https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A robot crab has helped scientists understand how male fiddler crabs compete over females. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-wavy-dave-robot-crab-reveals.html Plants & Animals Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:10:02 EDT news673515781 Velcro. Airplanes. Sonar. What do these have in common? The invention of each was inspired by nature. Velcro mimics burdock burr's ability to attach to clothing. Birds in flight motivated the eventual development of airplanes. Bats use echolocation to navigate, providing the inspiration for sonar. https://phys.org/news/2021-11-nanomaterials-nature-blueprints.html Nanomaterials Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:12:36 EST news555873132 A new study has revealed how remora suckerfish detach themselves from the surfaces they've clung to—and how the mechanism could provide inspiration for future reversible underwater adhesion devices. https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ocean-hitchhiker-sucker-mechanism-potential.html General Physics Mon, 24 Aug 2020 10:00:39 EDT news517482035 Sometimes, breaking rules is not a bad thing. Especially when the rules are apparent laws of nature that apply in bulk material, but other forces appear in the nanoscale. https://phys.org/news/2020-06-self-assembling-biomimetic-composites-unusual-electrical.html Polymers Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:17:11 EDT news510506227 Secrets to cementing the sustainability of our future infrastructure may come from nature, such as proteins that keep plants and animals from freezing in extremely cold conditions. CU Boulder researchers have discovered that a synthetic molecule based on natural antifreeze proteins minimizes freeze-thaw damage and increases the strength and durability of concrete, improving the longevity of new infrastructure and decreasing carbon emissions over its lifetime. https://phys.org/news/2020-05-nature-antifreeze-formula-durable-concrete.html Materials Science Wed, 27 May 2020 11:00:01 EDT news509777656 Biologically inspired engineering to produce biomimetic materials and scaffolds typically occurs at the micro- or nanoscale. In a new study on Science Advances, Iaroslav Petrenko and a multidisciplinary global research team, proposed the use of naturally pre-fabricated, three-dimensional (3-D) spongin scaffolds to preserve molecular detail across larger, centimeter-scale samples. During materials characterization studies, researchers require large-scale samples to test nanoscale features. The naturally occurring collagenous resource contained a fine-scale structure, stable at temperatures of up to 12000C with potential to produce up to 4 x 10 cm 3-D microfibrous and nanoporous graphite for characterization and catalytic applications. The new findings showed exceptionally preserved nanostructural features of triple-helix collagen in the turbostratic (misaligned) graphite. The carbonized sponge resembled the shape and unique microarchitecture of the original spongin scaffold. The researchers then copper electroplated the composites to form a hybrid material with excellent catalytic performance observed in both fresh water and marine environments. https://phys.org/news/2019-10-extreme-biomimetics-natural-sources-materials.html Materials Science Tue, 22 Oct 2019 06:00:01 EDT news490866987 Invasive species control is notoriously challenging, especially in lakes and rivers where native fish and other wildlife have limited options for escape. In his laboratory's latest foray into using biomimetic robots to understand and modify animal behavior, NYU Tandon School of Engineering Professor Maurizio Porfiri led an interdisciplinary team of researchers from NYU Tandon and the University of Western Australia toward demonstrating how robotic fish can be a valuable tool in the fight against one of the world's most problematic invasive species, the mosquitofish. https://phys.org/news/2019-09-invasive-species-robots.html Plants & Animals Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:29:18 EDT news487852991 Biomedical engineers at Penn State have developed a process to build protective, synthetic plant cell walls around animal cells. The work, published in Nature Communications, could hold significant potential for a variety of medical and biomanufacturing applications for human health. https://phys.org/news/2019-07-bioengineered-cell-walls-medical-possibilities.