Tag: #165

Elephant trunks have inspired a microhydraulic robot. Meanwhile a research team in China has taken its lead from the ancient lamprey fish’s mouth to create its new hybrid suction disc, complete with a soft silicon lip which doubles as a seal on the outer edge. Instead of teeth the disc calls on the knobs of a Shape Memory Polymer...

Prison libraries help residents gain new perspectives. Now, a non-profit organisation in the US is supporting communities with libraries of a different kind. Founded by a 17-year-old female high school student, the organisation uses public libraries and food banks to address the impact of ‘food deserts’, providing residents with seed packs free of charge. Locals thus have the opportunity...

No one needs kidney stones. Nevertheless, a mineral present in animals’ urinary calculus is helping to make construction materials from sawdust fire resistant. A research team in Switzerland mixed sawdust and struvite (a crystalline ammonium magnesium phosphate), adding an enzyme extracted from watermelon seeds for stickiness. The mixture was then pressed for two days into chipboards. Tests showed that...

The future of salmon could lie in cell cultures. Meanwhile, a California-based startup is betting on a similar process for cacao in a bid to avoid further deforestation. A reduction in rainforests not only causes drought, but increases the likelihood of flooding - both harming cacao yields. In a bioreactor, cell cultures from the cacao plant are naturally fermented...

A protective film from seagrass shows whether food has spoiled. Now, a Texas-based research team is looking at how to detect substances in liquid food products using electric signals from bacteria. The molecules in bacteria which create the signal can be toxic and are often swept away by liquids. Leading the team to enclose the bacteria safely in the...

Analogue speakers have joined the digital world. Now, a startup in Chicago has developed a sensor which allows analogue watches to be converted into smartwatches. The 3mm thin disc is placed on the underside of the watch, attaching through special magnet-free micro-suction technology. Next, the sensor is connected to wearers’ smartphones via an app. Once in place, wearers can...