University of Pennsylvania

The promise of reusable sticky things, from Post-it Notes to Blu Tack, has never quite been fulfilled. They're just never quite as sticky the second time around, or the third. But now, a team of engineers thinks it has an answer, inspired by one of nature's great stickers, the humble, slimy snail.

An army of tiny robots scuttling about inside your mouth cleaning your teeth. It's a disquieting thought, and yet it might be one of the most effective ways to deal with the sticky bacterial biofilms that coat our choppers – as well as water pipes, catheters and other tough-to-clean items.

In extreme cases the flu virus can actually reshape the structure of the lungs. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a major part of that restructuring that until now had gone unnoticed – “taste bud cells” seem to grow in the lungs after a severe case of the flu.

​We've seen numerous nano-devices designed for tasks such as delivering medication within the body, and they move in a variety of ways. One of the latest is a tiny four-legged robot, that could actually walk to its target.

A new technique has been used to turn ordinary metals into "metallic wood" with a greatly improved strength-to-weight ratio. By manipulating materials at the atomic scale, scientists claim to have created a sheet of nickel that is as strong as titanium​, but up to five times lighter.

​As the shock-absorbing cartilage discs between our vertebrae degenerate due to aging, accidents or overuse, severe back pain can result. While some scientists have developed purely synthetic replacement discs, a recent test on goats indicates that bioengineered discs may be a better way to go.

A research team led by Cornell University has demonstrated a bunch of modular robots that move together as one, but break apart and reform as a different shape that's better suited to the assigned task or to navigate obstacles.

Teeth can’t naturally repair themselves – so when a kid injures a permanent tooth at a young age, they’re stuck with that for life. But a new clinical trial has shown promising results in using dental stem cells derived from a patient’s baby teeth to bring a “dead” tooth back to life.

A new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated the efficacy of a new universal flu vaccine. Having been proven impressively effective in animal tests, the team hopes to move the vaccine into human trials within the next couple of years.

​For many years, people suffering from dry eye disease have turned to omega-3 fatty acid supplements to help relive their symptoms. According to a new study funded by the US National Eye Institute (NEI), however, such supplements make virtually no difference.

​A new study has uncovered the mechanism by which our gut communicates with the brain to regulate the sensation of hunger. The researchers also discovered a novel combination of hormones that can mimic the signal sent to our brain telling it that enough food has been consumed.

​When you get a cavity filled, you certainly don't want plaque growing on the filling – it could cause the tooth to decay all over again. That's why scientists have evaluated a new dental composite material that not only kills bacteria on contact, but that also stands up to everyday wear and tear.