Computer America

Hosted by Ben Crossman

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661

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Jun 2026

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Computer America is the nation's longest running talk show on Computers and Technology, spanning 25+ years of industry guests and analysis.

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60 recent

June 12, 202639 min

2000+ MPG Car, Fog Bacteria, Solar Breakthrough, and Age-Reversing Nasal Sprays w/ Ralph Bond

Show NotesStudent-Built Car Hits 2,145 MPG And Beats Every Production VehicleRex SanchezAutoBlog.comhttps://www.autoblog.com/news/student-built-car-hits-2145-mpg-and-beats-every-production-vehicleSee YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz84xF6tn-MBacteria Live in Fog Droplets and Clear Toxins from Earth’s AirKeith CowingAstrobiology.comhttps://astrobiology.com/2026/05/bacteria-live-in-fog-droplets-and-clear-toxins-from-earths-air.htmlSee also: https://futurism.com/science-energy/something-living-inside-fogSee research paper here: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00463-26Solar cells just did the “impossible” with this 130% breakthrough - A new “spin-flip” breakthrough could let solar panels generate more energy than they receiveKyushu UniversityScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260328024517.htmSee research paper here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c20500Scientists reverse brain aging, with a nasal spray - New therapy is turning back the clock in aging brains, healing inflammation, restoring memory and reshaping the future of brain age-related therapies.Zaid ElayyanTexas A&M Storieshttps://stories.tamu.edu/news/2026/04/14/scientists-reverse-brain-aging-with-a-nasal-spray/Scientists Create First-Ever ‘Smell Map’ - A detailed diagram of smell receptors in the nose fills in missing details of how olfaction worksCatherine CarusoHarvard School of Medicine Websitehttps://hms.harvard.edu/news/scientists-create-first-ever-smell-mapAI-powered spectrometer chip shrinks lab technology to the size of a grain of sand - Scientists built a grain-of-sand-sized AI chip that could turn future gadgets into powerful chemical and medical scanners.University of California DavisScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260525000501.htmEach atom in the universe might be uniqueK. R. CallawayScientific Americanhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/each-

June 5, 20261 hr 12 min

Nintendo Switch 2 Turns One, Nvidia Spark Silicon, and Steam Machine's Return w/ Calcopia!

Computer America Stories 06/5/2026 Happy First Birthday, Switch 2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch_2Nvidia’s RTX Spark Silicon Brings Supercomputer Ambitions to Consumer Laptops https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-in-consumer-laptops-computex-2026Steam Machine and Steam Frame are coming 'this summer' https://www.engadget.com/2187938/steam-machine-and-steam-frame-are-coming-this-summer/Behind the Movie Claiming to Be the First Straight-to-VHS Release in 20 Years — And Why It’s a ‘Middle Finger’ to AIhttps://variety.com/2026/film/global/behind-the-fstraight-to-vhs-release-in-20-years-and-why-its-a-middle-finger-to-ai-1236767661/Misc.

June 5, 202641 min

New Picosecond Spintronic Switch, California Canal Solar Project, and Plant Hearing w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 5 June 2026Researchers built a switch 1,000 times faster than today's AI chips, and it barely generates any heat - University of Tokyo's antiferromagnetic spintronic switch operates at picosecond speedsKishalaya KunduTechSpot.comhttps://www.techspot.com/news/112430-researchers-built-switch-1000-times-faster-than-today.htmlhttps://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/press/11143/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt3136?utm_source=chatgpt.comSolar [panels] on canals reduces water evaporation by 70% and algae growth by 85%Pilar Sanchez MolinaPV Magazinehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/05/04/solar-on-canals-reduces-water-evaporation-by-70-and-algae-growth-by-85/https://www.tid.org/current-projects/project-nexus/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1yAxRxRpuchttps://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/solar-panel-covered-canals-have-their-day-sun-californiahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJzOtOpYdoCan plants hear? Latest research offers new insightsGaby Clark and Andrew ZininPhys.orghttps://phys.org/news/2026-05-latest-insights.htmlhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-44444-1AI Tool in Radiotherapy Advances Global Fight to Eradicate Cervical CancerN/ABioengineering.comhttps://bioengineer.org/ai-tool-in-radiotherapy-advances-global-fight-to-eradicate-cervical-cancer/

