6+ day, 7+ hour ago   (726+ words) Individual human neurons may be far more powerful computing units than previously understood. Inside the human cortex, a single neuron may be doing far more than simply deciding whether to send a signal. New research suggests that one brain cell…...

1+ week, 9+ hour ago   (954+ words) A cobalt aluminum nanolaminate has shattered the usual tradeoff between strength and flexibility, emerging up to 10 times stronger than structural steel without becoming dangerously brittle. Jet engines demand materials that can survive tremendous heat and force without bending, cracking, or…...

2+ mon, 2+ day ago   (236+ words) A decades-old patent from MIT Professor Bill Freeman inspired the new “Y-zipper,” a three-sided fastener that can snap gear, robots, and art into shape with the push of a button....

2+ mon, 3+ day ago   (378+ words) A new holographic 3D-printing platform can produce detailed living structures faster, larger, and with greater accuracy than previous methods. What if a 3D printer could create soft, living tissue in seconds instead of slowly building it layer by layer? Researchers at…...

2+ mon, 1+ week ago   (306+ words) What if the next generation of high-performance materials did not come from a factory filled with petroleum-based plastics, but from living bacteria? Bacterial cellulose fibers normally grow in random patterns, which limits their strength and performance. Using controlled fluid dynamics…...

2+ mon, 1+ week ago   (422+ words) Researchers have developed a new laser-based method that can rotate microscopic samples in all three spatial directions without touching them. Until now, rotating extremely delicate microscopic samples in every direction without touching them has been a major technical challenge. Researchers…...

2+ mon, 1+ week ago   (786+ words) Physicists studying active matter — materials that can use their own internal energy to respond to forces — have uncovered surprising behaviors that challenge conventional ideas in mechanics. Materials that bend, snap, crawl, or even dig on their own may sound like…...

2+ mon, 3+ week ago   (702+ words) Printed artificial neurons can now send lifelike signals that activate real brain cells. This breakthrough could transform both brain implants and energy-efficient AI. Engineers at Northwestern University have developed printed artificial neurons that go beyond simple imitation and can directly…...

4+ mon, 3+ week ago   (330+ words) Inside the body, cells are surrounded by intricate three-dimensional scaffolds called the extracellular matrix. The physical interactions between cells and this surrounding structure are essential for many biological functions. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light…...

5+ mon, 2+ week ago   (336+ words) Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC–Co) sits behind many of the sharp, long-lasting tool edges that cut through metal, concrete, and rock. Its standout hardness is also its biggest manufacturing headache. Once this material is formed, it resists shaping so strongly that…...