land. The X-59, which made its public debut in January, is designed to eliminate the boom and replace it with a soft “thump” using clever engineering like a super-streamlined body and advanced aerodynamic features. If successful, the X-59 could pave the way for the resumption of supersonic passenger flights over populated areas, cutting travel times dramatically without disturbing communities. After test flights to ensure safety in 2025, NASA plans to fly the X-59 over various US cities, gathering public feedback to help rewrite aviation regulations that currently ban overland supersonic flights. 

Europa Clipper by NASA: Searching for life’s ingredients in Jupiter’s orbit

Just launched in October, the Europa Clipper is NASA’s newest research probe. It’s set to investigate one of the solar system’s most intriguing mysteries: Does Jupiter’s icy moon Europa have what it takes to support life? Europa is theorized to have a vast, salty ocean beneath its frozen crust—an environment ripe for life as we know it. That’s where the Clipper comes in: It’s equipped with cutting-edge instruments to detect evidence of water or any potential signs of life. When it reaches Europa in 2031, the spacecraft will make dozens of flybys, capturing detailed images of the moon’s surface and analyzing plumes of water vapor thought to erupt from cracks in its icy crust. By exploring what may lie beneath Europa’s surface, the Clipper could redefine our understanding of Europa and guide future missions.

Personal Care

Plenty of personal care products—the treatments and gadgets that fill our medicine cabinets, home gyms, and vanities—promise innovation. Yet few actually deliver. Companies that craft cosmetics, supplements, fitness tools, and other wellness aids tend to go hard on buzzwords without putting in the research to make something truly new. That doesn’t mean there aren’t worthwhile, forward-thinking personal care products available, though, and this year brought some notable offerings. From high-tech sleep and activity trackers that make peak performance possible to cutting-edge hair dryers that give your scalp a break from burns, these five beauty and wellness products actually back up their big promises. 

Grand Award Winner, Personal Care

Oura Ring 4 by Oura: A wellness tracker with a slimmer profile and beefier features 

It takes a lot for an activity tracker to win a Best of What’s New Award and even more for the same brand to win twice. In 2021, we gave the Oura 3 fitness tracker a nod for its forward-thinking approach to incorporating period tracking into its smart ring app. The Oura Ring 4, which launched on October 3, is more than just a refresh. This model is notably more comfortable thanks to flatter sensors within the band. But Oura’s new Smart Sensing algorithm ensures the slimmer band is more capable than ever. 

The ring’s sensors—red and infrared LEDs for measuring blood oxygen levels, green and infrared LEDs to track heart rate and respiration, a digital thermometer, and an accelerometer—turn on and off based on your activity and your unique physiology. The result is a ring that can run for up to eight days on a single charge while improving accuracy over Oura 3. The Oura App redesign is nothing to sneeze at, either. It offers a uniquely customizable platform for turning the Oura Ring 4’s ample data into useful insights on sleep quality, recovery, stress, fitness, and fertility. With a full range of ring sizes and luxe-looking finishes, the Oura 4 ring might be the most wearable wearable we’ve ever tried. 

Custom-Jet Oral Health System by Proclaim: Finally, a true alternative to flossing

It is a truth universally acknowledged that flossing is a pain in the butt. But while using a water flosser might be better than simply brushing and calling it a night, some dentists won’t take kindly to you replacing your floss with a gadget. The Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System might be the one exception. After all, Proclaim might look like another water flosser at first glance, but it’s in a league of its own. The device features a custom-molded mouthpiece—made at a dentist’s office using a 3D scanner—that places up to 60 water jets at just the right spots to clean between your teeth and beneath your gum line. The 360-degree power wash takes just seconds. You can even swap out multiple mouthpieces on a single device, so one unit can clean a whole household’s teeth. 

Bond Shaper Curl Rebuilding Treatment by Olaplex: A quick fix for damaged curls 

In the last few years, Olaplex has become synonymous with bond repair treatments—products that promise to reform the broken links between keratin proteins that make hair frizzy, dry, and brittle. The brand’s new Bond Shaper Curl Rebuilding Treatment uses a proprietary peptide to give curls a targeted boost. The same damage that can make straight hair look rough can actually change the shape of a curl and even make it less curly. The Bond Shaper penetrates hair to rebuild curl-shaping disulfide bonds. This quick and painless salon treatment leaves curls looking bouncier and healthier, making it the first salon-strength bond repair treatment we’ve seen that doesn’t focus on making hair as smooth and sleek as possible. 

