A new, inexpensive sensor able to measure the ripeness of fruit could help cut back on food waste by allowing grocers to determine which batches of fruit should be sold first. Fruit gives off ethylene as it ripens, which is currently monitored by costly sensors in fruit warehouses. The new sensors will be small and inexpensive enough to be used in individual grocery stores. The sensors will be made up of an array of carbon nanotubes with attached copper atoms. Ethylene particles...

The idea is to create little stickers that will be stuck to each grocery store item and will then dissolve into an organic soap. The sticker will dissolve with water into a natural soap that will help to wash away pesticides, wax, bacteria, and dirt. The labels will still display the same PLU codes and other information as their less soapy contemporaries.