Studying Pterosaurs – Largest Animals Ever to Fly – To Better Engineer Manmade Flight
Pterosaurs were the largest animals ever to fly. They soared the skies for 160 million years–much longer than any species of modern bird. Despite their…
Biomechanics
Researchers Have Found a Way to Control Bacteria to Transport Microscopic Cargo
It is a longstanding challenge to be able to control biological systems to perform specific tasks. In a paper published in Nature Physics, researchers at…
Artificial Intelligence Composes New Proteins – The Building Blocks of Life – as Musical Scores
Using machine learning to create new proteins by translating proteins into musical scores. Proteins are the building blocks of life, and consequently, scientists have long…
Strange, Extremely Disordered Proteins Are Heroes in Disguise – Protect Other Proteins
New study of heat-resistant protein class reveals unusual shape and ability to prevent dangerous clumps associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at the University of Tokyo…
Self-Assembly Biomaterial Discovery Enables 3D Printing of Tissue-Like Vascular Structures
An international team of scientists have discovered a new material that can be 3D printed to create tissue-like vascular structures. In a new study published…
Bionic Tactile Enhancement – Highly Sensitive Sensors Inspired by Spiders Improve Sense of Touch
Ultrathin crack-based sensors operate on a principle similar to a spider’s sense organ and display remarkable sensitivity to movement. People rely on a highly tuned…
High-Speed Video Reveals Bumblebees Carry Heavy Loads in Energy-Efficient “Economy Mode”
Bumblebees are the big lifters of the insect world, able to fly back to the hive with almost their own bodyweight in nectar on board….
Science Proves Weightlifters Could Lift Less and Get Stronger
Weightlifters could do less and get stronger by changing the amount they lift each session, according to new research. Sports scientists from the University of…
Got Slime? Regenerative Biology Used to Restore Mucus Production
Lance Davidson of the University of Pittsburgh published an article in Nature Communications detailing that tissue mechanics can drive the regeneration of goblet cells on…
Scientists Just Discovered How Beetle ‘Weapons’ Grow
Specific insulin-like peptide regulates how beetle ‘weapons’ grow, revealing how larval nutrition leads to differently sized mandibles in broad-horned flour beetles. A scientist from Tokyo…
The World’s Smallest Universal Joints in Unprecedented Resolution
Researchers at Osaka University used electron cryomicroscopy to solve the structure of an essential component of the bacterial flagellum with unprecedented resolution, with important implications…
Scientists Explore How Fire Ants’ Raft Building Skills React As Fluid Forces Change
How Fire Ants Build Rafts to Adapt in a Very Wet Environment Fire ants build living rafts to survive floods and rainy seasons. Georgia Tech…
Video Shows Single-Cell Organism Making Complex Decisions – Resolves Century-Old Scientific Debate
Modern technology and old-fashioned legwork solve science mystery: Video shows single-cell organism making complex decisions. A life of avoidance, detachment, and relocation might not be…
How Springy Bamboo Poles Help Villagers Carry Incredibly Heavy Loads
Carrying heavy loads on a flexible bamboo pole allows walkers to save up to 20% of their energy. Southeast Asia is a riot of color…
Extending Trauma Patients’ Survival Time With Injection of Magnetizable Fluid
Injectable, biocompatible magnetorheological suspension could halt bleeding in trauma related injuries. Inspired by their use in mechanical systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers are testing…
The Physics Behind Optimal Archery Feather Design
Researchers examine how archery accuracy is affected by arrow size and shape, and the impact of wind conditions. When it comes to archery, choosing the…
Quieter Drones Inspired by the Physics of Mosquito Mating Ritual Sounds
Research could also lead to nontoxic method using sound to diminish mosquito breeding. Mosquitoes flap their wings not just to stay aloft but for two…
Jaw-Some Wombats: Flexible Jaws May Help Wombats Survive Change
Flexible jaws may help wombats better survive in a changing world by adapting to climate change’s effect on vegetation and new diets in conservation sanctuaries….