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In nature, landing is far more than simply touching the ground. Many animals can land and remain attached to surfaces that would be extremely difficult for conventional aircraft to use. Flies can attach themselves to ceilings, geckos can stabilize themselves when landing on tree trunks, and bats can settle onto cave ceilings. These abilities allow animals to move, rest and survive in environments filled with irregular surfaces. Flying robots, however, face a very different challenge. Most drones are designed to land on relatively flat, horizontal surfaces. Landing on a vertical wall requires precise control of speed, pitch angle, forces and timing. A small error during the maneuver can cause the robot to fall or become damaged. A new machine-learning-based approach developed by Shen and colleagues aims to change this. The researchers have developed a framework that can predict whether a flying robot equipped with spines will successfully perch on a vertical wall . More importantly, the...

Volcanic eruptions are among the most powerful natural events on Earth. They can send huge clouds of ash high into the atmosphere, where electrical charges build up and produce spectacular flashes of lightning. But volcanic lightning may do more than create a dramatic display. New experimental research suggests that these lightning strikes can rapidly melt volcanic ash, change its shape, break particles apart, and even remove important chemical elements. A study by Mueller and colleagues has investigated this process in laboratory experiments designed to reproduce the extreme heating caused by volcanic lightning. Their findings provide new evidence that lightning can actively transform volcanic ash during an eruption, potentially influencing both the behavior of ash clouds and atmospheric chemistry. Volcanic Lightning: More Than a Spectacular Display Lightning in volcanic ash plumes occurs when ash particles, gases and other materials interact and become electrically charged. As partic...

Disposable diapers, sanitary pads, napkins, and incontinence products have become an essential part of modern life. They offer convenience, hygiene, and comfort, but their environmental cost is growing rapidly. Most conventional absorbent products depend heavily on petroleum-based plastics, synthetic fibers, and superabsorbent polymers that are difficult to break down after disposal. Now, research led by Agnes Juge and her team points toward a promising alternative: biodegradable absorbent materials made entirely from protein blends obtained from industrial coproducts . The approach combines zein and gluten proteins to create porous structures that can absorb and retain liquids while offering significantly better end-of-life properties than conventional plastic-based materials. The Growing Environmental Problem of Disposable Sanitary Products The widespread use of disposable sanitary products creates an enormous amount of waste. From infancy to old age, people may rely on products such...

Water may look like one of the simplest substances on Earth, but scientists have long known that it behaves in surprisingly complicated ways. Unlike many ordinary liquids, water shows a range of unusual properties, or “anomalies,” that have challenged researchers for decades. Now, a new study by Li and colleagues provides important molecular-level evidence that could help explain some of these strange behaviours. Using massive computer simulations and advanced artificial intelligence techniques, the researchers found evidence that liquid water can contain two different types of local molecular structures that can transform into one another. The finding supports a long-standing scientific idea known as the two-state model of water and could also help scientists better understand how liquids undergo unusual phase changes. Why Is Water So Unusual? Water is essential for life, but its importance is not the only reason scientists study it. Its physical behaviour is remarkably different fr...

Imagine picking up a contact lens from its container, only to watch it fall onto the bathroom floor. Before you can grab it, your cat pounces on it, leaving behind scratches and a torn edge. Now imagine that, after you gently put the damaged pieces back together, the lens repairs itself. That sounds like science fiction, but the material behind this idea already exists. Researchers at Northeastern University have developed a new type of self-healing hydrogel that can repair damage and, importantly, can also be fully recycled . The research could eventually contribute to more sustainable products ranging from medical materials and contact lenses to diapers and drug-delivery systems. The study, published in Advanced Materials , describes a hydrogel designed with chemical bonds that can be broken and rebuilt instead of relying on permanent connections. What Makes Hydrogels So Useful? Hydrogels are soft materials that can hold a surprisingly large amount of water. Their structure consists...

Creating a coating that is bright, glossy, lightweight and resistant to fading has long been a challenge for scientists. Traditional paints can provide vivid colors and a smooth finish, but their pigments may fade over time when exposed to sunlight. New structural-color technologies can avoid this fading, yet they often suffer from other problems, including color changes with viewing angle and difficulty being applied to complex surfaces. Researchers at Kobe University in Japan may have found a promising solution. A team led by materials engineer Hiroshi Sugimoto has developed a silicon nanosphere coating that can produce glossy, bright and nonfading color on three-dimensional surfaces . The technology could eventually find applications ranging from aircraft coatings to advanced optical sensors. Why Conventional Color Coatings Have Limitations Most conventional coatings use pigments to create color. These pigment layers can be relatively thick, adding considerable weight when applied t...

Imagine astronauts living on Mars and producing some of the materials they need directly from Martian soil and rocks. Instead of carrying every essential chemical from Earth, future missions could use local resources to manufacture oxygen and other important materials. A new study by Zhu and his team brings this idea closer to reality with an innovative robotic artificial-intelligence (AI) chemist. The researchers have developed a fully automated system that can study Martian materials, create chemical catalysts and identify the best catalyst for producing oxygen. Remarkably, the entire process can be completed without direct human intervention. Why Making Oxygen on Mars Matters Oxygen is one of the most important resources for human exploration beyond Earth. Astronauts need it to breathe, but oxygen can also be used in other technologies, including systems designed to produce rocket propellant. Transporting large quantities of oxygen from Earth to Mars would be extremely difficult and...