Bluesky Facebook Reddit Email

Q&A: Gassing up bioengineered materials for wound healing

Researchers at Penn State have developed a new class of tunable biomaterials, known as granular aerogel scaffolds, to support tissue regeneration and vascularization in wound healing. The material offers improved cell infiltration and may help rapidly form new blood vessels and regenerate damaged tissue.

Dual-phase ceramic aerogel with a unitary structure

Researchers have designed a novel ceramic aerogel structure featuring a nanofibrous core framework and nanoporous sheath, resulting in enhanced mechanical flexibility with up to 80% compressive strain. The aerogel also demonstrates superior thermal superinsulation performance with a thermal conductivity of less than 24 mW·m−1·K−1.

Novel silica aerogel for efficient carbon emission reduction

Researchers have developed a novel silica aerogel that captures CO2 efficiently while providing excellent thermal insulation. The bifunctionalized hybrid silica aerogel can adsorb CO2 at low concentrations under humid conditions, making it suitable for various applications in carbon-neutral technology.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Breakthrough in chitosan aerogel reinforcement using silk microfibers

Researchers developed a novel approach to enhance chitosan aerogels' mechanical properties by incorporating silk microfibers with different aspect ratios. The study showed significant improvements in compressive strength, deformation mechanisms, and liquid transportation capabilities.

New environmentally-friendly mortar reduces heat loss

Researchers at Newcastle University have developed a new environmentally-friendly mortar made from recycled plastic and silica aerogel, which improves insulation and reduces plastic waste. The new mortar mix reduced heat loss by up to 55% while maintaining the required strength for masonry construction.

Innovative aerogel transforms tannery waste into leather industry resource

A team of scientists has developed an aerogel made from chitosan and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose that addresses the dual challenge of tannery wastewater treatment and resource utilization. The aerogel demonstrates exceptional adsorption capacities for Cr(III), Al(III), and Zr(IV) ions, commonly found in tannery effluents.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Airy cellulose from a 3D printer

Scientists developed a printable, bio-based aerogel using cellulose that is biocompatible, has high porosity, and excellent heat-insulating properties. Its anisotropy allows for controlled thermal conductivity and precise applications in medicine and microelectronics.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Aerogel can become the key to future terahertz technologies

Researchers at Linköping University have developed an aerogel material that can tune the transmission of terahertz signals between 13% and 91%, enabling various applications. The material's absorption property can be adjusted through a redox reaction, making it suitable for long-range signals from space or radar systems.

Natural-waste padsare developed to keep packaged meat fresh

Researchers at the University of Córdoba have developed natural-waste pads that absorb moisture and delay meat oxidation, favoring a more sustainable packaging option. The pads, made from chitosan, nanocellulose, and bay leaf essential oil, show promise in preserving fresh meat for up to 10 days.

Advanced electronic skin for multiplex healthcare monitoring

Researchers from TIBI have developed an advanced electronic skin patch that provides simultaneous, continuous monitoring of multiple bodily parameters. The new E-skin patch offers enhanced flexibility, thermal cooling abilities, and fluid absorption over conventional substrates while demonstrating excellent biocompatibility and biodegr...

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Passive cooling system could benefit off-grid locations

A new passive cooling system developed at MIT combines radiative, evaporative, and thermal insulation to provide up to 19 degrees Fahrenheit of cooling from ambient temperature. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption and extend food storage in off-grid locations.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Keeping buildings cooler with a wood-based foam

Researchers have designed a lightweight wood-based foam that reflects sunlight, emits absorbed heat, and is thermally insulating. The material could reduce buildings' cooling energy needs by an average of 35.4% depending on weather conditions, making it a promising solution for hot climates.

Meringue-like material could make aircraft as quiet as a hairdryer

A team of researchers at the University of Bath has developed a lightweight, meringue-like material made from graphene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol that can significantly reduce aircraft engine noise. This innovative aerogel could be used as insulation within aircraft engines to improve passenger comfort and fuel efficiency.

Absorbent aerogels show some muscle

Researchers at Rice University have developed a simple chemical process to create light and highly absorbent aerogels that can take a beating. The aerogels, which are customizable in shape and size, showed superior remediation properties compared to traditional COF powders.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

CO2 catalysis made more accessible

Researchers have discovered a new aerogel electrocatalyst formed from inexpensive metal alloys, enabling highly efficient electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide. The process achieves an efficiency of 93% with minimal byproducts.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

System can sterilize medical tools using solar heat

A team of researchers at MIT and IIT developed a solar-powered system to generate pressurized steam for autoclaving medical tools. The system uses optically transparent aerogel to trap heat and can maintain safe sterilization conditions without electricity or fuel.

Power-free system harnesses evaporation to keep items cool

Researchers at MIT developed a two-layered material that provides extended cooling using evaporation, inspired by camel fur. The system can keep perishable goods fresh for up to eight days and has potential applications in food packaging and pharmaceutical storage.

Aerogel - the micro structural material of the future

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology have successfully produced stable, well-shaped microstructures from silica aerogel using a 3D printer. The printed structures exhibit excellent thermal insulation properties, making them ideal for thermally insulating small electronic components and shie...

