North Carolina State University

After someone has suffered a heart attack, non-beating scar tissue grows back in place of the damaged cardiac tissue, leaving the heart permanently weakened. A newly developed spray-on medication, however, may someday help change that.

A new study shows that tectonic activity may have caused sections of Venus’ planetary crust to become fragmented into smaller bodies that barge past each other like chunks of ice on water. The planet may still be capable of hosting tectonic activity.

Engineers have found a way to make liquid metals switch between reflective surfaces or those that scatter light. The transition only requires a small zap of electricity and could be used to make mirrors that can be switched on or off.

Scientists have developed a new type of smart stent that can help prevent some of the complications these implants bring. The stent is coated in a substance that minimizes the inflammatory response, while promoting tissue repair.

When toxins are present in a waterway, freshwater mussels are one of the first creatures to react. A new mussel-mounted sensor has been designed with this in mind, as a means of catching water pollution early.

Would transparent solar cells installed in greenhouse roofs deprive plants of vital sunlight? To find out, researchers at North Carolina State University grew lettuce under various wavelengths of light, and found that the plants did just fine.

It can be difficult to separate water from oil, which makes water pollution tricky to clean up. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a bacterial biofilm membrane can effectively let water through while keeping oil out.

Why use three separate products, when just one will do the trick? That's the thinking behind an experimental new contraceptive gel that combines a spermicide, an anti-viral agent and a libido enhancer in one formulation.

Blood clots can be dangerous, and blood thinning drugs aren’t always enough to clear them out. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated an ultrasonic “drill” that can break clots apart with the help of tiny nanodroplets.

Heart attack patients often need replacements for damaged arteries. In a new proof-of-concept study, scientists knitted a prototype graft out of hybrid synthetic and biological yarn, helping the patients own cells grow and repair the artery.

The excavation and disposal of landmines is a time- and labor-intensive business, so it can be quite a waste of resources if the detected object is not actually a mine. A new system could help, by reducing the number of mine-hunting errors.

Researchers have identified a particular microRNA molecule that appears to regulate hair regeneration. This could be a new drug target for hair loss, bypassing the promising stem cell treatments without needing to grow and transplant whole cells.