New Atlas

Materials Audio available

Polar bear fur-inspired insulation is even better than the real thing

Ben Coxworth June 7, 2019

For years now, scientists have marvelled at the insulating qualities of polar bear fur, suggesting that it could inspire manmade heat-retaining materials. Well, Chinese researchers have now developed just such a substance, which reportedly outperforms real fur.

A microscope image of the carbon tube aerogel

Science Audio available

Rosy tech offers better, cheaper water purification

Ben Coxworth May 31, 2019

"Solar steaming" is a form of water purification in which sunlight is used to heat tainted water, turning it to steam which condenses back into liquid. That clean liquid is then collected as drinking water. A new system offers improved performance, and it copies the structure of the rose flower.

A bouquet of the rose-inspired (or actually tulip-inspired) solar steamers

Robotics Audio available

Sloth-inspired robot saves power by taking things slow

Ben Coxworth May 30, 2019

Because sloths move very slowly – if at all – they burn relatively few calories, thus requiring little food. Scientists have now applied that principle to a sluggish but energy-efficient robot, known appropriately enough as the SlothBot. One of its primary uses could be environmental monitoring.

Robotics

Leech-like climbing robot a world first in free movement

James Holloway May 13, 2019

Combining suction cups and shower hoses, robotics researchers have created a wall-climbing robot said to be inspired by one of nature's congenital suckers: the leech. They're calling it a "world's first achievement in developing soft and flexible robot that is capable of free movement on a wall."

Materials Audio available

Squid-inspired material keeps the heat – or loses it

Ben Coxworth April 29, 2019

Squids, octopi and cuttlefish are able to change the color of their skin thanks to specialized cells known as chromatophores. Scientists have now replicated the manner in which those cells work, resulting in a flexible material that can either trap or release heat as needed.

Alon Gorodetsky and Erica Leung, with a sample of the material

Materials Audio available

Bacteria used to produce synthetic mother-of-pearl

Ben Coxworth April 23, 2019

Besides simply looking nice when used in jewellery, mother-of-pearl is also one of nature's hardest, stiffest, most stable materials. Scientists have now utilized bacteria to develop a cheap and eco-friendly method of replicating it, for possible use in a variety of areas.

A sample of the artificial nacre, deposited on a glass slide

Robotics Audio available

Harvard researchers speed up snake-inspired kirigani robot

Darren Quick April 22, 2019

Last year, a Harvard team revealed a snake-inspired soft robot that harnessed the ancient Japanese art of kirigami to create pop-up scales that allowed the robot propel itself along as it stretches and contracts. Now some tweaks have given the robot boosts in both speed and precision.

Researchers at Harvard have enhanced the speed and accuracy of their snake-inspired soft robot by changing ...

Drones Audio available

Insect-inspired drone folds its arms for improved flight

Ben Coxworth April 16, 2019

Whereas quadcopter drones simply have four rigid propeller-bearing arms, flying insects are able to adjust the angle of their wings according to the situation. Inspired by that fact, scientists have created a drone that can fold its arms while in flight, allowing for better performance.

The folding-arm drone is claimed to be better than regular quadcopters at flying in the wind, ...

Materials

Bee-slobber-inspired adhesive may succeed where others fail

Ben Coxworth March 28, 2019

Depending on their formulation, most adhesives fail either when they're exposed to excessive humidity, or when they dry out in arid conditions. Honeybees, however, don't have such problems with their "pollen pellets." A new understanding of why this is so could lead to better manmade adhesives.

A honeybee, with a pollen pellet stuck to one of its hind legs

Aircraft

MetaFly is that flying robotic insect you've been looking for

Ben Coxworth March 6, 2019

Five years ago, French aeronautical engineer Edwin Van Ruymbeke successfully crowdfunded his Bionic Bird – it's a remote-control model that flies by flapping its wings, just like a real bird. Now he's back, with the insect-inspired MetaFly.

The MetaFly can be flown both indoors and outdoors (if the winds aren't too strong)