Tech
Tiny swimming robots may help clean up a microplastics mess
Big problem, tiny solution. Researchers in the Czech Republic have designed swimming robots that can help collect and break down microplastics.
Materials Science
More Stories in Materials Science
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AnimalsAbdominal fuzz makes bee bodies super slippery
Scientists find that tiny hairs on a honeybee’s abdomen reduce wear and tear as a bee’s outer skeletal parts rub against each other all day long.
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Materials Science‘Smart’ pasta morphs into fun shapes as it cooks
The trick to this shape-shifting are grooves cut into the raw pasta. Those grooves affect how the noodles swell as they cook.
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ChemistryScientists Say: Bond
In chemistry, this attachment between atoms forms because of the power of attraction. Chemical bonds make up every solid object on Earth.
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ChemistryScientists Say: Metal
Metals are substances that can be elements, alloys or compounds. They all conduct heat and electricity and can be formed into different shapes.
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Materials ScienceNew device gets power from 5G signals grabbed from the air
A new way to harvest electricity relies on a tiny array of antennas and a lens. Together, they collect and focus 5G signals coming from any direction.
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Materials ScienceCopper ‘foam’ could be used as filters for COVID-19 masks
The lightweight new material could serve as a washable and recyclable, eco-friendly alternative for many current mask filters.
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Materials ScienceBandages made from crab shells speed healing
The chitin in seafood wastes, insect “bones” and fungi is a chemist’s dream. Used in a new medical dressing, it beats regular gauze for wound healing.
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Materials ScienceSuper-absorbent swab could curb errors in COVID-19 testing
A new super-absorbent swab could cut down on false negatives from COVID-19 testing. And that could help slow spread of the disease.
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AgricultureDew collector brings water to thirsty plants
This invention grabs water from the air at night. All it needs is the sun’s warmth the next day to release that moisture to growing plants.