The concept of walking on water might sound supernatural, but in fact it is a quite natural phenomenon. Many small living creatures leverage water's surface tension to maneuver themselves around. One of the most complex maneuvers, ...
General Physics
Jul 30, 2015
0
2258
(Phys.org)—Materials scientists study biology at nanoscale in order to incorporate mechanical solutions to problems that have already been resolved by evolution. This biomimicry is evident in much recent technology, including ...
(PhysOrg.com) -- Female water striders often reject their most persistent and aggressive suitors and prefer the males who aren't so grabby, according to new research. Water striders are insects commonly seen skittering across ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 5, 2009
1
0
Self-cleaning walls, counter tops, fabrics, even micro-robots that can walk on water -- all those things and more could be closer to reality because of research recently completed by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ...
Nanomaterials
May 4, 2009
0
0
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed ...
Soft Matter
Jan 23, 2024
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14
Water striders live on the water surface and their leg length ranges from several to over 100 millimeters. It is well known that they use their long hydrophobic legs and support their bodies on the surface without breaking ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 20, 2023
0
31
Propelled by chemical changes in surface tension, microrobots surfing across fluid interfaces lead researchers to new ideas.
General Physics
Oct 1, 2020
1
72
How do new species arise and diversify in nature? Natural selection offers an explanation, but the genetic and environmental conditions behind this mechanism are still poorly understood. A team led by Abderrahman Khila at ...
Evolution
Oct 19, 2017
0
72
Imagine a raincoat that heals a scratch by shedding the part of the outer layer that's damaged. To create such a material, scientists have turned to nature for inspiration. They report in ACS' journal Langmuir a water-repellant ...
Materials Science
May 3, 2017
0
90
Water striders' ability to walk and jump on the surfaces of ponds and lakes has long amazed curious observers—and inspired robot designers who want to mimic the bugs' talent. Now, scientists have measured for the first ...
Materials Science
Oct 19, 2016
0
12