Pod 4 by Eight Sleep: Personalized bed temperatures that feel just right 

The sleep aid market is booming, but this smart mattress topper stands out. With a form factor not much thicker than a fitted sheet, the Pod 4 silently circulates water as you sleep to cool or heat you by as much as 10 degrees. It’s more efficient than blasting the heat or the AC, but that’s not all it has going for it. The topper is split into two independent zones, allowing co-sleepers to set precise microclimates for each side. The Autopilot algorithm uses data from the topper’s 36 biometric sensors to recalibrate the temperature throughout the night to maximize sleep quality. Users can also tap inconspicuous buttons on either side of the topper to adjust the temperature without opening the Eight Sleep app. 

Supersonic Nural by Dyson: An incredibly smart dryer that protects your scalp

These days, Dyson is arguably even better known for its game-changing haircare tools than its vacuums. Now, the company has turned its attention to an oft-neglected aspect of hair styling: the scalp. The Dyson Supersonic Nural offers all the power people have come to expect from the brand’s flagship hair dryer but with one high-tech upgrade. The device is packed with sensors to keep you from overheating your hair and scalp. It measures the distance between the dryer and your head with a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor—a piece of tech more often found in autonomous cars and robots that bounces light off objects and clocks how quickly the wave returns. As the dryer moves closer to hair and skin, it automatically lowers its temperature to optimize hair and scalp health without compromising drying speed. 

Auto

In 2024, all that’s shiny and new in the automotive world isn’t just electric vehicles. As the industry figures out how to shore up charging infrastructure for EVs and builds the next generation of them, other technologies are coming to light. That includes cutting-edge in-cabin technology, upgraded audio systems, and even a seat belt built for breast cancer survivors that we think is pretty darn creative. While it doesn’t have wheels, Sea-Doo’s newest racing machine is an absolute rocket on the water, capable of outrunning even hungry alligators. Rivian, Scout, Cadillac, and others have EVs in the works that we’re looking forward to seeing in the next year or two. Until then, here’s our list of automotive innovations worth talking about. 

Grand Award Winner, Auto

Nautilus by Lincoln: Finally, a technology layout that makes sense and looks good

It’s common to see a tablet-sized touchscreen in current vehicles, some better placed than others. Lincoln re-envisioned how drivers interact with and view information with a new 48-inch panoramic display that spans the entire dash. The display may be personalized by using the separate 11.1-inch touchscreen as a control center, prioritizing information most important to the driver. It’s part of a technology smorgasbord Lincoln provided as part of its comprehensive infotainment suite, including a Google platform, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Alexa, and more. Web surfing and content streaming are available while parked, with video conferencing apps coming soon. Simply put, the Nautilus is a mobile communication center with luxury seats. 

QX80 by Infiniti: An audio system worth the upgrade

After a long-awaited update, the new QX80 has an upgraded 450-hp 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged engine. That’s 50 horsepower more than the outgoing QX80 engine. But the real treat is a sweet new infotainment setup and an audio system from high-end audio company Klipsch. This is Klipsch’s first time in a full-size luxury SUV, and it seems the firm pulled out all the stops to make an impression: The top-of-the-line option includes 24 crisp speakers. When the Individual Audio setting is selected, the driver’s headrest speaker funnels navigation directions, music, or phone calls directly to them while passengers continue listening to music or napping quietly. It’s also a good way for a Gen X parent to listen to their playlist without the Gen Z kids in the back complaining about the song selections. 

RXP-X by Sea-Doo: A water-carving machine that shatters records

Sea-Doo calls its latest personal watercraft, the RXP-X, “a superbike on the water.” It delivers on that promise with a brand-new engine bringing 325-hp and a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds to the party. It’s blisteringly fast and boasts an incredibly tight turning radius with impressive stability. Starting with the 1630-cc Rotax ACE 1630 platform, Sea-Doo re-envisioned the engine components with a redesigned intake system, a new planetary-driven turbo booster, an updated engine control module, and a cutting-edge fuel pump system. Those stats all fade to black when on the watercraft. With a top speed exceeding 70 miles per hour, the RXP-X is as ready for buoy racing as a thoroughbred is to exit the paddock. 

