3D-printed concrete could help buildings absorb carbon instead of releasing it
At Penn, engineers use bone-inspired geometry to make smarter, cleaner concrete
Manufacturing articles
Aiming for Atoms: The Art of Making Chips Smaller
In the realm of computer chips, bigger numbers are often better: more cores, higher GHz, greater FLOPs. But there's one metric where smaller is better. Enter the world of semiconductors and process nodes.
TSMC pushes 2 nm manufacturing ahead of schedule, fast-tracks Arizona buildout
Something to look forward to: TSMC is moving faster than expected to bring its most advanced chip technology to market. The company confirmed that its N2 process node will enter volume production before the end of 2025, as it accelerates both its domestic rollout in Taiwan and a parallel push to deploy the same technology at its Arizona site.
Memory and storage prices will only get worse, Adata CEO says
Rising AI demand pushes up prices for DRAM, NAND, SSDs, and HDDs
The big picture: Multiple manufacturers have recently frozen or hiked memory and storage prices as demand from AI data centers surges, and executives warn the situation may get worse before it gets better. Across the industry, AI and cloud giants are displacing traditional memory makers, while DDR4 RAM – once the backbone of PCs and servers – is slowly being phased out. The result is a perfect storm that's upending supply chains and reshaping the economics of the memory market.
Tim Cook risks Trump's wrath with new Apple investment pledge in China
Apple's new China commitment comes as US tensions hit new highs
Superwood has arrived – wood up to ten times stronger than steel and six times lighter
Could Superwood replace steel in construction?
Taiwan says China's latest rare earth export controls won't hurt its chip industry
Some industries are still expected to suffer despite Taiwan's reassurance
China tightens rare earth exports, threatening global chip supply
New restrictions target semiconductor manufacturing for the first time, US threatens new tariffs
TSMC slashes EUV power use nearly in half: without hurting yields
Efficiency push means to save 190 million kWh by 2030
No to the US: Taiwan rules out relocating half of its chip production to America
Formosa authorities reject Washington's offer
Nvidia boss Jensen Huang calls China "nanoseconds behind" the US in chips, but urges Washington to ease export rules
Huang warns US export bans could harm its own chip industry
China now home to half the world's industrial robots as the US falls further behind
China installed 300,000 industrial robots last year – nine times more than the US
Apple, Nvidia, Intel among 15 early customers for TSMC's 2nm process – despite huge price hike
How much of the extra cost will reach consumers?
In a nutshell: TSMC's 2nm manufacturing process is in development, and the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer is said to have secured orders from around 15 customers for N2. But companies such as Apple and Nvidia could pay up to 66% more for the generational improvements – a price hike that may be passed on to consumers.
Intel's 14A process promises big gains but at a higher price than 18A
Intel is moving ahead with high-NA EUV as TSMC waits on costs and complexity
SK hynix and ASML debut world's first High-NA EUV lithography system for DRAM production
ASML's Twinscan NXE:5200B to enable denser DRAM production
TSMC to raise prices by up to 10% in 2026, citing US tariffs as a factor
N2 wafers already cost around $30,000
Apple secures half of TSMC's 2nm chip production for iPhone 18
2nm chips promise major gains in speed and efficiency
SoftBank buys Foxconn's Ohio plant to build AI servers for US data centers
The two companies team up on Trump's $500 billion Stargate AI project
US government weighs buying a stake in Intel after Trump meets CEO
Trump opens door to Intel deal
In context: Barely a week after President Trump called for Intel's new CEO to resign, reports suggest that the White House is considering buying a stake in the beleaguered chip giant, with its current boss presumably still in place. If implemented, the plan would mark the second time in the past 12 months that the government has mulled direct intervention in the United States' only advanced semiconductor manufacturer.
Apple unveils new $100 billion US investment plan amid tariff pressure
Investments include a cover glass factory in Kentucky and a 250,000-square-foot server facility in Houston
Former AMD and Intel architect Raja Koduri's startup unveils RISC-V model to cut chip development costs by 90%
Startup offers new path for AI and graphics chips without costly hardware
Intel's 18A process hit by low yields and quality issues, putting manufacturing comeback in doubt
Reliance on TSMC grows despite efforts to restore in-house production
TSMC launches legal action against former employees for allegedly trying to leak 2nm trade secrets
Those involved could face 12 years behind bars
Samsung posts brutal financials as chip business profits plunge by 94%
Profits in the chip business almost disappeared, but the future appears rosy
Samsung lands $16.5 billion chip contract with Tesla
The deal is the largest in Samsung's history and signals new momentum for its advanced chip manufacturing