Science

As Renewables Boom, Companies Explore Energy Storage Technology

Renewable energy has a problem — the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine when we use electricity the most. Batteries can store energy for later, but companies are looking for cheaper alternatives. Three reporters examine technologies that employ air, salt and ice.

How Cacti Can Clean Drinking Water

NPR's Scott Simon asks engineering professor Norma Alcantar about how the innards of a cactus can filter water. She got the idea from her grandmother, who knew about its unique cleansing properties.