Toyota Tacoma Bluetooth speaker by JBL: Solid state batteries in action

Toyota presented an all-new Tacoma this year, with a refreshed shape and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Powering those endorphins inside the cabin is a 10-speaker JBL audio system with a removable Bluetooth speaker. The portable speaker is a novelty by itself, as the audio system works with or without it in place. The real twist, though, is the solid state battery inside. As such, the speaker is less susceptible to degradation from heat blazing in through the windshield. After all, solid state batteries are lighter, denser, safer, and less likely to leak than a typical lithium-ion battery. 

SupportBelt by Ford: Engineered compassion for breast cancer survivors

Breast cancer patients who undergo mastectomies suffer from pain from open wounds, scars, and swelling. Wearing a seat belt adds additional discomfort for the 100,000 or so people every year in America who undergo a mastectomy. In response to this, Ford developed the SupportBelt, a contoured pad that attaches to a standard seat belt to relieve pressure and tenderness around the chest. Made with soft, recycled suede-like material and a simple hook-and-eye fastening system, the belt attachment is a thoughtful innovation. Kudos to Ford for offering it as a free accessory through its merchandise site. 

Engineering

To keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, we need to cut emissions in half by 2035—even as we will likely hit another record for burning fossil fuels this year. Still, the brilliant engineering demonstrated in this year’s winning projects provides hope that we can rise to the challenge. A new kind of thermal battery will allow us to decarbonize the heat that powers the industrial processes behind everything from cement to chemicals. Newly inexpensive lasers are helping turn ore into pure iron for steelmaking using renewable electricity. Food challenges have generated different types of innovation: Instead of hauling agricultural waste to decompose in the dump, why not create a harvester-style robot that can process it into carbon-sequestering, soil-enriching biochar? To fight pests, a technique called mRNA interference allows bioengineers to create a precision poison for a particularly troublesome beetle. The most miraculous achievement in food this year may be an AI-formulated vegan cheese that is actually delicious.

Grand Award Winner, Engineering

Joule Hive “firebrick” thermal battery by Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS): A cleaner 21st-century firebrick

Though wind and solar costs are falling, battery costs remain a lingering roadblock to decarbonizing the economy. After all, the sun is not always shining, and the wind is not always blowing. This issue is particularly problematic for heavy industries like cement, steel, glass, and chemical production, which require very high temperatures and typically keep furnaces running 24/7. Burning fossil fuels to produce heat for heavy industry accounts for about 17% of the world’s CO2 emissions.

An impressive solution to this problem is the Joule Hive, a 21st-century application of a technology that dates back to the Bronze Age: firebricks, which store heat in insulated structures. The Joule Hive uses clean electricity to maintain temperatures as high as 3,270 degrees Fahrenheit in a shipping container-sized box full of hot ceramic bricks. Channels in the box dole out heat to factory processes via a cold air stream, which the Joule Hive heats up to near-flame temperatures. Nearly ten years of research at MIT resulted in tweaking metal oxides to perform as the Joule Hive firebricks. These bricks consist of certain compounds that are electrically conductive interspersed with others that provide insulation to contain the heat. 

Unlike your old toaster, in which electricity combines with oxidation from the air to eventually burn out the heating element, the Joule Hive firebricks are already oxidized. This high-tech take on ancient technology lets the Joule Hive reach higher temperatures and requires less maintenance than competitors. A recent Stanford study found that if deployed widely around the world, firebricks heated via renewable electricity could eliminate 90% of the fossil fuels heavy industry burns for heat. For its first commercial-scale installation, ETS will deploy a Joule Hive at San Antonio’s Southwest Research Institute in 2025.

Mobile biochar farm robot by Applied Carbon: Gathering agricultural waste and turning it into biochar in the field

Nine of the ten companies that have removed the most carbon from the environment use modern versions of an ancient method known as biochar. Heating wood scraps or particularly dense agricultural waste like nutshells in oxygen-deprived environments—a process called pyrolysis—turns the biomass into black carbon, also called biochar, that bacteria and fungi cannot further decompose. But there’s a scale-up problem: There simply isn’t enough dense wood waste to sequester billions of tons of carbon.

