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. Cilia are micrometer-sized biological structures that occur frequently in nature. Their characteristic high-frequency, three-dimensional beating motions (5–40 Hz) play indispensable roles inside the body. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-hydrogel-cilia-standard-microrobotics.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:00:05 EST news687602761 A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of personal hygiene products like diapers, menstrual pads and tampons. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-natural-hydrogel-personal-hygiene-products.html Polymers Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:24:18 EST news687104641 Within tissues, cells are embedded in complex, three-dimensional structures known as the extracellular matrix. Their biomechanical interactions play a crucial role in numerous biological processes. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have now developed a novel lab-on-a-chip system based on intelligent hydrogel structures, which enables precise pressure forces to be applied to cellular microenvironments. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-smart-hydrogels-micromachines-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:02:40 EST news683917322 Wearable or implantable devices to monitor biological activities, such as heart rate, are useful, but they are typically made of metals, silicon, plastic and glass and must be surgically implanted. A research team in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis is developing bioelectronic hydrogels that could one day replace existing devices and have much more flexibility. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-bioelectronic-hydrogels-body.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:14:03 EDT news680526842 Researchers from the Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University have developed a multifunctional hydrogel sensor for detecting formaldehyde. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-healable-hydrogel-ultra-sensitive-formaldehyde.html Biochemistry Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:12:03 EDT news679921922 It is a fully biodegradable and eco-friendly system for hydroponic agriculture, made of hydrogel and capable of supporting plant growth with minimal water; in the future, it will be able to monitor plant health in real time. This innovation is the result of joint research between the Faculty of Engineering at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (UniBz) and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) in Genoa. The invention offers a zero-waste, low-environmental-impact solution for agriculture, a sector increasingly threatened by climate change, drought, pollution, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-super-absorbent-hydrogel-soilless-farming.html Biotechnology Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:20:02 EDT news678107807 Fearless bacteria have colonized extreme environments, adapted to vast temperatures and pH fluctuations, and acclimated to diverse hosts. Among these multitudes of species is the exclusive club of good bacteria that have enormous benefits to humans and can be exploited for therapeutic interventions. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-good-bacteria-free-hydrogel-homes.html Biochemistry Tue, 16 Sep 2025 12:31:03 EDT news677244661 Hydrogels are soft, water-rich polymeric materials that can swell or shrink in response to environmental stimuli. This ability to change shape makes them valuable in miniaturized devices for flexible electronics, microrobotics, intelligent surfaces, and biomedical applications such as drug delivery. For example, hydrogel pores can be engineered to trap and release tiny drug particles on demand. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-origami-strategy-hydrogel-pores-enables.html Polymers Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:00:01 EDT news675517920 Hydrogels are a permeable soft material consisting of polymer networks and water with applications ranging from biomedical engineering to contact lenses. Intrinsic to hydrogels is the ability to endow diverse characteristics by modifying their polymer networks. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-immovable-rubber-ducks-highest-underwater.html Polymers Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:09 EDT news673602721 A new recipe, or design guidelines, for a self-strengthening muscle-like hydrogel has been developed through strategic integration of computational, information, and experimental research. The resulting gel exhibits rapid reinforcement under mechanical stress with improved stability. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-muscle-gel-polymer-stronger-recipe.html Polymers Fri, 11 Jul 2025 09:13:44 EDT news671444021 Researchers have created an inexpensive hydrogel that can filter phosphorus from contaminated surface waters, drinking water supplies or wastewater streams to reduce phosphorus pollution and reuse the phosphorus for agricultural and industrial applications. In addition to efficiently capturing and releasing phosphorus, the hydrogels can be reused multiple times—making them cost-effective. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-inexpensive-hydrogel-contaminated-source-reusable.html Polymers Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:46:59 EDT news668864815 A research team at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a novel degradable silicone-hydrogel coating, delivering impressive synergistic anti-biofouling performance for marine applications. The study was published in Small. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-degradable-silicone-hydrogel-coating-efficient.html Polymers Thu, 29 May 2025 10:10:03 EDT news667731934 Researchers at McGill University, in collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal, pioneered a new way to create hydrogels using ultrasound, eliminating the need for toxic chemical initiators. This breakthrough offers a faster, cleaner and more sustainable approach to hydrogel fabrication, and produces hydrogels that are stronger, more flexible and highly resistant to freezing and dehydration. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-ultrasound-safer-greener-hydrogels.html Polymers Thu, 08 May 2025 13:20:07 EDT news665928650 A joint team from National Taiwan University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has developed a novel hydrogel actuator whose movement can be programmed using UV light, enabling precise spatial control of thermoresponsive deformation for presenting a potential application in soft robotics and in vitro muscle models. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-uv-programmable-hydrogel-actuator-bioinspired.html Polymers Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:28:03 EDT news664698481 Directive 2010/63/EU laid down restrictions on animal testing for the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients throughout the EU. Therefore, there is an intense search for alternatives to test the absorption and toxicity of nanoparticles from cosmetics such as sun creams. