North Carolina State University

In order to see how well a corn plant is performing photosynthesis, you need to check the angle of its leaves relative to its stem. And while scientists ordinarily have to do so with a protractor, a new robotic system can now do the job much quicker.

The negative health effects of chemicals called PFAS continue to be uncovered. Scientists from North Carolina State University (NCSU) have now shown that some types of PFAS can disrupt vital functions of immune cells.

If there's one thing that the past few years have made us of aware of, it's the danger of respiratory viruses. An inhalable powder may one day help temporarily protect against them, by working with the natural layer of mucus in users' lungs.

In order to optimize traffic flow, many autonomous vehicles communicate with one another and with traffic control systems. Scientists are now suggesting that an extra white light at intersections could help incorporate human drivers into the mix.

A team of researchers has developed a new material that’s not only elastic, but is impervious to gases and liquids – something this kind of material is usually bad at. The material could be useful for making flexible batteries or wearable electronics.

When it comes to different types of milk containers, you may think that the only reasons to choose one over the other would be factors like convenience. New research, however, suggests that container material type can actually affect milk's flavor.

It goes without saying that if someone has a blood clot in their brain, that clot should be cleared as soon as possible. An experimental new transducer could help, as it uses swirling waves of ultrasound to break up blood clots much faster than existing methods.

Motion-measuring strain sensors have many uses, such as tracking a person's physical activity, or reading their blood pressure. A new such device could be particularly useful, as it combines high sensitivity with a wide range of detectable motion.

Imagine if you were tasked with sorting and separating thousands of tiny fossils, most of them less than a millimeter wide. It would quite a tedious, time-consuming task … which is why scientists have recently created a robot to do the job.

Although many groups are developing power-generating "smart fabrics," the technology is often too complex to be scaled up to commercial use. Now, however, scientists have devised a method of embroidering electrical generators onto regular fabric.

While the field of printable electronics holds much promise, the printing of circuits onto curved surfaces is still very challenging. A new technique simplifies the process of doing so, potentially allowing for new types of electronic devices.

Scientists regularly draw ideas from the natural world in a bid to improve robotic performance, and the latest creation in this space is a soft robot that mimics butterfly stroke in humans to move through the water with unparalleled speed.