Princeton University

Researchers have found a way to take waste concrete from demolition sites and turn it into fresh new concrete that has a strength not seen before from such a product. The breakthrough could lead to significant emissions reductions in the building sector.

Seeking to improve the tokamak fusion reactor known as ITER, researchers have found a way to stop rogue tungsten atoms from shearing off the walls and messing with the plasma. The finding is another important milestone on fusion's road to success.

A pair of Princeton engineers have developed a new kind of concrete that promises more than 5 times the damage resistance of the usual stuff, by poking holes in its structure.

Inspired by the shiny lining of mollusk shells, researchers created a cement composite 19 times more flexible and 17 times more crack-resistant than regular cement. Its properties could be applied to brittle ceramic materials like porcelain and concrete.

If a soft-bodied robot uses rigid actuators to move its body, then it isn't really soft now, is it? An experimental new caterpillar-inspired bot gets around that conundrum by using soft, collapsible origami segments to squirm and steer its way into our hearts.

The 2024 QS World University Rankings were released this week, and with three new key metrics added to the scoring process, several universities have rocketed to the international forefront, while traditional icons are being pushed below the fold.

For anyone who thinks that all electric boats are really just aquatic golf carts, well … think again. A Princeton University student team recently broke a world speed record for electric-powered boats, with an average speed of 114.2 mph (183.8 km/h).

Although we've seen a number of systems that use sunlight to purify tainted water, their output is often quite limited. A new loofah-inspired hydrogel, however, uses sunlight to treat much more water in one go … enough to meet a person's daily needs.

If a robot is going to be tiny, then it better have a way of getting around the many obstacles that will block its way. A new type of robot takes a unique approach to doing so, by jumping like a click beetle.

As microplastics pollution and potable water scarcity both worsen, it's becoming increasingly important to find efficient ways of filtering and desalinating seawater. A new aerogel definitely holds some promise, and it's made from egg whites.

Before perovskite can become viable for solar cells, it needs to overcome a major durability issue. Engineers at Princeton have unveiled a new perovskite solar cell design that tests suggest could last as long as 30 years of real-world use.

Scientists regularly turn to nature for inspiration in their pursuit of next-generation materials, and engineers studying the porous microstructures of bone and wood have come up with a clever example of biomimicry with wide-ranging potential.