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 17 Jul 2019 08:34:49 EDT news482571280 Bioinspired engineering strategies rely on achieving the combined biological properties of strength and toughness inherent in nature. Tissue engineers and materials scientists therefore aim to construct intelligent, hierarchical biomimetic structures from limited resources. As a representative material, natural nacre maintains a brick-and-mortar structure that allows many viable toughening mechanisms on multiple scales. Such naturally occurring materials demonstrate an outstanding combination of strength and toughness, unlike any synthetic, engineered biomaterial. https://phys.org/news/2019-06-bioinspired-materialsgraphene-enabled-nickel-composites.html Materials Science Tue, 11 Jun 2019 07:11:18 EDT news479455868 In bone tissue engineering (BTE), 3-D printing is a reliable and customizable method used to repair bone defects by producing biomimetic tissue scaffolds. In a recent study published online on Tissue Engineering Part A (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc), Qing Li and a team of scientists engineered a biomimetic substitute closest to the natural bone structure and composition for bone grafting. For this work, they used two different types of hydroxyapatite (HA) materials: nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) and deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) dispersed into collagen (CoL) to prepare a bio-ink and engineer composites of nHA/CoL and DBB/CoL as 3-D printed scaffolds. https://phys.org/news/2019-02-bioplotting-bone-mimetic-d-tissue-scaffolds.html Materials Science Thu, 07 Feb 2019 09:13:58 EST news468753226 The natural world, with all its diversity, is a popular place for researchers to go looking for new drugs, including those that fight cancer. https://phys.org/news/2019-01-synthetic-chemistry-anti-cancer-compounds-sea.html Biochemistry Fri, 25 Jan 2019 07:24:01 EST news467623413 Inspired by nature, Chinese scientists have produced a synthetic analogue to vulcanized natural rubber. Their material is just as tough and durable as the original. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, they reveal the secret to their success: short protein chains attached to the side-chains of the polymer backbone ensure stable physical cross-linkage and give the material a "self-reinforcing" effect under strain. In contrast to conventional rubbers, it is much easier to recycle. https://phys.org/news/2018-12-biomimetic-strategy-strong-recyclable-rubber.html Materials Science Mon, 10 Dec 2018 09:10:02 EST news463655246 The cellular and molecular mechanisms of magnetic stimulation-based bone regeneration require further understanding at present. To evaluate the phenomenon in the lab, a three-dimensional (3-D) native collagen model was recently developed via plastic compression to produce a cellular, dense and mechanically strong collagen structure. To produce cell-laden models in the study, Zhiyu Yuan and colleagues incorporated osteoblast cells (MG-63 cell line) and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) into the collagen gels. Using 3-D printing, a magnetic bioreactor was designed and fabricated to support cell growth under static magnetic fields (SMFs). Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the researchers determined the impact of SMFs on the regulation and expression of genes related to osteogenesis including runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteonectin (ON) and bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4 (BMP-2 and BMP-4). https://phys.org/news/2018-11-d-collagen-magnetic-assisted-osteogenesis-vitro.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 12 Nov 2018 09:40:03 EST news461229182 An eco-friendly, coating-free strategy has been developed to make solid surfaces liquid-repellent, which is crucial for the transportation of large quantities of liquids through pipes. Researchers from KAUST's Water Desalination and Reuse Center have engineered nature-inspired surfaces that decrease frictional drag at the interface between liquid and pipe surface. https://phys.org/news/2018-09-bio-inspired-materials-decrease-liquids.html Condensed Matter Fri, 07 Sep 2018 08:36:20 EDT news455528166 As the world grapples with climate change, we urgently need to find ways of reducing our CO₂ emissions. Sectors which rely heavily on fossil fuels, such as energy and aviation, are commonly held to be the worst offenders. But what most people don't realise is that there's another culprit, hiding in plain sight; on the streets of our cities, and in the buildings where we live and work. https://phys.org/news/2016-03-big-biomimeticscould-future-bone-eggshells.html Engineering Wed, 09 Mar 2016 09:59:53 EST news376739986 Intricarene was first isolated from a Caribbean coral. Now an Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich team has, for the first time, photochemically synthesized the compound in the laboratory, using levels of UV radiation like those that prevail in the coral's natural habitat. https://phys.org/news/2014-12-intricarene-synthesis.html Materials Science Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:50:23 EST news336905235 A wide range of biologically inspired materials may now