Adam Popescu

Freelance Contributor

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Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups

Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups

Legacy and Fellow take sperm samples by mail for analysis and preservation.

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups

Legacy and Fellow take sperm samples by mail for analysis and preservation.

Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups

February 7, 2025

February 7, 2025

‘The Last of Us’ Mushrooms, Prized as Sex Aids and More, Have Created a Multibillion-Dollar Market

Cordyceps fungi sell in Beijing for $136,000 a pound and have made their way into Whole Foods. They underpin entire communities in the Himalayas, but that comes with a lot of downsides.

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November 4, 2019

November 4, 2019

An Energy Breakthrough Could Store Solar Power for Decades

Researchers in Sweden have created a molecule that offers a way to trap heat from the sun.

An Energy Breakthrough Could Store Solar Power for Decades

February 4, 2019

February 4, 2019

This App Wants to Track Every Homeless Person in San Francisco

The epicenter of innovation is turning to software to help the most vulnerable get off the streets.

This App Wants to Track Every Homeless Person in San Francisco

January 30, 2019

January 30, 2019

This Startup Is Screening Kids’ Eyes With an App Instead of a $20,000 Device

Gobiquity says pediatricians using its FDA-registered GoCheck Kids software have detected risks in 50,000 of 900,000 children.

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November 28, 2018

November 28, 2018

The Race to Build Megafire Prediction Tools

California’s rising temperatures and worsening droughts are accelerating the need for advanced modeling technology.

The Race to Build Megafire Prediction Tools

October 1, 2018

October 1, 2018

The $38 Million Earthquake Alert System Can Buy the West Coast Precious Seconds

ShakeAlert will help Americans get a jump on the next big one.

The $38 Million Earthquake Alert System Can Buy the West Coast Precious Seconds

August 8, 2018

August 8, 2018

Man-Made Glaciers Could Fix the Himalayan Water Crisis

Sonam Wangchuk is an engineer working to hydrate the alpine desert with mounds of ice.

Man-Made Glaciers Could Fix the Himalayan Water Crisis

July 30, 2018

July 30, 2018

The $300 Million Plan to Farm Salmon in the Middle of the Ocean

The semi-submersible Ocean Farm 1 off the coast of Norway can hold 1.5 million fish.

The $300 Million Plan to Farm Salmon in the Middle of the Ocean

July 6, 2018

July 6, 2018

Tourism in India Is Booming. So Why Is Everyone So Worried?

Domestic travel is driving a surge in visitors—and trash—on the subcontinent.

Leh Ladakh city and mountain, Ladakh, India (Land of High Passes)

June 12, 2018

June 12, 2018

This Breathalyzer Aims to Predict Cancer

The ReCIVA Breath Sampler detects the kinds of volatile organic compounds that are early markers for disease.

This Breathalyzer Aims to Predict Cancer

June 11, 2018

June 11, 2018

AI Helps Africa Bypass the Grid

Azuri’s HomeSmart adjusts power output based on prior solar battery use.

AI Helps Africa Bypass the Grid

May 9, 2018

May 9, 2018

These Shipping Containers Have Farms Inside

A startup called Local Roots is supplying its TerraFarms to restaurants, SpaceX, and the UN.

These Shipping Containers Have Farms Inside

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018

What to Know Before You Go Tracking Snow Leopards at 13,000 Feet

High in the Himalayas, the formerly endangered animals are a major tourist attraction in Ladakh. But there are no guarantees.

A remote camera captures a snow leopard at Hemis National Park in Ladakh, Jammu, and Kashmir, India.

April 10, 2018

April 10, 2018

This Suitcase Is Designed to Follow You Like a Puppy

The Puppy 1, a partnership with Segway, can roll as fast as 10 mph.

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March 5, 2018

March 5, 2018

This Caltech Engineer Can Make Just About Anything Tiny. Next Up: The Camera

Ali Hajimiri reckons his prototype, slimmer than a human hair, could be invaluable in endoscopy and other procedures.

This Caltech Engineer Can Make Just About Anything Tiny. Next Up: The Camera

February 2, 2018

February 2, 2018

What It’s Like to Be the Uber of the Middle East

Careem, the region’s ride-hailing leader, is counting on loosened laws to raise its appeal.

What It’s Like to Be the Uber of the Middle East

January 29, 2018

January 29, 2018

This Coating Can Make Streets Cooler

A California engineering professor has jumped from reflective roofing to layered-on sealants.

This Coating Can Make Streets Cooler

January 8, 2018

January 8, 2018

This Improbable Welshman Is the Patron Saint of Japan’s Forests

C.W. Nicol, already a best-selling author, actor, adventurer, and whisky mogul, adds environmentalist to his C.V.

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December 4, 2017

December 4, 2017

This Crowdfunding Site Runs on Hate

Hatreon says it collects about $25,000 a month in donations, mostly for white supremacists.

This Crowdfunding Site Runs on Hate