Applied Carbon’s breakthrough was to develop a new pyrolyzing chamber that can handle the prodigious waste left after corn, wheat, and sugar harvests, even though the piles of stalks, husks, and leaves are not very dense. The Applied Carbon robot pyrolizes the waste in the field, producing synthesis gas as a helpful co-product that the robot scrubs and then burns to help maintain temperatures over 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit in the chamber. Making the biochar in the same field where it will be deposited saves additional emissions and costs of driving the material to a central facility and back. Over the summer, the company deployed four robots into corn fields in the Texas panhandle to process the waste into biochar and sell carbon credits. 

In the long term, the company plans to sell or lease larger versions of the robots, estimating that waste from the world’s row plants can sequester roughly 2 billion tons of CO2 as biochar each year. Co-founder Jason Aramburu half-jokingly likens his future vehicles to the Jawa crawlers from Star Wars—ones that scavenge for stalks and corncobs instead of dead robots.

Calantha by GreenLight Biosciences: Precision biopesticide using messenger RNA interference

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most rapacious and pesticide-resistant bugs, feasting on tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, and, of course, spuds. The bug has developed resistance to dozens of chemicals and causes about $500 million in annual crop damage worldwide. Rather than escalate the arms race of stronger and higher-dose chemicals to kill it, Calantha, created by GreenLight Biosciences, is a precision poison guided to interfere with the reproduction of crucial proteins in the beetle’s body.  The precision-targeted pesticide is highly effective. Even better, the researchers at GreenLight Biosciences combed through bioinformatic databases to find just the right gene to disrupt to avoid collateral damage to honeybees and other harmless species.

An application of work that won the Nobel Prize in 2006, Calantha consists of double-stranded RNA that farmers can “drop in” to conventional sprayers, like a typical pesticide. The beetle ingests the RNA, triggering interference by binding to messenger RNA instructions for a gene called PSMB5, which is critical for the elimination of damaged proteins. These mRNAs are then targeted for degradation in the gut cells of the beetle, causing damaged proteins to build up to fatal levels in the insect.

Despite its success, Calantha is not immune to the threat of beetles evolving an immunity, so GreenLight recommends that farmers rotate Calantha with conventional pesticides. Still, the company is betting that any technology that reduces chemical use will be a major driver of consumer acceptance. Calantha has sold out its first two batches and now has taken over 10% of the market for potato beetle pesticide. 

Vegan cheese by Climax Foods: Plant-based blue, brie, and feta cheeses formulated by AI

Cheese has a worse greenhouse gas footprint than pork or chicken, but until now, vegan makers haven’t been able to crack the code for flavor, texture, and overall deliciousness. To tackle this, California-based Climax Foods built a training set of metrics for cheese characteristics such as scent and stretchability. Then, they used AI and educated guesswork by cheesemakers to develop plant-based formulations that hit the same benchmarks as dairy cheese. 

Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn said the resulting blue cheese, with top ingredients of pumpkin seeds, hemp protein powder, lima beans, and coconut oil, is “beyond imagination for a vegan cheese.” Climax became the first ever vegan cheesemaker to win a prestigious Good Food award—though dairy complaints caused the prize to be rescinded at the last minute, with shades of the protectionist, legal skulduggery faced by non-dairy milk products.  

For now, Climax is trying to scale up to capitalize on the good press, though it has faced furloughs while seeking additional investment “runway.” The company has a licensing agreement with the “Laughing Cow” maker Bel Group and a second, still-unnamed producer. In the meantime, the blue cheese is available online and at select restaurants in California, New York City, and Las Vegas. 

Laser furnace by Limelight Steel: Laser processing of iron ore for steel with 95% fewer emissions

In 1985, a 1-watt laser cost about $1 million. Today, a laser of that same size costs just $1. Oakland-based Limelight Steel is capitalizing on this “Moore’s Law of lasers” to re-invent iron ore processing for steel to reduce emissions. After all, 75% of the world’s steelmaking industry still uses coal-fired blast furnaces, and the industry as a whole accounts for about 8% of global emissions. The Limelight Steel process directs laser light via mirrors and lenses onto the surface of ore, raising it to temperatures above 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The proprietary set of conditions created by the lasers breaks the bonds between iron and oxygen in the ore without needing carbon or expensive green hydrogen to act like a bouncer that carries the unwanted oxygen away. Limelight then follows standard steelmaking techniques to create a slag of impurities at the top of the brew, allowing dense pure iron to flow out through a channel below. Finally, steelmakers alloy the pure iron with small amounts of carbon and other elements to make different grades of steel. 

