Harvard

Kevlar and Twaron are tough materials, but there’s a bit of a trade-off to be made between strength, heat resistance and weight. Now, researchers have created a new nanofiber material that’s just as strong, but much more insulating against heat.

Given how big the universe is, chances are tiny that Earth is the only planet with life. But how would we find others? A new NASA grant has been awarded to try and do so by hunting for signs of advanced alien civilizations, or "technosignatures."

A new study, led by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is shedding light on a century-old mystery. The study describes how bacteria in the gut can metabolize cholesterol at levels high enough to improve a person’s cardiac health.

Researchers have succeeded in activating a hibernation-like state in mice and rats, opening up the possibility that this type of “suspended animation” might eventually be used for preserving human organs for transplant, or even deep space travel.

Scientists have been exploring the connection between poor sleep and early death and found a type of molecule that appears to play a facilitating role, raising the prospect of new treatments and furthering our understanding of the mysteries of sleep.

It was seven years ago that we first heard about Harvard University's HAMR cockroach-inspired robot. Although the bot was already on the tiny side, its designers have now created a version that's just half its size – it's time to meet HAMR-JR.

A couple of years ago, Harvard scientists copied the structure of snake skin to create a soft-bodied robot that gripped the ground as it moved. Now, they've applied that same thinking to shoe grips that could help keep seniors from falling.

Scientists at Harvard University and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have uncovered a pair of molecules with the ability to boost dopamine production in mice with Parkinson’s disease, greatly improving their motor function as a result.

Remember those toys that sprang up into the air after you pushed them down? They're called poppers, and they've inspired an actuator that could one day allow soft-bodied robots to jump across rough terrain.

A study is offering new evidence of a link between ALS and the gut microbiome. One researcher described the discovery as “remarkable”, finding genetically identical mice displayed different health outcomes determined by their gut microbiome.

A study has homed in on the sex-specific activity of a gene that both increases risk of developing schizophrenia and decreases the risk of developing lupus, offering novel insights into how some diseases appear in different rates in men and women.

The first fossil of a Spinosaurus tail has been discovered, revealing large spines that indicate a paddle shape like a crocodile’s tail. That means this gigantic predator was a proficient swimmer, making it the first aquatic dinosaur.