May 29, 202634 min

Smart Rings, AI Wildfire Detection, and Extraterrestrial Agriculture w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 29 May 2026This see-through smart ring translates sign language and almost works like magicRachit AgarwalDigital Trendshttps://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/this-see-through-smart-ring-translates-sign-language-and-almost-works-like-magic/A Wireless Ring-Type Device for Sign Language TranslationScience Advanceshttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec8995This thumb ring translates sign language into textPopular Sciencehttps://www.popsci.com/technology/sign-language-translator-ring/States Across the Wildfire-Prone Western US Are Using AI for Early DetectionAssociated PressWildland Firefighterhttps://www.wildlandfirefighter.com/2026/05/04/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-using-ai-for-early-detection/Recycled human waste could turn the dust on Mars and the Moon into fertile soil for cropsEric RallsEarth.comhttps://www.earth.com/news/recycled-astronaut-waste-could-turn-moon-and-mars-soil-into-farmland-for-crops/Scientists destroy COVID and flu viruses in the lab with sound wavesDavid NieldScienceAlerthttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-destroy-covid-and-flu-viruses-in-the-lab-with-sound-wavesInactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses by high-frequency ultrasoundScientific Reportshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-37584-xSpelman Students Invent a Way for Plants to Talk with PlantGPTSpelman Collegehttps://www.spelman.edu/news/2026/05/spelman-students-invent-a-way-for-plants-to-talk-with-plantgpt.htmlSpelman College students create 'PlantGPT' AI tool to help people communicate with plantsMadeline MontgomeryCBS News Atlantahttps://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/spelman-college-plantgpt-ai-tool-people-communicate-plants/A Hemp-based Plastic Offers a Greener Alternative to Plastic PackagingUniversity of Connecticuthttps://today.uconn.edu/2026/05/a-hemp-based-plastic-offers-a-greener-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/Sugarcane waste concrete cuts CO₂ by up to 30% while boosting strengthRobert EganTech Xplore<

May 22, 202635 min

3D-Printed Brain Sensors, Internal Ultrasound Light, and Automated Neural Surgery w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes3D-printed brain sensors may unlock personalized neural monitoringTy TkacikPenn State websitehttps://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/3d-printed-brain-sensors-may-unlock-personalized-neural-monitoringResearchers use ultrasound to create light inside the bodyStanford University Reporthttps://news.stanford.edu/stories/2026/04/researchers-use-ultrasound-to-create-light-inside-the-bodyNeuralink builds surgical robot to speed up brain implant procedures for patientsMrigakshi DixitInteresting Engineeringhttps://interestingengineering.com/science/neuralink-unveils-surgical-robot-to-automate-bciMIT Laser Breakthrough Lets Scientists Watch Drugs Enter the Brain in Real TimeAdam ZeweSciTechDaily.comhttps://scitechdaily.com/mit-laser-breakthrough-lets-scientists-watch-drugs-enter-the-brain-in-real-time/Helium-3 mining on the lunar surfaceThe European Space Agencyhttps://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surfaceNo batteries, just body heat: Demonstrating the potential of battery-free sensingLisa LockTechXplore.comhttps://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-batteries-body-potential-battery-free.htmlScientists think a hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years — and they've figured out the 'recipe' to find itSascha PareLiveScience.comhttps://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/scientists-think-a-hidden-source-of-clean-energy-could-power-earth-for-170-000-years-and-theyve-figured-out-the-recipe-to-find-itEvolution Favored Genes Linked to Red Hair – And Vitamin D May Be WhyDavid NieldScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/evolution-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-vitamin-d-may-be-why

