Today’s Solutions: August 17, 2026

A really weird, really tiny animal — the microscopic tardigrade — is the inspiration behind a new material that could improve the efficiency of things like LED lights and solar cells. The material under investigation is glass, and tardigrades (sometimes known as “water bears” or “moss piglets”) know a thing or two about glass. These water-dwelling critters, which look like tiny blimps with pudgy bodies and eight stubby legs, are capable of shedding almost all…

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