Physicists train robotic gliders to soar like birds
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE words “fly like an eagle” are famously part of a song, but they may also be words that make some scientists scratch their heads. Especially when it comes to soaring birds like eagles, falcons and hawks, who seem to ascend to great heights over hills, canyons and mountain tops with ease. Scientists realise that […]
Tiny fibers create unseen plastic pollution
Reading Time: < 1 minuteWHILE the polyester leisure suit was a 1970s mistake, polyester and other synthetic fibers like nylon are still around and are a major contributor to the microplastics load in the environment, according to a Penn State materials scientist, who suggests switching to biosynthetic fibers to solve this problem. “These materials, during production, processing and after […]
Squid could provide an eco-friendly alternative to plastics
Reading Time: 3 minutesSelf-healing fabric, abrasion-resistant coatings, precision drug delivery and smart textiles are among the potential applications of squid ‘ring tooth’ protein THE remarkable properties of a recently-discovered squid protein could revolutionise materials in a way that would be unattainable with conventional plastic, finds a review published in Frontiers in Chemistry. Originating in the ringed teeth of […]