Materials Science
-
ComputingCore 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.
-
Schmidt’s fringe-fingered lizard shown here, depend on a complex internal structure to help them keep their tails until it’s time to lose them.
" data-medium-file="https://www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/021622_AG_lizard-tails_feat-680x383.jpg" data-large-file="https://www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/021622_AG_lizard-tails_feat-800x450.jpg">
AnimalsHow 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.
-
AnimalsA 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.
-
TechMaterials 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.
-
ChemistryThis 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 ScienceResearchers 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 ScienceLithium-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 ScienceThese 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 ScienceThese weird, thin ice crystals are springy and bendy
Specially grown fibers of frozen water bend into curves and spring back when released.
-
AnimalsThe 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.
-
PhysicsA 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.
-
Materials ScienceMorphing 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.