How Bizarre

  1. Materials Science

    Making artificial muscles with a spin

    Scientists have given ordinary fishing line and sewing thread a new twist. When coiled into tight corkscrews, the fibers can lift loads more than 100 times as heavy as those hefted by human muscles.

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  2. Physics

    Levitating objects with sound

    Physicists have levitated milli­meter-sized objects. Now, the objects can levitate and move in all directions.

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  3. Animals

    Dogs pick up robots’ social cues

    Dogs were more likely to pay attention to a PeopleBot robot — a machine with a laptop head and Mickey Mouse–style hands — after watching it walk, talk and shake hands with humans.

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