New research aims to improve the stability and safety of alternatives to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using aqueous zinc and hydrogels.
What will it take to make sodium and potassium batteries viable alternatives to lithium?
Scientists explore the challenges facing alternatives to lithium-ion batteries and suggests a roadmap to overcome these obstacles.
A simple tweak supercharges microscopes and allows pathogen observation
A modification to conventional microscopes pushes the limits of their resolution and enables high-precision observation of difficult-to-observe pathogens.
Artificial fingerprints could dramatically enhance biometric security
Liquid crystals that generate unclonable fingerprint-like patterns could make the sale of counterfeit goods and theft of personal data much more difficult.
Carbon capture using biomass offers new hope in reducing emissions
A renewable, carbon-based absorbent is challenging MOFs in carbon capture technology, offering sustainable solutions for emissions reduction.
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.
Up in the air: Modular robots assemble mid-flight
It may sound like something straight out of an anime, but TRADY is a rotor-based flying robot that can combine to boost its strength and capabilities.
Heat and cold tolerant sensors to help robots in extreme climates
Inspired by sea asparagus, scientists design a conductive hydrogel that is stronger than natural rubbers and adapted for extreme environments.
How shape-shifting gratings and lenses are changing optical devices
Tuneable micro-structured surfaces could overcome the limitations of current unchangeable components that result in “static” optical devices.