Nematocysts are stinging organelles of cnidarians that have remarkable mechanical properties to undergo 50 percent volume changes during explosive exocytosis (process by which cells excrete waste and large molecules), while ...
Inspired by membranes in the body tissues of living organisms, scientists have combined aramid nanofibers used in Kevlar with boron nitride to construct a membrane for harvesting ocean energy that is both strong like bone ...
Spider webs are one of nature's most fascinating manifestations. Many spiders extrude proteinaceous silk to weave sticky webs that ensnare unsuspecting prey who venture into their threads. Despite their elasticity, these ...
The motivations for using biology as inspiration to engineering vary based on the project, but for Ling Li, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, the combination of flexibility and protection ...
Materials scientists aim to use bioinspired soft robots to carry out advanced interactions between humans and robots, but the associated technology remains to be developed. For example, soft actuators must perform quickly ...
Some of the most vibrantly colored creatures in the animal kingdom don't owe their amazing colors to pigment. Instead, they cover themselves with microscopic structures that fine tune the way they reflect light.
Providing seeds with a protective coating that also supplies essential nutrients to the germinating plant could make it possible to grow crops in otherwise unproductive soils, according to new research at MIT.
CRISPR/Cas technology can do more than alter genes. A research team at the University of Freiburg is using what are known as gene scissors—which scientists can use to edit genetic material—in order to better diagnose ...
Next-generation polymers developed in the lab must become stretchable and self-healing to form novel skin-like sensory devices to meet the demands of futuristic electronic skin applications. Although researchers have made ...
Materials engineering technologies aim to control wettability and liquid repellence of material surfaces for diverse applications in and beyond the field of materials science. In a recent report on Science Advances, Yue Liu ...