CTO and co-founder Andy Zhao says the lasers approach 70-80% efficiency in converting electricity into light energy. When powered by renewable electricity, the process produces 95% fewer emissions than traditional steelmaking. Having used a $2.9 million grant from ARPA-E to demonstrate proof of concept, Limelight is now planning a pilot-scale plant in 2025 capable of producing 100 tons annually.

Sports & Outdoors

Moving your body is for everyone, regardless of experience level, skill, or location. This year’s Best of What’s New innovations make getting outside and active easier in many ways. A tightly woven shirt stops itchy mosquito bites sans chemicals. An electric fishing reel cuts the cord and ditches heavy batteries once and for all. An app combines avalanche education with hard-to-find reports for safer snowshoeing and skiing. A waterproof jacket uses a battery membrane to maintain its breathability and waterproofing. An exercise bike with cutting-edge technology takes the experience of a peaceful ride and brings it inside. Overall, the best sports and outdoor innovations take the “rough” out of “roughing it.”

Grand Award Winner, Sports and Outdoors

HoloBike by Saga: A relaxing yet immersive bike ride in your house

“Riding a bike outdoors” and “riding a bike at the gym” are vastly different experiences. One feels immersive and relaxing; the other can feel tortuous and monotonous. Samuel Matson, the founder of Saga and a former Google VR designer, noticed that same dichotomy after returning from a sabbatical during the pandemic, which he spent cycling in the Andes Mountains in Colombia. Wearing a bulky VR headset isn’t ideal for a cycling workout, though. Instead, the HoloBike forgoes a wearable headset for a lenticular-inspired, high-resolution screen that utilizes optic flow, the same phenomenon that is the basis for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Eye-tracking cameras adjust the scene based on where you’re looking for an immersive experience. The 3D environments are made using AI-powered scans of real trails and resemble an open-world video game. Best of all, the HoloBike has roughly the same footprint as a Peloton, meaning it won’t take up too much space in your house. It’s currently available for pre-order online.

Mosquito Protection Technology by Royal Robbins: A chemical-free way to stop mosquitoes

There are a few ways to prevent mosquito bites in the woods effectively. Almost all of them require chemicals, from DEET in bug spray to pyrethrin-treated clothing, that wash away and potentially enter the water system—all except Royal Robbins’ Mosquito Protection Technology (MPT). MPT uses an incredibly tight weave that prevents mosquitoes from getting their proboscis through without sacrificing breathability. The fabric is also made to resist deforming, meaning a spin through the washing machine won’t affect protection. It’s set to launch in spring 2025. 

Fathom Electric Reel by Penn: Bye-bye, cords

Electric reels for sea fishing are typically powered by a cord plugged into a power source. If you’ve been on a boat, you know that “wet surface” and “thing that can be tripped on” don’t mix. The Fathom Electric reel ditches those cords for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Despite the battery, the reels are impressively lightweight at 60, 71, and 84 ounces, depending on size. The reel also has bonus features like an easy-to-use LED display with customizable settings.

Aspect Avy App: Avalanche safety made simple

According to FEMA, an average of 28 people die in avalanches every winter in the United States. Getting accurate avalanche data involves lots of research, and reports are typically written for professionals. Even the most advanced professional guide makes assumptions when looking at avalanche data. The Aspect Avy app combines historical data, live data from the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale, “avalanche problems,” and LiDAR mapping to give those visiting or living in snow country an accurate, dynamic view of daily conditions. The app’s “go” and “no’go” slope categorizations make it easier to understand reports and make safe decisions in the mountains. They also keep winter explorers out of the runout zone if an avalanche is likely to occur above them. 

M10 collection by Patagonia: A waterproof jacket made with battery membranes

Starting in 2025, several states including New York and California will ban the sale of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in apparel. Other states are set to follow in the years after. PFAS has been integral to waterproofing—and can be found in other components like zippers and webbing—yet they’re forever chemicals, and harmful to the environment. Patagonia’s built-from-the-ground-up M10 collection is an indication of what’s to come in the textile space. The waterproof membrane is borrowed from the car battery industry, which uses mechanically made nanoporous membranes to separate ions. In the M10, these consistent-sized pores keep rain and snow out without PFAS but let heat and sweat escape even better than the rain jackets and ski shells we’re used to. 

