Materials Science

  1. Tech

    Move over Iron Man, exoskeletons are getting real 

    Real-world wearable devices help people stay safe at work and accomplish everyday tasks.

    By Aaron Tremper
  2. Materials Science

    This teen materials scientist wants to save the Great Salt Lake

    Thermo Fisher JIC finalist Sophia Zhang investigated hydrogels that might conserve water in farming — a big stressor of the lake’s water supply.

    By Maria Temming
  3. Materials Science

    Experiment: The surprising strength of eggshells

    Architecture is full of arched doors, windows and other structures. But how strong is the natural arch of eggshells?

    By Science Buddies
  4. Health & Medicine

    Science works to demystify hair and help it behave

    Research explores new ways to classify hair — from loose curls to tight coils — along with ways to control it and improve its looks and health.

    By Kathiann Kowalski
  5. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Quantum dot

    Quantum dots are nanosized specks whose properties are governed by the strange rules of quantum physics.

    By Maria Temming
  6. Tech

    A Jurassic Park-inspired method can safely store data in DNA

    DNA can store all types of data. An amber-like material can now protect its information long-term — or release it on demand for short-term use.

    By Payal Dhar
  7. Physics

    Science reveals the reasons behind painful paper cuts

    Some types of paper are more likely to cause paper cuts. It’s the paper’s thickness and slicing angle that matter, physicists conclude.

    By Emily Conover
  8. Tech

    Lasers help put the cork on spilled oil

    Treating cork with lasers made the material able to quickly sponge up oil while repelling water, scientists in China and Israel found.

    By Stephen Ornes
  9. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Goldene

    Making this metallic, two-dimensional (2-D) material is difficult — but super-thin sheets of gold could have uses in electronics and chemistry.

    By Maria Temming
  10. Tech

    Laser-based tech can identify illegal elephant ivory

    Most elephant ivory is illegal to sell. Ivory from extinct mammoths isn’t. They look similar, but lasers can tell the difference to help catch poachers.

    By Stephen Ornes
  11. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Superconductor

    At cold enough temperatures, these materials can conduct electricity with no resistance.

    By Katie Grace Carpenter
  12. Tech

    Holey basketballs! 3-D printing could be a game-changer

    Wilson’s 3-D printed “airless” basketball is nearly silent and will never deflate, but will it prove a slam dunk for players and fans?

    By Sarah Wells