University of Sydney

A roof paint that can cool your home and pull fresh water straight out of the air? It's within reach, as scientists scale up production of a new kind of paint-like coating that shields roofing from the sun's rays and harvests dew from its surface.

Chemical engineers at the University of Sydney are using human-made lightning to produce ammonia – a key ingredient in fertilizers – from thin air and without the need for high temperatures or pressures.

Table tennis is one of those sports that most people would likely assume is simply unplayable by the blind. An Australian student, however, is now using cameras and speakers to get unsighted individuals in on the ping pong action.

Nanowire networks mimic the networked structure of the human brain. But can they learn and remember like a human brain can? New research indicates they can.

Polypropylene is one of the most commonly used plastics but there are problems when it comes to recycling. Researchers have developed a new way of breaking down this troublesome plastic by enlisting the help of a couple of common fungi.

An international team of scientists eyeing next-generation energy storage solutions have demonstrated an eco-friendly and low-cost battery with some exciting potential, which includes a fourfold increase on energy capacity over lithium-ion batteries.

A new type of radar can measure objects down to centimeters. The new technique uses a photonic system to generate much higher bandwidth signals, enabling radar that can detect smaller objects, and even monitor patient vital signs in hospitals.

An international team of scientists has created a new type of solar flow battery that’s efficient and long-lasting. The device is made up of a silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell, paired with a redox flow battery, with organic chemical electrolytes.

Combustion experts from the University of Sydney are working on a revolutionary new rocket engine that can not only breath air while in the atmosphere, but can burn incoming air at supersonic speeds, promising to make space launches cheaper and more efficient.

Algorithms can already produce remarkable architecture of incredible detail, that never would have been possible before computers and modern fabrication techniques. Now there are robotic craftsmen under development, that may soon add a touch of uniqueness to stock standard buildings.

The University of Sydney’s "Ladybird" robot is capable of conducting mobile farm reconnaissance, mapping, classification, and detection of problems for a variety of different crops.

The University of Sydney is working on developing robotic systems for farms with the aim of turning Australia into the “food bowl” of Asia.