Home

We’re big fans of staying home here at Popular Science. That’s why we truly appreciate any innovation that improves our living space. As home tech progresses, we have more and more access to in-home experiences that used to require going out. Our category award winner, GE’s Profile Indoor Pellet Smoker, cooks true low-and-slow barbecue in your kitchen without asphyxiating everyone in the house. Have you recently checked the price of a brisket plate at your local BBQ joint? Brutal. Weber’s Slate griddle also provides a game-changing cooking experience. EcoFlow’s new solar generator system can back up your whole home, and DeWalt’s new battery-powered power tools are tougher than concrete—literally.

Grand Award Winner, Home

Profile Smart Indoor Pellet Smoker by GE: The first legitimate smoker that works in your kitchen

The Profile Smart Indoor Pellet Smoker by GE is the best kitchen gadget we tested this year by far, thanks to its clever design that allows for true indoor smoking for the first time. This countertop device employs two heating elements. One provides the heat that cooks the food. The other burns wood pellets, just like the ones required for an outdoor smoker. As the pellets burn, fans pump flavorful smoke into the cooking chamber. Once it has passed over the food, it’s drawn into the back wall, which contains a filtration system that works similarly to a catalytic converter in a car. The conversion process draws the particles out of the smoke and ejects it as simple, harmless hot air. The results are truly impressive, even for barbecue snobs like us. It’s quick, effective, and easy to clean. Never settle for crock pot pulled pork ever again.

Slate Rust-Resistant Griddle by Weber: A flat-top that won’t deteriorate

Flat-top griddles are perfect for cooking anything from burgers to pancakes, but they’re prone to rusting. That’s a tough sell when these cookers are meant to be kept outside. Weber designed its new Slate Griddle to resist the scourge of moisture. It’s built with carbon steel that is hardened under extremely hot temperatures. That bonds the griddle’s surface, preventing moisture from gathering on it and rust from forming. That makes them considerably more durable than the typical cold-rolled steel used in similar setups. Plus, the extra-hard surface can stand up to endless scraping and chopping with metal utensils, so feel free to get your Benihana chef impression just right.

Visage Zeno by Lockly: A smart lock that sees you coming

Apps, number pads, and fingerprint sensors have made house keys feel antiquated for years, but this is the first time facial recognition has shown up in a smart lock designed for home use. Two infrared sensors see your face as you approach the door and unlock the deadbolt without you needing to touch anything. The device stores all facial recognition information onboard, so it doesn’t need to send your data to a server to work. The whole facial unlock process takes roughly one second and happens seamlessly, which you’ll especially appreciate when you have an arm full of groceries. Of course, it also connects to a companion app and includes an advanced fingerprint sensor if you don’t want to open the door with your face.

DELTA Pro 3 by EcoFlow: A portable battery-powered generator that can power a whole home

Gas-powered generators are expensive, loud, and pricey to run. They’re also typically hard-wired into the house, meaning they aren’t very useful when you need to move around. EcoFlow’s massive DELTA Pro 3 solar generator packs a built-in 4kWh battery inside, but it’s expandable all the way up to 48kWh with additional battery packs. Fully maxed out, that’s about as much power storage as you’d get from a small electric car like the Nissan Leaf. It has wheels and a handle, so it’s relatively easy to move around despite its 113-pound weight. You can easily hook it up to an RV or home as an emergency generator. The generator connects via a home panel, an inlet box, or a manual transfer switch, so it’s extremely versatile and could even help a neighbor in need during an emergency. 

POWERSHIFT by DeWalt: Battery-powered tools that are literally tougher than concrete

You may never need to use a core drill or a plate compactor during your simple home repair projects, but they’re common tools in the construction industry. Unfortunately, they typically still rely on gas or power from a cord due to their huge power requirements. DeWalt’s new POWERSHIFT tools, however, rely on rechargeable cells to get the job done. DeWalt claims the switch to battery power cuts carbon emissions from these burly tools by more than half. Despite their efficiency, they’re rugged enough to do the job; the 554WH battery pack can deliver up to seven horsepower. The collection currently offers six tools with plans to expand. 

