Materials Science

Physics

Experiments hint at why bird nests are so sturdy

A bird’s nest is a special version of a granular material. Lab experiments and computer simulations explain its quirky behavior.

Materials Science

This fabric can hear your heartbeat

With special fibers that convert tiny vibrations to voltages, a new fabric senses sounds, letting it act as a microphone or a speaker.

Computing

Core memory weavers and Navajo women made the Apollo missions possible

The stories of the women who assembled integrated circuits and wove core memory for the Apollo missions remain largely unknown.

Animals

How lizards keep detachable tails from falling off

A hierarchical structure of micropillars and nanopores allows the tail to break away when necessary while preventing it from easily detaching.

Animals

A diamondlike structure gives some starfish skeletons their strength

Electron microscope images of knobby starfish’s calcite skeletons reveal an unexpected architecture that compensates for the mineral’s brittleness.

Tech

Materials of the last century shaped modern life, but at a price

From our homes and cities to our electronics and clothing, the stuff of daily life is dramatically different from decades ago.

Chemistry

This eco-friendly glitter gets its color from plants, not plastic

Using cellulose extracted from wood pulp, researchers have created a greener alternative to traditional glitter.

Materials Science

Researchers have unlocked the secret to pearls’ incredible symmetry

Understanding the structural secrets of how mollusks form symmetrical pearls could inspire more optimal materials for solar panels and space travel.

Materials Science

Lithium-ion batteries made with recycled materials can outlast newer counterparts

Batteries with recycled cathodes outperformed batteries with new cathodes, lasting for thousands more charging cycles before their capacity waned.

Materials Science

These colorful butterflies were created using transparent ink

See-through printer ink can create a whole spectrum of colors when printed in precise, microscale patterns.

Materials Science

These weird, thin ice crystals are springy and bendy

Specially grown fibers of frozen water bend into curves and spring back when released.

Animals

The teeth of ‘wandering meatloaf’ contain a rare mineral found only in rocks

The hard, magnetic teeth of the world’s largest chiton contain nanoparticles of santabarbaraite, a mineral never seen before in biology.