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-3d-skin-imitation-equipped-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:20:03 EDT news662890801 Researchers from the Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, have developed a smart gel that responds to multiple stimuli for precise drug release. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-nanocomposite-hydrogel-multiple-stimuli-drug.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:55:19 EDT news662291716 Bhagya Nallaperuma, a specialist in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, has co-authored a review on natural polymer-based hydrogels published in Food Biomacromolecules titled "Natural polymer-based hydrogels: Types, functionality, food applications, environmental significance and future perspectives: An updated review." https://phys.org/news/2025-03-significance-perspectives-natural-polymerbased-hydrogels.html Biochemistry Fri, 21 Mar 2025 11:20:02 EDT news661771952 We all encounter gels in daily life—from the soft, sticky substances you put in your hair to the jelly-like components in various foodstuffs. While human skin shares gel-like characteristics, it has unique qualities that are very hard to replicate. It combines high stiffness with flexibility, and it has remarkable self-healing capabilities, often healing completely within 24 hours of an injury. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-entangled-polymers-nanosheets-skin-hydrogel.html Polymers Fri, 07 Mar 2025 05:00:01 EST news660495721 A Chinese research team has developed a single-step femtosecond laser 4D printing technology that enables rapid and precise micro-scale deformation of smart hydrogels. This innovation, inspired by the hierarchical structure of butterfly wings, holds significant promise for applications in flexible electronics and minimally invasive medicine. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-butterfly-4d-smart-hydrogels-enables.html Polymers Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:28:02 EST news660385681 Researchers at Hokkaido University and Duke University have developed a hydrogel that heals and strengthens itself as it is overloaded and damaged. The proof-of-concept demonstration could lead to improved performance for situations where soft but durable materials are required, such as load-bearing connections and joints within machines, robots and even people. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-network-hydrogel-polymers-feature-rapid.html Polymers Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:51:49 EST news659796697 A nut used in herbal tea has become a hydrogel perfect for a variety of biomedical uses in new research from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Engineering (UChicago PME) and UChicago Chemistry Department. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-material-tree-nuts-broad-medical.html Biochemistry Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:00:07 EST news659003222 It's a key problem that will need to be addressed if humans are to attempt deep-space, long-duration missions. Not only is radiation exposure a dangerous health risk to humans, but it also poses a hazard to equipment and operating systems. Now, a team at Ghent University in Belgium are testing a possible solution: 3D printed hydrogels, which could provide deformable layers of water-filled protection. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-hydrogels-ideal-astronauts.html Space Exploration Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:26:06 EST news658668361 Hydrogels are polymeric materials with three-dimensional network structures containing large amounts of water. They serve as sustained-release drug delivery systems as they can encapsulate various bioactive substances, including drugs, antigens, and even cells. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-dna-hydrogels-sustained-drug.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:43:05 EST news658662181 A research team led by Professor Jiang Changlong from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed an innovative real-time multi-scenario fluorescence detection technology for monitoring methylglyoxal. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-real-fluorescent-sensor-precise-wine.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:35:55 EST news656080543 From the RMS Titanic to the SS Endurance, shipwrecks offer valuable—yet swiftly deteriorating—windows into the past. Conservators slowly dry marine wooden artifacts to preserve them, but doing so can inflict damage. To better care for delicate marine artifacts, researchers in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering developed a new hydrogel that quickly neutralizes harmful acids and stabilizes waterlogged wood from an 800-year-old shipwreck. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-hydrogel-waterlogged-wood-shipwrecks.html Polymers Tue, 03 Dec 2024 11:48:02 EST news652448881 Hydrogels, which are soft materials made of water-filled, crosslinked polymer networks, have a wide range of uses, from wound dressings to enhancing soil moisture for plant growth. They are formed through a process called gelation, where polymers in a solution are linked together to form a gel. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-marine-carbonated-hydrogels-behavior.html Polymers Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:46:13 EST news651156368 A simple biomaterial-based strategy that can influence the behavior of cells could pave the way for more effective medical treatments such as wound healing, cancer therapy and even organ regeneration, according to a research team at Penn State. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-squishy-microgels-granular-biomaterials-confine.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:20:09 EST news650726401 Mimicking how plants convert sunlight into energy has long been a dream for scientists aiming to create renewable energy solutions. Artificial photosynthesis is a process that seeks to replicate nature's method, using sunlight to drive chemical reactions that generate clean energy. However, creating synthetic systems that work as organically as natural photosynthesis has been a significant challenge until now. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-bioinspired-hydrogels-harness-sunlight-closer.html Polymers Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:21:03 EST news650114461 Nitrite (NO₂⁻) is commonly used as a food additive, but when ingested, it can harm the body's oxygen transport system. The World Health Organization limits NO₂⁻ to 1.0 mg/L in drinking water and 30 mg/kg in meat products. However, current nitrite detection methods are often complicated. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-thermosensitive-hydrogel-based-fluorescence-probe.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:18:16 EDT news648224291 Diabetes, a widespread condition affecting approximately 13% of American adults, is often accompanied by complications such as impaired wound healing. If left unchecked, this can lead to severe outcomes, including the need for amputation. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-harnessing-exosomes-hydrogels-advanced-diabetic.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:18:58 EDT news646053534