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Imagine a material that can change its shape, generate movement and even switch between different mechanical behaviours without needing an external signal. Instead of relying on light, chemicals or human intervention, this material uses genetic instructions to control its own activity. Researchers led by Rochelle Silverman have developed an experimental material that brings this idea closer to reality. By combining DNA-based instructions with a network of microscopic biological structures and molecular motors, the team created a system that can autonomously regulate its mechanical behaviour over time. The findings introduce a new approach to designing active materials, in which genetic information does more than provide a blueprint for biological molecules. It also determines how a material moves, deforms and changes its mechanical state. How Does the Self-Morphing Material Work? The key to this new material is the combination of cell-free gene expression and a network of microtubules....

Human vision is remarkably efficient. Our eyes can quickly detect movement, distinguish important objects from their surroundings, and adjust their responses depending on what we are looking at. Instead of processing every visual detail equally, the biological visual system prioritizes meaningful changes while suppressing unnecessary background information. This ability helps the brain process complex scenes without wasting excessive energy. Now, scientists are working to bring similar capabilities to artificial vision systems. A research team led by Chao Zhao has developed an innovative organic photosensor that can detect changes in light and adjust the strength of its electrical response using a programmable voltage. By combining these functions in a single active layer, the technology could help make future cameras, robots, and artificial intelligence systems faster and more energy-efficient. The new device, known as an ionic–electronic event-driven sensor (IEES), combines two impor...

Scientists have developed a robotic butterfly that uses artificial intelligence to discover wing shapes that dramatically improve flight performance. The optimized designs increased lift by 339% and thrust by 46%, potentially paving the way for more efficient insect-inspired flying robots. Butterflies are among nature’s most graceful flyers, capable of moving through the air with remarkable agility. Their flight depends on several factors, including wing shape, wing movement, body size and the surrounding environment. Although scientists have long studied how butterfly wings influence flight, identifying the precise relationship between wing geometry and aerodynamic performance has remained challenging. Now, a research team led by Haifeng Huang has developed a robotic butterfly that allows scientists to investigate these relationships under controlled experimental conditions. By combining robotics, motion-capture technology and deep reinforcement learning, the researchers identified wi...

Imagine controlling a robotic hand simply by moving your tongue. For people who have lost hand movement because of a spinal cord injury, this technology could offer a new way to perform everyday activities, such as holding a bottle, picking up objects, or using a toothbrush. Researchers have developed a hybrid hand-assistance system that combines a soft robotic exoskeleton with functional electrical stimulation (FES). The system allows people with severe paralysis to control finger movements using a non-invasive tongue-based interface. Unlike conventional systems that rely on muscle activity or brain signals, this approach uses the tongue to issue commands, making it particularly useful for people whose hand and arm movements are severely limited. The research was led by Oguzhan Kirtas and his team, who tested the technology in five people with cervical spinal cord injuries. The results demonstrated that the system could support several everyday grasping tasks, even in individuals who ...

For decades, scientists have struggled to accurately predict how certain materials behave when electrons interact in complex ways. Now, researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Yale University have developed a powerful new computational method that could change how scientists understand and design advanced materials. The breakthrough focuses on the Kondo effect , a strange quantum phenomenon that occurs when magnetic atoms are embedded inside metals. Using a new approach based on the actual atomic and electronic structures of materials, researchers can calculate this effect much more accurately than many traditional methods. Published in the journal Science , the research marks an important step toward predicting the behavior of complicated quantum materials using computer simulations rather than relying entirely on experimental measurements. In the future, this approach could help scientists investigate materials with unusual properties, including those as...

Robots are becoming faster, stronger, and smarter, but matching the natural movement of the human body remains a major challenge. While modern robots can perform repetitive industrial tasks with impressive accuracy, many still struggle to react quickly to moving objects, adjust to unexpected forces, and coordinate their movements in complex situations. Now, researchers have developed a new two-armed robot called AthenaZero that can throw balls, catch them, and hit them with a baseball bat. Inspired by the movements of human athletes, the robot demonstrates how a different approach to mechanical design could help machines handle objects more naturally and efficiently. Developed by roboticists at the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, AthenaZero represents a promising step toward robots that can perform fast, coordinated, and physically demanding tasks in real-world environments. The research was published in the scientific journal Science Robotics in 2026. Why ...

Imagine a spacecraft landing on an asteroid to collect dust and small rocks. Its collection system has been carefully designed and tested, yet the material behaves differently than expected. Instead of flowing smoothly into a container, the tiny particles stick together and refuse to move. This is not just a theoretical problem. Scientists are discovering that gravity plays a much more complicated role in the movement of rocky material than previously understood . In the low-gravity environments of asteroids, the Moon, and other celestial bodies, tiny attractive forces between particles can become powerful enough to stop granular material from flowing. A research team led by Ian Madden has investigated this problem using laboratory experiments and computer simulations. Their findings could help engineers design more reliable systems for collecting asteroid samples, handling lunar soil, extracting resources in space, and preparing for future missions to Mars. The Hidden Challenge of Han...