Materials Science

More Stories in Materials Science

  1. Archaeology

    Mount Vesuvius turned this ancient brain into glass. Here’s how

    Transforming the brain tissue to glass would have required an extremely hot and fast-moving ash cloud, lab experiments suggest.

    By
  2. Materials Science

    The best way to cook an egg — in 32 minutes

    It’s hard to cook both the white and the yolk of the egg to the right temperature. Scientists have found a new method, called periodic cooking.

    By
  3. Chemistry

    A new microbead proves effective as a plastic-free skin scrubber

    The nonplastic polymer cleaned up eyeliner and permanent marker and broke down into molecules related to sugar and amino acids.

    By
  4. Materials Science

    Scotch tape is key to creating thin films of diamond 

    The sticky stuff helped peel sheets of diamond less than a micrometer thick off silicon wafers, creating membranes useful for electronic devices.

    By
  5. Materials Science

    Starchy nanofibers shatter the record for world’s thinnest pasta

    The fibers, made from white flour and formic acid, average just 372 nanometers in diameter and might find use in biodegradable bandages.

    By
  6. Health & Medicine

    New electrical stitches use muscle movement to speed up healing

    In rats, the sutures hastened recovery and reduced the risk of infection.

    By
  7. Materials Science

    A materials scientist seeks to extract lithium from untapped sources

    Lithium is an essential ingredient for batteries in electric vehicles but getting enough will become a problem.

    By
  8. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, some of plastic’s toxic hazards were exposed

    Worker exposure to vinyl chloride became tightly regulated after the chemical was linked with liver cancer. Now, its use may be on the chopping block.

    By
  9. Climate

    Zigzag walls could help buildings beat the heat

    A corrugated exterior wall reflects heat to space and absorbs less heat from the ground, keeping it several degrees cooler than a flat wall.

    By