You may not have heard of most rare earths, but the 17 metallic elements known as rare earths are essential to modern life. They’re in our smartphones, computers, TVs and just about every other electronic device. They also play a major part in plans to cr...

China has launched the world’s first suspended maglev line built with permanent magnets that can keep a “sky train" afloat forever, even when it is not being supplied with power. The 800-metre (2,600-foot) experimental Red Rail in southern China’s Xingguo...