#materials

Researchers have developed a penguin-inspired material that can absorb heat, reflect sunlight, repel ice and water, and change its electromagnetic behavior as temperatures shift.

A report says scientists have identified a clathrate crystal structure in fallout from a nuclear detonation, a finding presented as the first of its kind.

Researchers at MIT CSAIL have turned a shelved 1980s triangular zipper concept into a 3D-printed “Y-zipper” that can switch objects between soft, packable states and rigid forms.

A new essay from Universe Today revisits one of space science’s most irritating materials, arguing that the same dust that clogs missions, coats equipment, and threatens health is also fundamental to how the cosmos works

A once-overlooked automotive waste stream is getting new attention as recyclers chase iridium and platinum that had long been lost with scrap steel.

Researchers say a newly reported 2D material shows promise for ultrathin waveplates, raising the prospect of smaller polarization-control components for imaging, displays, and satellite systems.

MIT Technology Review’s daily briefing flags plastics as a likely next pressure point from rising fossil-fuel prices, warning that supply-chain impacts from the war in Iran are beginning to build.

An Interesting Engineering candidate points to a new method that reportedly uses hygroscopic salt and humid air to recover 96% of lithium from mining waste, highlighting the growing push to extract more value from waste.

Researchers at Graz University of Technology found that stitching wood veneers like fabric can sharply improve resistance to peeling and delamination compared with adhesive bonding alone.