Science and Technology
Biometric Technology Comes to Birmingham Airport
Air travelers flying out of Birmingham can now identify themselves with the touch of a finger or an eye scan. Officials at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Thursday unveiled new biometric technology from the company CLEAR.
Energy Storage Research Center Opens in Birmingham
Energy officials from around the country gathered in Birmingham Tuesday to mark the opening of the Energy Storage Research Center. They say the facility has big implications for the future of renewable power.
Birmingham PD Adds High-Tech Tools To Its Crime-Fighting Arsenal
The Birmingham Police Department will soon have two new high-tech crime-fighting tools at its disposal.
What We Know About CBD
CBD or cannabidiol seems to be everywhere. It's derived from cannabis, and proponents say it can help with conditions from epilepsy to anxiety to pain. But is there evidence for that?
Companies Look to Apprenticeships to Help Fill Jobs
Companies hiring for more technical occupations at Birmingham-area factories and plants often struggle. Now more employers are building their own pipeline through apprenticeships.
Building Mobile Homes to Withstand Tornadoes
One benefit of mobile homes is they tend to be relatively affordable. But these structures can be especially vulnerable during severe weather. Many of the 23 people died in last week's tornado in Lee County lived in mobile homes. Auburn University civil engineering professor David Roueche grew up in one and he wants to make them safer.
Alabama Can Expect Days of Rain, Potential Flooding
Rain is forecast for Alabama this week. A lot of rain. On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch through Friday morning for roughly north of Interstate 59/20. That area could see up to 6 inches of rain this week.
Birmingham Addresses the Jobs Gap
Birmingham has a workforce problem. Recent reports project thousands of future jobs, especially in information technology, but many potential candidates don’t have the skills to do to do the work.
This Weekend’s Super Blood Wolf Moon … or Something Like That
Alabamians, along with millions in many parts of the world, are getting ready for a show Sunday night. There will be a total lunar eclipse. Some call it a ‘super blood wolf moon.’
Comet Passing is “Space Mission in Reverse”
There is plenty of activity in the night sky this weekend. In addition to the Geminid meteor shower, one of the brightest comets of the year will pass overhead.
Ready, Set, Action: Birmingham’s Become a Film-Making Destination That Brings Jobs, Millions of Dollars to Economy
The Magic City is not quite Hollywood, yet. But Birmingham’s economy is getting a show business-sized boost with millions of film dollars flowing into the local economy. The city’s Red Mountain substituted for the Hollywood Hills, wearing the famous HOLLYWOOD sign in “Bigger,” one of dozens of films made in metro Birmingham in recent years.
UAB Study Calls for Better Tracking of Spectator Injuries
Most people do not expect to go to a baseball game or a NASCAR race and leave in an ambulance, but it happens. Now, a group of UAB researchers says sports officials need to keep better track of it.
Alabama Author Wants People to Take a “Fresh Look at Roadkill”
Why did the chicken cross the road? What about the armadillo? One Alabama writer says we have the answers. We just have to take a deeper look -- at roadkill. The author of a new children's book, Something Rotten, A Fresh Look at Roadkill, takes an up-close look at dead animals on the road. There's apparently a lot to learn from these flattened critters on the pavement.
UAB Partners with Facebook to Fight Online Drug Sales
Computer forensics researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently partnered with Facebook on an initiative that could ultimately curb drug sales and drug-seeking behavior on the platform.
Facebook, Twitter, Other Social Media Play Roles in Elections. But Handshakes Remain a Factor Too
Recently, Alabama’s Republican secretary of state, John Merrill, got into a Twitter spat with Mallory Hagan, a Democrat running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, over whether Merrill is suppressing the vote in the state. To have candidates for political office, one of them an incumbent office holder, debate such a contentious issue on Twitter demonstrates how much social media has become a part of the conversations surrounding elections, including the upcoming midterms.
New Program Recruits African-American Girls to Computer Science
The computing workforce continues to grow, but women of color remain largely underrepresented. Tuskegee University recently announced a $1.3 million grant program funded by the National Science Foundation that aims to prepare African-American girls in Alabama for careers in computer science.
