A breakthrough in the efficiency of LEDs has been made thanks to new research that investigated how fireflies create their light. By utilizing a newly discovered pattern of jagged scales on the fireflies’ abdomens, LEDs 55% more efficient than previous designs have been created. Researchers used the newly discovered … [continued]
A new type of biological concrete has been created that encourages the natural and rapid growth of pigmented organisms in the concrete. The material was designed with the idea of being used as a façade for buildings located in Mediterranean-like climates, offering great advantages in thermal comfort and helping … [continued]
Researchers from King’s College London have developed a detailed process to separate colors and create ‘rainbows’ on a metal surface by utilizing nanoscale structures. This method will likely lead to improved solar cells and LED displays, according to the researchers. […]
Three years ago researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark discovered something completely unpredicted, measurable electrical currents running through a completely undisturbed seabed. At the time of discovery, it wasn’t completely clear what was conducting the current, but the theory was that electric currents could possibly be traveling through different … [continued]
A new material designed to emulate many of the qualities of a butterfly’s wing has been developed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Created primarily through the use of lasers, the ‘wafer’ can mimic the iridescent colors of butterfly’s wings, and is also water-proof. The researchers … [continued]
A radical new concept for computing has been developed that uses drops of water as bits of digital information. This new concept was spurred by the recent discovery that when two water droplets collide with each other on a highly water-repellent surface, they simply bounce off of each other … [continued]
In a technological breakthrough, the photosynthetic protein in spinach has been combined with silicon in a new and unique way, resulting in a solar cell that produces considerably more electrical current than any previous “biohybrid” solar cells. “This combination produces current levels almost 1,000 times higher than we were … [continued]
Researchers have finally unraveled the biological mechanism behind the creeping of a plant’s tendrils, leading to the discovery of an unusual type of spring. The new type of spring is quite soft when pulled gently upon, but becomes stiff when pulled upon strongly. Rather than unwinding into a flat … [continued]
DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency, is the financial force behind a new biomimicry robotics project from MIT. The end result is Meshworm, a small, soft robot that looks like a moldy lint sock, moves like an earthworm, and holds its own under various stressors, even when … [continued]
A California scientist has developed a synthetic form of spider silk created by living bacteria, and in a life-imitates-art twist his research track is running parallel to the storyline of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. In both cases, the result has been a renewable, nontoxic biomaterial that relies on energy efficient … [continued]