May 8, 202633 min

Shapeshifting Wings and Artificial Neurons w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 8 May 2026This 'gas battery' turns CO2 and NOx pollution into electricitySungkyunkwan UniversityTechXplore.comhttps://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-gas-battery-pollution-electricity-air.htmlhttps://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/ee/d5ee06789hHumanoid robot takes first steps on construction siteMark GloverConstruction Managementhttps://constructionmanagement.co.uk/humanoid-robot-takes-first-steps-on-construction-site/AI-controlled morphing wings take flight as DLR tests aircraftJay MenonAerospace Global Newshttps://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/dlr-ai-controlled-morphing-wings-aircraft/Scientists invent artificial neurons that 'talk' to real brain cellsMarianne GuenotLiveScience.comhttps://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/scientists-invent-artificial-neurons-that-talk-to-real-brain-cells-paving-way-to-better-brain-implantshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-026-02149-6.epdfThe next big thing in sustainable construction: Iron-fortified wood?Anthropocene Magazinehttps://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/05/the-next-big-thing-in-sustainable-construction-iron-fortified-wood/Scientists Discover an Amazing New Use for Your Leftover Coffee GroundsMichael IrvingScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-discover-an-amazing-new-use-for-your-leftover-coffee-groundsImplantable ‘living pharmacy’ produces multiple drugs inside the bodyAmanda MorrisNorthwestern Universityhttps://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2026/03/implantable-living-pharmacy-produces-multiple-drugs-inside-the-bodySound Waves Could Be Used to Remotely Reprogram Material StiffnessLiezel LabiosUC San Diego Websitehttps://today.ucsd.edu/story/sound-waves-could-be-used-to-remotely-reprogram-material-stiffness-study-showshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAIvkSN_N1c

May 1, 202630 min

Sustainable Tech: From Century-Long Plane Parts to Glow-in-the-Dark Streets w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 1 May 2026New Self-Healing Material Could Extend Life of Planes, Cars by Centuries Soo Kim Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/self-healing-material-could-extend-life-planes-cars-centuries-11833122Chinese Scientists Bioengineering Plants with Firefly Genes to Glow Frank Landymore Futurism.com https://futurism.com/science-energy/bioengineering-plants-glow-light-cities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1FAPvC123Q&t=1sScientists use AI to create ultra-strong, rust-proof steel for 3D-printed parts Christopher McFadden InterestingEngineering.com https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-creates-rust-proof-steel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMRDl64Ixq4&t=9sSmart contact lens monitors eye pressure and delivers glaucoma drugs Annalisa Merelli Statnews.com https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/08/glaucoma-smart-contact-lens-combines-monitoring-drug-delivery/ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.ads9541Low-frequency wireless sensor tracks artery stiffening in real time BioTechToday.com https://biotech-today.com/low-frequency-wireless-sensor-tracks-artery-stiffening-in-real-time-with-less-interference/A Bizarre Worm Could Teach Humans to Regenerate Darren Orf Popular Mechanics https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a69047453/stem-cell-worm-regeneration/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNQK2-XdZD0Common Vitamin May Reduce Buildup of Alzheimer's Proteins David Nield ScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/common-vitamin-may-reduce-buildup-of-alzheimers-proteins-study-findsScientists Found a Way to Grow Potatoes Under Solar Panels Now Solar

April 27, 202636 min

AI Tanks, Data Center Efficiency, and Hydrogen from Breadcrumbs w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 24 April 2026XM30 Lynx: The US Army’s New 50mm Cannon‑Powered Robot War Machine Alex Barrientos GadgetReview.com https://www.gadgetreview.com/xm30-lynx-the-us-armys-new-50mm-cannon%e2%80%91powered-robot-war-machineNew software could cut cooling energy use by 25% in data centers Ty Tkacik PennState website https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/new-software-could-cut-cooling-energy-use-25-data-centersChemists make hydrogen from breadcrumbs in groundbreaking reaction that could replace some fossil fuels Victoria Atkinson LiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/chemistry/chemists-make-hydrogen-from-breadcrumbs-in-groundbreaking-reaction-that-could-replace-some-fossil-fuelsGraphene 'scaffold' recruits bone cells and helps the body repair fractures Robert Egan Phys.org https://phys.org/news/2026-04-graphene-scaffold-bone-cells-body.htmlEco-Friendly Laser Method Turns Leather into Flexible Wearable Tech Tomorrow’s World Today https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/sustainability/eco-friendly-laser-method-turns-leather-into-flexible-wearable-tech/KAIST Develops Electrode Technology Achieving 86% Efficiency for Converting CO₂ into Plastic Precursors Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology website https://www.kaist.ac.kr/newsen/html/news/?mode=V&mng_no=60350Scientists gene hacked a plant so it grows five types of psychoactive drugs at once Victor Tangermann Futurism.com https://futurism.com/health-medicine/gene-hacked-plant-grows-five-types-psychedelic-drugsScientists Just Discovered There’s Actually Something Faster than the Speed of Light Darren Orf Popular Mechanics https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a70885429/darkness-faster-than-light/

