In addition to their role in plant fertilization and reproduction, pollens and spores have another, hidden talent: With a simple treatment, these cheap, abundant and renewable grains can be converted into tiny sponge-like ...
Materials Science
Aug 26, 2019
0
36
Saliva from a tick's bite can transmit pathogens that cause serious illnesses, such as Lyme disease, and significant agricultural losses. Current insecticides have drawbacks, so scientists have been seeking new ways to prevent ...
Biochemistry
Aug 26, 2019
6
2109
Proteins are good for building muscle, but their building blocks also might be helpful for building sustainable organic batteries that could someday be a viable substitute for conventional lithium-ion batteries, without their ...
Materials Science
Aug 26, 2019
0
135
Thanks to a team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, scientists are able to read patterns on long chains of molecules to understand and predict behavior ...
Polymers
Jun 3, 2019
0
497
Wood may seem more at home in log cabins than modern architecture, but a specially treated type of timber could be tomorrow's trendy building material. Today, scientists report a new kind of transparent wood that not only ...
Materials Science
Apr 3, 2019
2
181
Science-fiction writers have long envisioned human¬-machine hybrids that wield extraordinary powers. However, "super plants" with integrated nanomaterials may be much closer to reality than cyborgs. Today, scientists report ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 3, 2019
0
143
Lead leaching from pipes into the water supply is a serious public health concern. And if water sources or treatment regimens are changed, the new chemistry can cause water distribution systems that were previously safe to ...
Materials Science
Apr 3, 2019
0
22
When an act of terrorism or a vehicle or industrial accident ignites fuel, the resulting fire or explosion can be devastating. Today, scientists will describe how lengthy but microscopic chains of polymers could be added ...
Polymers
Apr 2, 2019
0
6
From computer hard discs and smart phones to earbuds and electric motors, magnets are at the forefront of today's technology. Magnets containing rare-earth elements are among the most powerful available, allowing many everyday ...
Materials Science
Apr 2, 2019
0
63
Just as controlled-release medications slowly dole out their cargo after they experience a pH change in the body, implanted "artificial muscles" could someday flex and relax in response to light illuminating the skin. In ...
Materials Science
Apr 2, 2019
0
47
