Tech
A new solar-powered gel purifies water in a flash
The unusual, fruit-inspired structure of this material provides quick filtration that could satisfy people's daily water needs.
HS-PS2-6
Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
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TechThink of this new tech as sunglasses for our windows
Keeping buildings cool can use a lot of energy. Thanks to quantum computing, engineers designed a coating to cut the warming light that enters windows.
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ClimateCreating less new stuff could greatly help Earth’s climate
Instead of throwing unneeded things away, scientists recommend moving to a cycle of reducing, reusing, repairing and remaking old things into new ones.
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Materials ScienceLet’s learn about piezoelectric materials
Piezoelectric materials turn mechanical energy into electrical energy — and vice versa.
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TechNew robot can pick up a single drop of liquid
The new device, which looks like a pair of plastic pinchers, is the first to be able to pick up individual droplets of liquid.
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Materials ScienceScientists Say: Hydrogel
Tangled polymer chains help hydrogels hold their shape despite being full of water.
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EnvironmentFor a better brick, just add poop
Sewage sludge. Cow dung. They’re not just waste — scientists are finding uses for processed poop in construction materials.
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TechInsect-inspired drones work together to 3-D print structures
For the first time, flying drones have 3-D printed structures. In the future, such drones might be able to build in hard-to-reach places.
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TechUnderwater cameras get a new power source — sound!
Needing no batteries, a new digital camera can run almost continuously to offer new, deeper insights into the ocean world.
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AnimalsTiny bumps on polar bear paws help them get traction on snow
Super-small structures on the Arctic animals’ paws might offer extra friction that keeps them from slipping on snow, a new study concludes.