be possible by combining protein studies, materials science and RNA sequencing, according to an international team of researchers. https://phys.org/news/2013-09-genome-elastomeric-materials.html Biotechnology Mon, 09 Sep 2013 13:18:29 EDT news297951486 (Phys.org) —When a scout honeybee returns to the hive, she performs a "waggle dance," looping and shaking her rear end in particular patterns to direct her comrades toward the jackpot of nectar and pollen she's found. Her movements communicate the direction and distance of the nectar source, providing a vector along which the other bees can now travel. As they fly through the air, the flow of optical stimuli across their peripheral vision tells the bees how far they've traveled and when to turn. https://phys.org/news/2013-06-robobees-smart-pollen-pursuit.html Hi Tech & Innovation Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:03:11 EDT news290066583 (Phys.org) —For sea turtle hatchlings struggling to reach the ocean, success may depend on having flexible wrists that allow them to move without disturbing too much sand. A similar wrist also helps a robot known as "FlipperBot" move through a test bed, demonstrating how animals and bio-inspired robots can together provide new information on the principles governing locomotion on granular surfaces. https://phys.org/news/2013-04-flipperbot-sea-turtles-beach-walking-robot.html Robotics Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:00:01 EDT news285956537 With 3.5 billion years of research and development under her belt, Mother Nature could be considered the world's most experienced biological engineer. Sure, her methods may appear haphazard at times, but her track record of developing organisms that are exquisitely adapted to the tasks required of them is nothing short of amazing. https://phys.org/news/2013-01-rice-butterfly-wings-insight-nature.html Nanomaterials Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:16:40 EST news278234188 Battery technology hasn't kept pace with advancements in portable electronics, but the race is on to fix this. One revolutionary concept being pursued by a team of researchers in New Zealand involves creating "wearable energy harvesters" capable of converting movement from humans or found in nature into battery power. https://phys.org/news/2011-04-batteries-soft.html General Physics Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:54:31 EDT news221309568 (PhysOrg.com) -- Although the lungless salamander and some frog species have developed ballistic tongues, the chameleon's ballistic tongue is the fastest, the longest, and the one that can catch the heaviest prey. A chameleon’s tongue can elongate more than six times its rest length, zipping forward at speeds of 3.5-10.5 meters/second – faster than a human eye can follow. The tongue is called ballistic because, like all ballistic objects, it moves freely without any applied force during its forward motion. Once the chameleon's accordion-like tongue is ejected, it continues moving forward under its own inertia. https://phys.org/news/2011-04-chameleon-ballistic-tongue-robotic.html Engineering Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:01 EDT news221196539 (PhysOrg.com) -- Ormia ochracea is a small parasitic fly best known for its strong sense of directional hearing. A female fly tracks a male cricket by its chirps and then deposits her eggs on the unfortunate host. The larvae subsequently eat the cricket. https://phys.org/news/2011-02-insect-approach-small-antennas.html Engineering Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:58:09 EST news218102272 (PhysOrg.com) -- A robotics scientist from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheeba, Israel, has developed four different kinds of robots that climb up walls. https://phys.org/news/2010-01-robots-climb-wall-video.html Robotics Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:10:01 EST news183100876 (PhysOrg.com) -- To a robot designer like Sangbae Kim, the animal kingdom is full of inspiration. "I always look at animals and ask why they are the way they are," says Kim, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. "As an engineer, looking at them and speculating is fascinating." https://phys.org/news/2009-09-nature-robots.html Robotics Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:27:23 EDT news173096794 (PhysOrg.com) -- "Jellyfish are one of the most awesome marine animals, doing a spectacular and psychedelic dance in water," explain engineers Sung-Weon Yeom and Il-Kwon Oh from Chonnam National University in the Republic of Korea. Recently, Yeom and Oh have built a jellyfish robot that imitates the curved shape and unique locomotive behavior of the living jellyfish. https://phys.org/news/2009-06-jellyfish-robot-biological-counterpart.html Robotics Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:38:18 EDT news165234976