April 17, 202636 min

3D Printed Organs, AI Blood Tests, and Bionic Touch w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 17 April 2026Researchers Develop 3D Printed Lab-Grown Ear Cartilage3DPrinting.com https://3dprinting.com/news/researchers-develop-3d-printed-lab-grown-ear-cartilage/3D Printed Ear Video ETH Zurich YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01U6KC35dKwNovel prosthetic design combines AI and 3D printing to improve fitRobert Egan MedicalXpress.comhttps://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-prosthetic-combines-ai-3d.htmlAI blood test finds silent liver disease years before symptomsJohns Hopkins MedicineScienceDaily.com https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260305223204.htmAI Liver Disease Research Paper Science Translational MedicineScience.org https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adw2603The Future of Mobility: How Advanced Robotic Prosthetics are Restoring Touch and MotionKevin Famuyiro Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/doctors-scientists/innovations/technology/story/advanced-robotic-prosthetics-surgery-sensors-bionic-limbsInside world's first hydrogen-powered cruise scheduled to set sail this yearErin Deborah WaksMSNhttps://www.msn.com/en-ae/travel/cruises/inside-world-s-first-hydrogen-powered-cruise-scheduled-to-set-sail-this-year/ar-AA1ZspvQLife May Have Started as Sticky Goo, Long Before Cells Even ExistedJess CockerillScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/life-may-have-started-as-sticky-goo-long-before-cells-even-existedBioengineered neuronal ‘circuit board’ mimics conditions of the human brainBiotech-today.comhttps://biotech-today.com/bioengineered-neuronal-circuit-board-mimics-conditions-of-the-human-brain/Chinese Scientists Create ‘Organic’ Electric Car Batteries Using PlasticNeha BhatiaGreenMatters.comhttps://www.greenmatters.com/pn/chinese-scientists-create-organic-electric-car-batteries-using-plastic-in-breakthrough-research

April 10, 202639 min

Wave Energy, Mushroom Packaging, and Robotic Skin w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 10 April 2026Scientists may have figured out how to unlock the energy of ocean waves David Nield ScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-may-have-figured-out-how-to-unlock-the-energy-of-ocean-wavesPower in Motion: Transforming Energy Harvesting with Gyroscopes University of Osaka Asia Research Newshttps://www.asiaresearchnews.com/content/power-motion-transforming-energy-harvesting-gyroscopesResearchers use fungus to create plastic-free food packaging University of Maine University of Maine Newshttps://umaine.edu/news/2026/02/researchers-use-fungus-to-create-plastic-free-food-packaging/Mushroom Packaging Video University of Maine YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be_SnPFJodoGraphene-based ‘artificial skin’ brings human-like touch closer to robots University of Cambridge University of Cambridge Researchhttps://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/graphene-based-artificial-skin-brings-human-like-touch-closer-to-robotsGraphene Artificial Skin Video University of Cambridge YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGr28Xm1bu4Artificial Skin Research Paper Nature Nanotechnology Nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-026-02508-7Scientists create cancer-fighting immune cells right in the body Sarah C.P. Williams University of California, San Franciscohttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10235-xH&M wants to make clothing from CO2 using this startup’s tech Tim De Chant TechCrunch.comhttps://techcrunch.com/2026/03/17/hm-wants-to-make-clothing-from-co2-using-this-startups-tech/Construction Robotics in 2026: 4 Workflows Where Robots Are Actually Working on Construction Site Martin Piekarz Bricks and Byteshttps://bricks-bytes.com/technology/construction-robotics-in-2026/Japan: World’s First Onshore Operation of Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Ships Begins FuelCellWorks FuelCellWorks.comhttps://fuelcellsworks.com/2026/03/30/energy-innovation/japan-world-s-first-onshore-operation-of-hydrogen-fueled-engine-for-large-ships-begins