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For those lucky enough to have invented the next big thing, holding a U.S. patent is like having a golden ticket. It gives you exclusive rights to your idea – unless, of course, someone tries to take it away. Welcome to the world of patent challenges in the United States, where your precious invention can be called into question. But don’t worry – some new rules from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are making it a bit easier to defend your genius. Here's what’s going on, without the legal mumbo jumbo.

In the U.S., it's pretty common to see billboards advertising lawyers along highways, or even on TV and social media. Law firms invest huge amounts of money in advertising to ensure they're the first name you think of when you need legal help. However, not everyone realizes that when you search for a lawyer online, the results might not always be what you expect. Imagine you’ve seen ads for a personal injury lawyer everywhere. After an accident, you Google their name, thinking you’ll quickly find their website. But instead of that lawyer’s site, the top results are ads for other lawyers! This happens because of a practice called competitive keyword advertising. Photo: Solen Feyissa, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

If you've been online recently, you may have come across the adorable baby hippo, Moo Deng, who's taken the internet by storm. Just a month after her debut on social media, this bouncy little pygmy hippo from Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo became a viral sensation, capturing hearts both in Thailand and around the world.

When we think of technology in our daily lives, it’s hard to ignore how our smartphones and even our cars rely on networks like 5G, WiFi, or Bluetooth. These technologies are part of what we call standard essential patents (SEPs). But what happens behind the scenes to get these innovations into your favorite devices?   Let’s break it down.