Materials Science
Analyze This: A new fabric mimics polar bears’ pelts for warmth
With layers that work like polar bears’ skin and fur, a material absorbs light and keeps it from escaping.
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
More Stories in Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
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TechMagnetic fields melt and re-form new shape-shifting devices
Miniature machines made of gallium and magnetic particles can switch from solid to liquid and back.
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PhysicsScientists Say: Magnetism
Magnetism is an aspect of one of the four fundamental forces of nature: electromagnetism.
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ChemistryChemists have unlocked the secrets of long-lasting Roman concrete
By searching ancient texts and ruins, scientists found a concrete recipe that could make buildings stronger — and help address climate change.
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AgricultureNative Amazonians make rich soils — and ancient people may have too
Modern Amazonians make nutrient-rich soil from ash, food scraps and burns. The soil strongly resembles ancient “dark earth” found in the region.
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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.