University of Kiel

Researchers have found a promising natural lubricant excreted in the knee joints of darkling beetles

Materials

Natural beetle juice outperforms Teflon as a lubricant

No matter what humans come up with, chances are nature has already done a better job. Now researchers have discovered the latest example – beetles naturally lubricate their knees with a strange substance that works better than Teflon.

A microscope image of aerographite, which is now officially the world's lightest solid material (Image: Technical University of Hamburg)

Science

Aerographite claims title of World's Lightest Solid Material

Aerographite is now officially the world's lightest solid material, beating out metallic microlattice and aerogel.

Surrounded by other team members, Achim Oesert from the University of Kiel hangs from the ceiling using bioinspired polymer tape (Image: University of Kiel) alongside an image of a gecko (Image: Wahj via Flickr)

Science

Biologically inspired adhesive tape can be reused thousands of times

With inspiration from nature, researchers have created a new dry adhesive tape that is not only boasts impressive adhesive strength, but can also be attached and detached thousands of times without losing its adhesive properties.