Superamphiphobic materials could keep solar panels clear, glasses clean, and phones fingerprint-free without any manual cleaning.
Anthony Lewis
Anthony is a science writer, designer, and multimedia producer. He studied biological sciences at Oxford University and has spent the last decade producing nuggets of creative online science communication for all sorts of organizations. Beyond that, he can usually be found walking his dog.
Spinning sound waves that move matter
Using a specialized design approach, scientists create acoustic waves that behave as twisted, ultrasonic motors capable of rotating particles in space.
Kirigami-inspired gripper handles drops of water
A kirigami-inspired gripper that can pick up water droplets, microfibers 40 times thinner than a human hair, and objects 16,000 times its own weight.
A computer model that can predict the “memorability” of art
Is AI that predicts which paintings are memorable and famous, regardless of content, style, or context, a threat to creativity or tool for positive change?
A heat-resistant drone that can fly into fires
FireDrone could be sent in ahead to find trapped people, assess layouts and unexpected hazards to allow responders to prepare accordingly and save more lives
Stick insects move robotics forward
Researchers use stick insect locomotion as inspiration for machine learning approaches to teaching robots how to walk.
New inks print tiny 3D structures with ultimate precision
Defining the molecular sequence of ink ingredients gives chemical engineers precise control of microscopic 3D printing.
Building a model brain using microfluidics and brain organoids
To mimic the the interconnected structure of the brain, model organoids can be connected together into larger assemblies.
Robotic wing reveals secrets of bird flight
A newly built biohybrid wing could lead to new drone designs, and reveals that wing folding is key to efficient flight.
Seahorse-inspired grabbing robots to help clean up our oceans
Researchers take a lead from seahorse tails to develop grasping robots that could help clear up trash from our oceans.