Materials Science

  1. 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.

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  2. 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.

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

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  5. 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.

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  6. 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.

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  7. Physics

    A newfound quasicrystal formed in the first atomic bomb test

    Material formed in the wake of the first atomic bomb test contains a strange material that is ordered but that is not a standard crystal.

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  8. Materials Science

    Morphing noodles start flat but bend into curly pasta shapes as they’re cooked

    Shape-shifting pasta could potentially cut down on packaging and save space during shipping.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Capturing the sense of touch could upgrade prosthetics and our digital lives

    Haptics researchers are working on ways to add touch to virtual reality, online shopping, telemedicine and advanced artificial limbs.

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  10. Materials Science

    Microscopic images reveal the science and beauty of face masks

    Important insights into the particle-filtering properties of different fabrics also offer a sense of the unseen, textured world of face masks.

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  11. Materials Science

    This soft robot withstands crushing pressures at the ocean’s greatest depths

    An autonomous robot that mimics the adaptations of deep-sea snailfish to extreme conditions was successfully tested at the bottom of the ocean.

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  12. Math

    How one physicist is unraveling the mathematics of knitting

    Understanding how knots influence textile properties could lead to bespoke materials.

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