Emergency Services

Technology’s role in improving emergency services expanded dramatically in 2024, as cutting-edge innovations have been applied to real-world and life-saving applications. Whether it’s medical alert technology with extended connectivity or a satellite fire detection system with enhanced detection capabilities, novel solutions are being deployed to address safety threats. As climate change continues to alter our world and natural disasters become potentially more dangerous, the need for improvements and new ideas like the ones we’ve selected here will only increase.

Grand Award Winner, Emergency Services

FireSat wildfire detection system by Google Research: Spotting fires from space before they get out of control

With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires, early detection has become critical to saving lives, ecosystems, and property. Through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Google Research has developed FireSat to use an array of advanced infrared sensors onboard satellites to spot fires as small as a classroom, day or night, anywhere on Earth. This technology will hopefully enable rapid alerts to first responders, often within minutes, giving them a critical edge. By mapping fire spread and behavior in real time, FireSat also supports smarter evacuation planning and resource allocation. Beyond emergencies, FireSat’s data aids scientists who study climate impacts, forest management, and fire ecology. It’s a prime example of how space-based technology can tackle on-Earth problems.

C-THRU visual communication platform by Qwake: A heads-up display for emergency responders

The C-THRU visual communication and personal navigation platform promises enhanced situational awareness for first responders, particularly firefighters. Navigating smoke-filled environments can be disorienting and dangerous, but C-THRU tackles this challenge using advanced augmented reality (AR) technology. Equipped with a helmet-mounted display, the platform uses thermal imaging and AI-driven navigation to provide clear visual overlays in low-visibility conditions. Firefighters can effectively see through smoke, identify structural layouts, and detect heat sources like trapped individuals or fire hotspots. This reduces reliance on guesswork, speeding up rescue operations and minimizing risks. C-THRU also facilitates hands-free communication by combining real-time data, navigation support, and enhanced communication with incident commanders. 

C2SMARTER Digital Twin AI model by New York University and FDNY: Modeling the disaster response of the future

The partnership between the C2SMARTER Digital Twin AI platform and the New York Fire Department could be a visionary step toward smarter and safer emergency response. By creating a “Traffic Digital Twin” of parts of New York City, this collaboration provides FDNY with a dynamic, real-time simulation of the city’s infrastructure, traffic patterns, and building layouts. Since every second counts in emergencies like fires or natural disasters, the C2SMARTER platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze evolving scenarios, such as blocked streets, helping first responders plan faster and safer routes. This blend of AI and on-the-ground expertise shows technology’s potential to save lives and strengthen community resilience.

MGMini Medical Alert Necklace System by Medical Guardian: Medical monitoring even in remote locations

The MGMini Medical Alert Necklace System for seniors is the first medical alert device to use eSIM technology, making it a breakthrough in personal safety and healthcare access. Unlike traditional medical alert systems tied to a single carrier, the MGMini dynamically switches among service providers, ensuring reliable 24/7 connectivity, even in areas with weak cell signals. This technology can be a game-changer for seniors living in rural or underserved areas where coverage gaps can delay critical emergency responses. The MGMini also provides peace of mind with real-time GPS tracking, fall detection, and instant SOS feature standard to products in this category. 

Prolonged Casualty Care Pro Female Simulators by Operative Experience: Saving lives with anatomical accuracy

The Prolonged Casualty Care Pro Female manikin-style simulator addresses a longstanding gap in the realism and inclusivity of emergency care simulations. Traditionally, medical manikins have been gender-neutral or male-focused, leaving critical aspects of female anatomy unrepresented. U.S. military researchers have found that women who suffered abdominal and chest wounds survived at much lower rates than men, chiefly because first responders had little training experience with women and hesitated in emergency scenarios. Operative Experience’s new female manikins include realistic tissue responses and bleeding simulations, enabling hands-on practice in high-stakes scenarios. The new simulators are the first to be used by the U.S. Army and were deployed to 23 Army Medical Simulation Training Centers in September.

Health

Colonoscopies are a powerful tool in the fight against colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Yet some 30 percent of eligible adults are not up to date on recommended screenings, according to the National Cancer Institute. That’s what makes Shield by Guardant Health, a simpler alternative to the traditional and more invasive colonoscopy, such a game-changer. . With Medicare coverage in place and private insurers to follow, it’s set to reach millions. 

That impact is why Popular Science chose it as the 2024 Health category winner This year’s list also includes pig-to-human kidney transplants, a needle-free solution for severe allergic reactions, an inflatable bike helmet, and a new use for period blood. 