New App Aims to Make Game Day Parking Easier
It’s football season which means tailgates and then ... the game. But before fans even get to the stadium, they need to find parking, which can be dreadful. There have been several mobile apps developed around the country to help drivers find parking. WBHM’s Janae Pierre looks at one new mobile app here in Alabama meant to take some of the pain out of parking.
Thompson High Engineering Students Build Solutions Abroad
School’s only been back in for a short time, but at Thompson High School in Alabaster, engineering students have already begun work on their first assignment: Build a solar powered generator for refugees in Kenya.
UAB Study Finds CBD Oil Helps Epilepsy Patients
Researchers at UAB published a study this month that offers hope to those dealing with severe epilepsy. It found cannabidiol or CBD oil helps curb seizures. The substance is derived from marijuana although it doesn’t have hallucinogenic properties.
Connecting With Seniors One Phone Call At A Time
At the Senior Talk Line in Birmingham, volunteers call seniors just to chat. It's an effort to fight loneliness and connect with people who may have few others to connect with.
Tuskegee Researchers Find Key to Earlier Breast Cancer Diagnosis
A team of researchers at Tuskegee University has developed a new test they say may help detect an aggressive form of breast cancer earlier, especially among African American women.
Viruses Could Trigger Early Gray Hair
A new UAB study looking at stem cells in mice might have nudged scientists toward a better understanding of one of the often-dreaded realities of aging: gray hair. The study published last week suggests certain types of infections can start or speed up the hair-graying process in mice. UAB biologists found that triggering some of the animals’ […]
Lack of Guidance Leads to Web Access Lawsuits
In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act required public places to accommodate people with disabilities. But back then, before the Internet grew into what it is now, the law didn’t address the accessibility of websites. Now, with a proliferation of lawsuits, many companies are racing to bring their sites into compliance with industry standards.
A New Way to Grow Tumors in 3-D
If you can grow cancer cells outside the body, it’s easier to figure out how to kill them. With an eye toward faster drug development and more effective treatments, a UAB biomedical engineer has come up with a new way to sustain cancer cells. He calls them "bioreactors."
Innovate Birmingham: A $6 Million Bridge for IT Workers
Greater Birmingham has high demand for computer workers but a workforce that doesn’t meet that demand. In 2016, the US Department of Labor put up almost six million dollars to train future IT workers. The result is a partnership called Innovate Birmingham.
For Aging Bridges, UAB Engineer Wants to Send in the Drones
There are about 16,000 structurally deficient bridges in Alabama. It's a problem here and across the country. But a University of Alabama at Birmingham engineering professor is using a half-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a stopgap solution: drones.
UAB Breaks Ground on Proton Therapy Center
Construction began Tuesday on a new high-tech cancer treatment facility on the campus of UAB. Proton International at UAB, the product of a partnership between the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Proton International, will be a three-story facility at the intersection of 20th Street South and 4th Avenue South focusing on proton therapy. Proton […]
Birmingham Recycling Center Temporarily Stops Taking Glass
The Alabama Environmental Council has temporarily stopped taking glass at its recycling center in Birmingham's Avondale neighborhood.
Concussion Expert on Youth Sports: “Time to Make Some Decisions”
Brain injury specialist Dr. Elizabeth Sandel has been studying that organ and bad things that happen to it for more than three decades. With football season in full swing, and the recent publication of a study linking adolescent concussions with multiple sclerosis, we wanted to check in with an expert.
Tripling Trials? UAB Cancer Center Head Pushes Big Goals
The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is trying keep the disease from touching so many lives. It recently recruited oncology leader Dr. Michael Birrer to run the center. He tells WBHM’s Dan Carsen that when he was in training, top medical students did not go into oncology because cancer patients had few options, but things have changed.
Regional Governments Team Up to Lure Amazon to Birmingham
Government and corporate leaders from throughout Jefferson County announced a joint effort today to lure a proposed Amazon headquarters to Birmingham.
High Technology Could Solve Solar Mysteries During Eclipse
Cutting-edge imaging technology from a Birmingham nonprofit could take advantage of the August 21 eclipse to solve solar mysteries. The telescopic camera system will fly almost 10 miles high on two revamped bombers that tag-team as they chase the moon's shadow.
