Duolingo app on an iPhone (Image source: flickr.)

Chances are, you or someone you know may currently have a streak on Duolingo. But did you know that the world’s most popular language-learning app got its start thanks to federal funding? It all began at Carneige Mellon University, where computer science professor Luis von Ahn and his graduate student, Severin Hacker wanted to work at the interface of language education and improving automated translation software on internet websites. Originally, Duolingo was designed so that while users were learning languages, they were also helping to translate real web content, like Wikipedia articles and news stories. This clever idea meant people were learning and helping the internet become more accessible at the same time. Federal funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) gave the team the time and resources to build and test this unique approach, combining education and crowdsourced translation in a way that had never been done before.

Today, Duolingo has millions of users learning everything from Spanish to Swahili for free, and also offers an affordable English Language Learning certificate. The app has evolved beyond translations, now using artificial intelligence and gamified lessons to help people all over the world reach their language goals. It’s a perfect example of how federal funding in science and education can lead to powerful, world-changing tools.