Grand Award Winner, Health

Shield by Guardant Health: A new option for colon cancer screening   

The American Cancer Society recommends regular colonoscopies for those with average risk for colon cancer starting at age 45. But prepping for a colonoscopy, including guzzling that nasty laxative solution, is no fun—and one reason why people avoid the procedure. By contrast, all Shield requires is a simple blood test; it’s used to hunt for signs of colon cancer in the bloodstream— such as specific kinds of DNA that could signal a tumor or precancerous growth—and flag the need for a colonoscopy.

The FDA approved Shield in 2024 after a study of nearly 8,000 people found the test uncovered colorectal cancers in about 83% of participants whose cancer was also diagnosed via colonoscopy. It’s less effective for precancerous growths, finding just 13.2%. 

Another FDA-approved colon cancer screening requires stool samples to be collected at home and mailed in. However, research shows that many people who use stool tests don’t follow up on a positive result by getting a colonoscopy. Likewise, with the Shield test, it remains critical that individuals follow up on a positive result by getting a colonoscopy. 

Pig-to-human transplants at Mass General and NYU Langone Health: A groundbreaking source for much-needed organs

An average of 17 people die every day awaiting an organ transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. However, a new source of organs is emerging from a surprising place: pigs. In 2024, doctors transplanted pig kidneys genetically edited to make them more suitable for humans into a 62-year-old male patient at Massachusetts General Hospital and a 54-year-old female patient at NYU Langone Health; she also received a pig’s thymus gland to reduce the likelihood of rejection. Both patients, who were already critically ill, have died. But experts say these groundbreaking transplants represent a crucial step forward, offering a potential solution for the dire shortage of human donor organs. 

neffy by ARS Pharmaceuticals: A needle-free treatment for severe allergic reactions 

Needles are no longer the only way to swiftly deliver life-saving epinephrine to people suffering from anaphylaxis or other severe allergic reactions to food, medicine, insect stings, or other allergens. Enter neffy, an FDA-approved emergency nasal spray for kids and adults who weigh 66 pounds or more. Neffy, which some commercial insurance plans cover, is the first alternative to epinephrine auto-injectors like EpiPen, offering an innovative solution for allergy sufferers who hate needles and may have delayed treatment because of it. It’s important to remember, though, that experts still recommend an ER visit for close monitoring after treatment for anaphylaxis, with neffy or an auto-injector. 

aH-1 bike helmet from Ventete: An inflatable bike helmet

Whether you’re a bike commuter or a weekend rider, lugging around a clunky helmet can be a drag. But not donning one comes with serious risks. More than 60% of the nearly 1,100 bicyclists killed in the U.S. in 2022 weren’t wearing a helmet, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The sleek Ventete aH-1 might convince more people to put one on. The inflatable helmet, now only available in the UK and across Europe, can easily slip into a bag when not in use. When deflated, it requires less space than a laptop. It comes with a USB-C rechargeable pump, which inflates it in about 30 seconds. Most importantly, it’s proven to protect our noggins, meeting rigorous safety standards in the UK and EU.

Q-Pad by Qvin: A new use for period blood

For the millions who menstruate, getting vital health information just got a lot easier. Instead of going to the doctor for a blood sugar test, they only need to wear a Q-Pad by Qvin during their period. The Q-Pad collects a sample of menstrual blood on a removable strip, which users then send to an approved lab for testing. Qvin delivers results via email or its app. The test, which retails for $29, is currently cleared by the FDA to measure average blood sugar (hemoglobin A1c) levels for diabetes management. More tests are in development, including for thyroid health, inflammation, fertility, perimenopause, and HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer.

BOWN 2024 Credits:

Package Leads: Annie Colbert and Stan Horaczek

Editors, writers, and researchers: John Alexander, Berne Broudy, Annie Colbert, Rachel Feltman, Abby Ferguson, Alan Haburchak, Sarah Hall, Stan Horaczek, Cole Paxton, Amanda Reed, Andrew Rosenblum, Kristin Shaw

Fact checker: Alex Schwartz

Art Director: Tag Hartman-Simkins

 

Win the Holidays with PopSci’s Gift Guides

Shopping for, well, anyone? The PopSci team’s holiday gift recommendations mean you’ll never need to buy another last-minute gift card.