Scientists invent “smart underwear” that tracks your farts 24/7
Talking about flatulence may feel awkward, but scientists say it could reveal important clues about gut health.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed...
Origami-inspired waveguides could make satellites lighter and easier to launch
Modern satellites rely on electromagnetic waveguides—hollow structures that carry high-power signals between components such as antennas and transmitters.
Today, these waveguides are usually made from...
This hair-thin glass microphone can hear electrical sparks before power failures happen
Researchers have created a microphone so thin it looks like a human hair, yet tough enough to survive temperatures as high as 1,000°C.
Made entirely...
Scientists discover a completely new type of magnetism in atom-thin materials
Scientists at University of Stuttgart have discovered a completely new type of magnetism in materials that are only a few atoms thick.
Working with international...
This flax fiber furniture can be taken apart and reused again and again
Most seating furniture isn’t made to last.
Chairs and benches are often difficult to take apart, awkward to move, and easy to damage.
After just one...
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...
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...
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...
Your smartphones could become lifesaving radiation detectors in emergencies
After a nuclear or radiological accident, knowing who has been exposed to radiation—and how much—can save lives.
But traditional ways of measuring radiation dose usually...
These shape-shifting materials could bring soft robots to life
Engineers at McGill University have developed a new class of ultra-thin, shape-shifting materials that can move, fold, and reconfigure themselves—much like animated origami.
The breakthrough...