Ideas | featured news

U.S. student Devin Valencia, the first member of her family to graduate from college, hopes others will do the same with her prizewinning idea for a Facebook application for finding financial aid.

The only thing to fear is fear itself. That’s easy for folks who say these sorts of things: They’ve made it. That’s why they’re quoted. You haven’t made it yet. But you know there’s something in you that’s bigger than your cubicle, your office, your house. You know your idea is good and your vision clear. But you can’t muster the courage to chase the dream.

I really hope you have some suggestions for me, because I'm tearing my hair out. For the past year or so, a new top management team at my company has been telling us over and over again that we need to come up with lots of fresh ideas, both for becoming more efficient at what we already do and for developing new revenue streams. I and several other people in my department have brainstormed some big proposals that we're pretty sure would produce great results.

From DNA origami to osseointegration, here are the big ideas that will make headlines next year. Get to know them now, before you touch a piezoelectric display or buy your first ultracapacitor.