materials

Inspired By Nature

Super Jaws

Scientists look to worm jaws, tougher than human teeth, for the next class of super-strong aerospace and construction material

It's well known that scientists commonly look to nature to create super-strong materials. Diamond powder, for instance, is used for oil drills and road machinery, and soon spider silk could be use in bullet-proof vests.

Recently, researchers have turned their attention to the fang-like jaws of marine worms, which they believe could lead to a new cutting-edge, lightweight material so strong that it could be used for construction and as repair material for spacecraft and airplanes.

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The First Invisibility Shield

Invisibility is a staple of science fiction, from H.G. Wells to Romulans. Now scientists see a way to make objects disappear

Scroll to the bottom of the page for a video simulation of an invisibility-equipped Aston Martin. And for a timeline detailing the history of innovations in the science of invisitbility, click 'View Photos' at left.

WHAT: A way to make objects invisible. The trick is to use metamaterial, a complex hybrid structure of metal and insulator that makes light move around an object like air flowing over an airplane wing. In a process called refraction, these materials interact with light in such a way

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