Smart Takes

Archive: 06-2011

• Plan for Los Angeles aims to expand transit, cut pollution

  An extraordinary vision for sustainable transportation in Los Angeles ties together public transit, employment, quality of life and pollution concerns. Will it work?

  June 17, 2011, 7:23 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• How 3M thinks about, structures R&D

  3M this week shed some light on its research and development playbook as it aims to lift the company’s ability to grow revenue.

  June 17, 2011, 2:31 AM PDT | By Larry Dignan

• What we’re reading: Toyota Prius v test drive

  What we’re reading: Toyota Prius v test drive; Tappan Zee crumbles; Amtrak competition; tech for the classroom; entrepreneurial designers.

  June 16, 2011, 12:54 PM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• NASA’s Messenger spacecraft uncovers more Mercury details

  NASA’s Messenger spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mercury since March 18, is delivering key data points about the planet, its surface and particles in the atmosphere.

  June 16, 2011, 11:24 AM PDT | By Larry Dignan

• Why green car subsidies won’t work

  Subsidies to encourage adoption of alternative fuel vehicles won’t reduce carbon emissions. Is it time to rethink our approach to sustainable living?

  June 16, 2011, 9:52 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• To spark office communication, drawing lines between desks

  To combat a lack of communication in an open-plan office, one artist illustrated paths to colleagues — literally, on the floor, in pink tape. Will it work?

  June 16, 2011, 9:28 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• Should we be allowed to choose our kids’ genes?

  Genetic engineering advancements mean that we may soon be able to choose our children’s genes. To what to degree is it ethical? And does it really matter?

  June 16, 2011, 8:36 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• Quebec to roll out Canada’s first public EV charging network

  Quebec is moving to deploy Canada’s first public electric vehicle charging network by 2012.

  June 16, 2011, 7:24 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• Why innovation matters

  In honor of IBM’s 100th birthday, we spoke to the company’s VP of Innovation about what it takes to foster R&D in a public multinational corporation and why IBM has managed to do...

  June 16, 2011, 2:30 AM PDT | By Andrew Nusca

• Carnegie Mellon, Astrobotic complete assembly phase in chase for Google’s Lunar X-Prize

  Carnegie Mellon and Astrobotic Technology said they have completed the structural assembly of the lunar landing craft that aims to be the first private sector robot to the moon in 2014.

  June 15, 2011, 2:07 PM PDT | By Larry Dignan