LOWELL -- It's a tale of two fabrics.

The standard uniform catches fire and never stands a chance, burning completely through.

But the other flame-retardant uniform self-extinguishes the fire within a few seconds, resulting in a charred sleeve. This safer, lower cost, non-toxic material may end up saving soldiers and firefighters in the future.

Thi...

It's become conventional wisdom that the last 30 years have been a hotbed of innovation, but evidence suggests otherwise. As Robert Gordon explains in The Rise and Fall of American Growth, productivity growth peaked between 1920 and 1970 and has declined ever since. Economist Tyler Cowen calls this the Great Stagnation.

Part of the reason for the...

The new Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) manufacturing innovation facility will be showcased at next week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new federally designated testing and training facility for commercializing lightweight metal and...