Structure

Fractals are a fascinating type of pattern for mathematics nerds, with their repeating, artificial-looking structures. Now, scientists have discovered the first known fractal protein – and it seems to be an evolutionary accident.

A new study may overturn more than 100 years of accepted science about how the brain functions. Researchers applied a mathematical model to brain activity and found that brain function may have more to do with shape than connectivity.

Knots are known for boosting the strength of materials, and now Caltech engineers have developed a new material consisting of microscale knots, showing that it’s far tougher than a version of the material made of the same stuff without knots.

It's easy to forget that structures such as bridges, wind turbines and scaffolding are held together by screws which could loosen – with catastrophic results. The new Smart Screw Connection system is designed to warn authorities before that happens.

In a dramatic ending, the 1,000-ft Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed this Tuesday at around 7:55 am local time. The 900-ton instrument platform fell and crashed into the dish from a height of 492 ft.

Researchers at LANL have hit upon a microstructure with impressive shock absorption. The team 3D-printed cubes with fractal void patterns inside them, which could be a useful structure for new materials in helmets, armor and other protective items.

Even the smallest of deformations in structures such as buildings or bridges can lead to cracks, so the sooner that they're noticed, the better. A new laser-based system is designed to do just that, quicker and cheaper than ever before.

The winners of the 52nd Structural Awards were announced on Saturday. Whittled down from a shortlist of 49 projects, the awards celebrate some of the most impressive achievements in construction. Let's take a look at the winners.

The winners of the Structural Awards 2018 have been announced. This year’s top prize was awarded to the sleek and elegant Tamina Canyon Crossing in Switzerland, while the rest of the honors went to an assortment of outstanding bridges, stadiums, and other buildings.

You don’t want to be staring down the barrel of the mantis shrimp's immensely-powerful club. Now researchers have discovered the mechanism behind just how the creature wields this weapon without permanently damaging itself, and the design strategy could inspire a new class of super-tough materials.

If you wanted to design a shelter that's stripped down to the absolute minimum, you could do worse than the Nomadic Shelter, a modular shelter that sleeps up to 12 people. It's currently installed on the Norwegian island of Sandhornøy, in the Arctic Circle.

The Observatory is an off-grid tiny shelter and artist's studio that will visit various locations in England, and allow an artist-in-residence to live and work for up to two months at a time. It was recently installed in Winchester's South Downs National Park.