In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, a leaner and more innovative textile industry is growing. The Manufacturing Solutions Center in Conover is training the next generation of workers and entrepreneurs.

These race cars don't need engines; they're fueled by gravity. In this year's Google-founded North Carolina Gravity Games, teams use minimalism and the laws of physics to vie for the prize.

Ryan Bethea gave up teaching to become one of North Carolina's oyster farmers, using science to raise award-winning oysters on five acres of estuary he leases from the state.

“Every bird is a mystery, every bird has a story to tell," says John Brzorad, Ph.D. “And that’s why we have this technology. It’s how we can learn their story.”

Almost half of forage fish caught are used as bait for crustaceans. But overfishing is threatening forage fish stocks, so a small start-up in Greensboro developed an alternative bait.