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

The lightest shielding material in the world

Researchers at Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology create a composite of cellulose nanofibers and silver nanowires, achieving impressive shielding effectiveness. The resulting aerogel is incredibly light, flexible, and durable, with high shielding capabilities against electromagnetic radiation.

Noble metal aerogels enabled by freezing

Researchers have developed a novel freeze-thaw method to create noble metal aerogels with high surface areas and self-healing properties. These aerogels exhibit impressive light-driven photoelectrocatalytic performance, outperforming commercial palladium-on-carbon catalysts.

A cheap organic steam generator to purify water

Researchers at Linköping University have created a cheap and efficient steam generator that uses sunlight to desalinate and purify water. The system utilizes a cellulose-based aerogel structure that absorbs energy from sunlight, resulting in high-quality drinking water production.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Manipulating ligands

Researchers created surface-clean noble metal aerogels with controlled ligand chemistry, revealing a new dimension for enhancing electrocatalysis performance. The intrinsic electrocatalytic properties of these clean gels were unveiled and found to be positively correlated with the oxidation state of metals.

World's smelliest fruit could charge your mobile phone

Researchers from University of Sydney have developed a method to store electricity efficiently using durian and jackfruit waste. The fruits' biomass is converted into super-capacitors that can quickly charge electronic devices, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

System provides cooling with no electricity

A new system designed by MIT and Chilean researchers uses radiative cooling with an aerogel insulation layer to cool objects by up to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, eliminating the need for electricity. The device blocks incoming sunlight while allowing infrared heat to radiate away into space, achieving significant cooling powers.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

A material way to make Mars habitable

Silica aerogel could warm the Martian surface, increasing atmospheric pressure and temperatures similar to Earth's greenhouse effect. This regional approach to making Mars habitable offers a more achievable solution than global atmospheric modification.

Getting more heat out of sunlight

A newly developed aerogel material can passively capture solar heat, reaching temperatures of up to 220°C in tests. This could enable lower-cost and simpler solar heat collection systems for various industrial and domestic uses.

A polar-bear-inspired material for heat insulation

Researchers created a synthetic insulator mimicking polar bear hair's structure, which traps heat and is lightweight and water-resistant. The new material has exceptional stretchiness, making it suitable for aerospace applications.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Hard carbon nanofiber aerogel becomes superelastic

Researchers developed a simple method to fabricate superelastic hard carbon aerogels with nanofibrous network structure, exhibiting robust mechanical performances including super-elasticity, high strength, and low energy loss coefficient. The aerogel maintains super-elasticity in harsh conditions, such as liquid nitrogen.

Graphene sponge helps lithium sulphur batteries reach new potential

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology developed a graphene sponge that acts as a free-standing electrode in lithium sulphur batteries, improving their energy density and cycle life. The new design achieves an 85% capacity retention after 350 cycles, reducing instability issues.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Now you see heat, now you don't

Researchers have fabricated a film using DuPont Kevlar fibers and polyethylene glycol that absorbs heat and releases it slowly, making objects invisible to thermal cameras. The composite film performs comparably to other stealth films but is simpler and cheaper to make.

An elastic puff of air

Researchers at Kyoto University have developed a new class of highly elastic aerogels with adjustable network density, allowing for tailored porosity. These materials exhibit excellent thermal insulation, surpassing conventional materials like polyurethane foam, and can be bent, rolled, twisted, and cut into desired shapes.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Wood to supercapacitors

Researchers have discovered a way to produce highly conductive electrode materials for supercapacitors sustainably using nanocellulose derived from wood pulp. The new method yields mechanically stable and porous three-dimensional networks with high electrical conductivity.

World's oldest insect inspires a new generation of aerogels

A team of international scientists has created a new form of highly-efficient, low-cost insulation based on the wings of a dragonfly. The material is ultralight and porous, with a piece weighing less than a kilogram, and can be replicated at an affordable cost.

Insulating with microscopic bubbles

Researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a new insulating material using microscopic bubbles, creating an ultra-insulating brick called Aerobrick. This innovation outperforms traditional insulation methods by up to 35%.

Lightweight catalyst for artificial photosynthesis

Scientists at Fuzhou University have created a macroscopic aerogel from carbonitride nanomaterials that catalyzes the water-splitting reaction under visible-light irradiation. The material offers excellent structural and electronic properties, making it suitable for artificial photosynthesis.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Team develops fast, cheap method to make supercapacitor electrodes

A team of engineers at the University of Washington has developed a process for manufacturing supercapacitor electrode materials that meet industrial and usage demands. They used carbon-rich materials with high surface area, creating an aerogel that can act as a crude electrode and doubling its capacitance.

Plant inspiration could lead to flexible electronics

Scientists developed a graphene-based aerogel that meets the needs for flexible electronics by mimicking the structure of the powdery alligator-flag plant. The material is strong, resilient, and supports 6,000 times its own weight.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Trees are source for high-capacity, soft and elastic batteries

Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a method to create an elastic, foam-like battery material from nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres. This material can withstand shock and stress, enabling the storage of significantly more power in less space than conventional batteries.