What is a tardigrade? Many people accept that the toughest animal on earth is the tiny tardigrade. These little critters - also known as “moss piglets” - can endure the most extreme conditions you can think of. From being bathed in boiling water, shot out of a gun, living on the moon, and Read More...
The birth of 3D printing has opened up whole new worlds of possibility regarding the accessibility, cost, and sustainability of certain materials. From the creation of 3D-printed houses, hearts, and furniture, this incredible planet-saving technique is growing in popularity as each year Read More...
Hearing loss is something many of us have to accept, with the fine and sensitive tools in our ears inevitably wearing down with age. What if you could remedy this by putting on a shirt that could hear for you? Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and designers from the Rhode Read More...
The capabilities of robots keeps growing and growing thanks to innovative minds across the world. In the past few years, scientists have taught robots to independently perform keyhole surgery, hike across unknown and uneven terrain faster than humans, and an oft forgotten challenge of all, the Read More...
Some species of starfish fortify themselves using a porous skeleton that is both lightweight and extremely sturdy. This provides the marine species with a safe protective home, while still permitting a degree of flexibility to their body and arms. Taking inspiration from mother nature Ceramic Read More...
Preventing infection is vital after surgery to avoid a range of complications. Currently, to monitor the progress deeper in the surgical wound a clinician needs to assess the site or expensive radiological tests need to occur. Unfortunately, both tend to fail detection of an infection before it Read More...
An innovative new invention has recently come out of Duke University. A team of material scientists recruited physics rather than electronics, to create a ventilation system that can help regulate body temperature. The lightweight material catches thermal energy when dry to power the opening of the Read More...
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created a cutting edge, jelly-like material that can withstand extreme force. The strong yet squishy hydrogel was designed to be able to handle the weight of an elephant standing on it! The team designed this hydrogel to have a high water content Read More...