Lego-like smart material lets robots change stiffness like living tissue
Robots are usually built from materials with fixed properties.
Once a robot is assembled, its stiffness, flexibility and movement patterns are largely locked in.
Engineers at...
Batteries made from “rust” could be cleaner, cheaper, and surprisingly powerful
Lithium-ion batteries power everything from smartphones to electric cars, but they rely on materials that raise environmental and ethical concerns.
Metals like nickel and cobalt...
MIT engineers turn recycled plastic bottles into strong 3D-printed home frames
The plastic bottle you toss into the recycling bin today might one day help hold up the floor of a house.
Engineers at MIT are...
A one-atom-thick filter may revolutionize natural gas purification
growing role.
Both fuels are mainly made of methane, which burns more cleanly than coal or oil and is widely used for heating, electricity generation...
This mysterious particle may be proof that black holes can explode
In 2023, physicists detected something that should not have existed: a single subatomic particle called a neutrino carrying an almost unimaginable amount of energy.
This...
How microbes on rock surfaces control groundwater chemistry
Far below the Earth’s surface, deep inside cracks and pores in solid rock, vast communities of microorganisms are quietly at work.
These microscopic organisms are...
Scientists achieve near-perfect light transmission on silicon chips
Optical fiber quietly powers much of the modern world.
It carries internet traffic across oceans and cities with astonishing efficiency, letting light travel kilometers with...
This 4D-printed smart skin can transform its shape and reveal hidden images
Most synthetic materials are made to do just one or two things. Once they are created, their properties rarely change.
A research team at Penn...
Safer plastics ahead: Scientists make polyurethane without toxic chemicals
Polyurethane is one of the most widely used plastics in the world.
It appears in everything from furniture foam and insulation to coatings, adhesives, and...
Why one of Earth’s most common ocean bacteria is surprisingly fragile
One of the most abundant living organisms on Earth may also be one of the most vulnerable.
A group of ocean bacteria known as SAR11,...
This nickel catalyst could change how drugs and materials are made
Chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new class of nickel catalysts that could significantly change how important chemicals are made.
The...
Sponge-like gold shows powerful new light and electron effects
Gold is best known for its shine and value, but in modern science it is also an important high-tech material.
New research shows that by...
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How tiny algae help giant clams grow big and shape coral reefs
Giant clams, among the largest mollusks in the ocean, are a fascinating part of tropical coral reefs.
These enormous creatures can grow up to 4.5...
What owning a cat does to your brain (and theirs)
Cats may have a reputation for independence, but emerging research suggests we share a unique connection with them—fueled by brain chemistry.
The main chemical involved...
Giant stars may have forged the universe’s oldest star clusters, study finds
Astronomers have long puzzled over how the oldest and most mysterious star clusters in the universe—known as globular clusters—came to be.
Now, an international research...
Unlocking the future: quantum encryption explained
In our digital world, keeping information safe is a big deal.
Whether it's your personal messages, bank details, or health records, encryption plays a key...
New fluoride ingredient makes solar panels greener and more efficient
A team of scientists from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has found a cleaner and more effective way to make solar panels using water...