The National Football League and football in general face an existential crisis right now. As players get bigger and stronger, people are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term health effects of repeated blows to the head. If something isn't done soon to reduce brain injuries to players, the game may fade away. 

Bill Simpson has been a pioneer in the design of helmets for race drivers over the past several decades. Over the past two years he has turned his attention to protecting players on the gridiron. Unlike the typical football helmet approach of just spreading out the energy over the head, Simpson is working to actively reduce and dissipate the energy. His helmets weigh about half as much as traditional helmets and appear to provide better protection so far.  The story is definitely worth a read.