Collaborate Disseminate
It may be a bit gross, but mucus plays a key role in our bodies. Now, an MIT team has managed to create an artificial version of the stuff, and shown that it’s an effective antimicrobial – even more so than real mucus.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceT… Continue reading Scientists produce artificial mucus with antimicrobial properties
For the first time, a team of scientists has created a synthetic single-celled organism that can divide and grow like a regular living cell. This breakthrough could lead to designer cells that can produce useful chemicals on demand or treat disease fro… Continue reading Synthetic organism undergoes cell division in breakthrough study
When it comes to alternative battery architectures, designs that replace the conventional graphite material in one of the electrodes with high-density lithium metal are seen as hugely promising. An MIT team has developed a new electrolyte solution that… Continue reading “Drop in” electrolyte avoids cracking in high-capacity lithium battery
It’s a sad fact that many of the people who most need water filters are those who are least able to afford them. A newly demonstrated MIT technology could help, in that it uses locally sourced wood to inexpensively purify contaminated water.Continue Re… Continue reading MIT’s wooden water filter gets put to real-world use
Two years ago, astronomers revealed the first-ever direct images of a black hole. Now, the collaboration behind the historic image has released a new version that shows the polarization of the light around the object.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, Sc… Continue reading Polarized light reveals secrets of black hole’s magnetic field
Even though at-home use of an inhaler or insulin pen can be extremely important, doctors have to pretty much just hope that patients are doing it right. A new system, however, could objectively assess patients’ technique within their homes, and let the… Continue reading AI monitoring system warns patients of improper inhaler usage
Using mathematical models, a team of researchers from Skoltech and MIT has investigated various configurations of lunar landing spacecraft to determine the best approach for setting down astronauts on the Moon and returning them to an orbiting lunar st… Continue reading Study weighs up best “last mile” options for crewed lunar landings
One of the many potential pathways that could lead us to next-gen energy storage for smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles is the use of a solid-state electrolyte, in place of the liquid electrolytes used in today’s lithium batteries. A research t… Continue reading Tooth-filling-like material keeps double-density lithium battery stable
MIT engineers have found a new use for a common plastic, managing to spin polyethylene into fabric that can passively cool the wearer by allowing heat through and moisture to evaporate. The discovery could see waste plastic bags being turned into sport… Continue reading Waste plastic could be spun into eco-friendly clothing
Although wing-flapping micro-drones do already exist, the things tend to be quite fragile – and thus not ideally suited to real-world use. An experimental new one, however, utilizes a softer mechanism for greatly enhanced durability.Continue ReadingCat… Continue reading Tiny wing-flapping drone gets tougher by going softer