KLRU SciTech Now

Austin is home to the largest number of start ups in the country. It is no wonder the area has gained the nickname Silicon Valley of the South. KLRU brings you the latest science and technology news in the Austin area on KLRU SciTech Now. Check out our 2019 season so far.

Preserving An Icon At its peak, nearly 500 people a day would visit the Hope Outdoor Gallery, a three-story graffiti art park located in Austin, Texas. The park was closed earlier this year with plans to move the site to a new larger location. But a tech company has stepped in to preserve the iconic landmark using virtual reality.

Launching Into Space When you think about leaders at the forefront of developing the latest rocket technology you might think of SpaceX in California or NASA headquarters in Washington. But a startup in Central Texas is hoping to change that. Firefly Aerospace is working to send small launch vehicles to space.

Understanding Language Brokers More than 18 million children in the U.S. have at least one immigrant parent. For parents who don’t speak English, often times their kids become translators, or so called language brokers. Su Yeong Kim is a researcher at The University of Texas in Austin. She’s working to understand the positive and negative effects language brokering can have on child development.

Transforming Data Into Poetry Each day a vast amount of data is collected in the city around you. Artist Naho Matsuda is using that data to create poetry. Her public art installation, EVERY THING EVERY TIME, transforms this static information into tactile and thought-provoking art.

Creating A Kid-Safe Gaming Network More than 650 million people around the world watch gaming content online. But sites like YouTube and Twitch aren’t always the safest environment for kids. Now, a father in Austin has developed a new safe video network for kids.

Screening Austin's Water Supply Most of Austin’s drinking water comes from reservoirs like Lake Austin. A few years ago, those lakes became infested with an invasive species called zebra mussels, which has the potential to drastically change the water supply. EQO, an Austin based start-up, is looking to leverage the same technology used to fight cancer to help mitigate this issue.

Traveling Across Texas In A Hyperloop It takes about three hours, without traffic, to drive from Austin to Dallas. Texas Guadaloop is looking to drastically reduce that travel time by introducing a new mode of transportation: the hyperloop. The new system could get you to Dallas from Austin in just 25 minutes.

Connecting Seniors With Technology There’s a gap between technology use among younger and older Americans. It’s what’s known as the digital divide and it’s worse for those who are lower income or have lower levels of education. Meals on Wheels Central Texas is hoping to close that gap with a new program that provides seniors with technology training.

A Rosy Solution To Clean Water A rose is certainly beautiful to look at, but a new device is proving that the rose has more substance than just its beauty. Donglei Fan, associate professor at The University of Texas in Austin, is using the rose as inspiration for a new water filtration device.