Materials Science
- Space
Robot grippers imitate gecko feet to help nab space junk
NASA is testing robotic, gecko-inspired gripper hands that might one day help clean up space junk.
- Chemistry
New ‘magnet’ pulls pesky nonstick pollutants from drinking water
Chemicals that help make pans nonstick can themselves stick around forever in the environment. But a new material can remove them from drinking water.
- Tech
Teen’s invention could help light up bikes at night
A teen researcher from Georgia has developed a light that could replace reflectors on bike wheels. Flexing tires provide all the power it needs.
- Tech
A better way to stop a bullet?
A teen researcher's tests suggest that fabric body armor might stop bullets better if it were woven using a three-fiber, triangular mesh instead of the typical two-fiber-mesh configuration.
- Materials Science
Nanowires made from silver are super stretchy
When silver nanowires stretch slowly, atoms on their surface can spread to heal weak spots. The discovery could lead to more flexible electronics.
- Climate
Cool Jobs: Head in the clouds
What do a microbiologist, an atmospheric scientist and a materials engineer have in common? They’ve all got their heads in the clouds.
- Animals
Frog’s gift of grab comes from saliva and squishy tissue
What puts the grip in a frog’s high-speed strike? Quick-change saliva and a super-soft tongue, scientists find.
- Physics
Explainer: How batteries and capacitors differ
Both batteries and capacitors can power electronic devices. Each, however, has different properties which may provide benefits — or limitations.
- Computing
LEDs offer new way to kill germs in water
Growing ultraviolet-light-emitting diodes on thin, flexible sheets of metal holds promise for water disinfection and other applications.
- Materials Science
3-D printers offer better way to make some magnets
3-D printers produced magnets as strong as conventional ones with less material wasted.
- Chemistry
New coating for metals could cut engine wear
Scientists have developed a new coating for engine parts that could reduce friction and engine wear. One big benefit: Cars may require fewer oil changes.
- Tech
‘Smart’ sutures monitor healing
Coatings added to the threads used to stitch up a wound let researchers use electrical signals to monitor a wound’s healing — even one covered by a bandage.
