Retractable sunshades have long been used to adjust the amount of sunlight an area gets during the day, but these are usually driven by motors. Taking inspiration from the humble pine cone, engineers have now developed a shading system that can open and close automatically – no electricity required.
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Researchers from ETH Zurich have found a way to make use of some of the chemical weapons bacteria have developed against each other. In this case, that bacterial battleground is on the surface of thale cress leaves.
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The way genes are expressed can be changed by environmental or lifestyle factors and these changes may be inherited from parents. A new study has found that male mice who spend time in cold environments may pass down this “experience” to their kids, in the form of higher levels of warming brown fat.
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The Ethec electric motorcycle, designed and built by Swiss university students, is a strange jumble of ideas that are individually very nice. With a massive 15-kWh battery box, it offers a range around 250 miles. And it's got a second hub motor in the front wheel to improve its regenerative braking.
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Bone marrow tissue functions like a conveyor belt for our bloodstream and scientists have now made a promising advance in the effort to create an artificial version, a tool that could be weaponized in the fight against leukemia and other diseases of the blood.
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Scientists have developed what they claim is the “smallest and cheapest” electronic nose for sniffing out people, designed with earthquake and avalanche rescue in mind. The nose detects various substances which would provide the crucial “chemical fingerprint” showing the presence of human life.
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Engineers at Caltech and ETH Zurich have created a swimming robot that’s powered by material deformation. That means that it’s made using materials that change shape in response to temperature swings, and that deformation pushes the device through water.
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British electronic music icon Massive Attack is marking the 20th anniversary of the release of its most successful album – Mezzanine – by having it stored in DNA molecules. Digital audio will be translated into genetic code and stored in DNA strands housed in tiny glass beads.
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Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a novel early warning system for four common types of cancer. An implant keeps watch for elevated levels of calcium in the blood – and warns the patient by growing an artificial mole on their skin.
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In the aftermath of a disaster such as an earthquake, it's of the utmost importance to quickly find live victims buried under the rubble. A new device, created by a team led by ETH Zurich's Prof. Sotiris E. Pratsinis, could make doing so cheaper and easier than ever.
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