Salt-loaded hydrogel pulls water from the air, even in desert conditions

Researchers have created a superabsorbent hydrogel that can pull moisture from the air, even in desert conditions. The new material opens the door to creating an effective, sustainable method of addressing the important issue of water scarcity.

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Light-activated concrete scrubs air pollution out of traffic tunnels

Traffic is among the biggest sources of air pollution, but what if the very roads they drive on could help clear the air? Engineers in Korea have now demonstrated that photocatalytic concrete can help reduce pollution in tunnels.

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Flexible, moveable wooden walls mean no more ‘knocking through’

Knocking down a wall to create an open-plan space can be expensive. Researchers have created sustainable, moveable wooden partition walls that can be positioned right where you want them, making ‘knocking through’ a thing of the past.

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Octopus-inspired ink can change color on demand

A new light-activated ink can change color on demand. It’s made up of colored microbeads that rise in response to different wavelengths of light to change a surface color, which could be useful for new displays or active camouflage systems.

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Feel like monitoring an erupting volcano? There’s a sensor for that

Monitoring extreme environments requires a sensor continues to work in high temperatures. Now, researchers have developed a piezoelectric sensor that operates reliably at the temperature of erupting mafic lava, the hottest type of lava on Earth.

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Discarded diapers lay the foundation for future homes – quite literally

In an effort to create low-cost, sustainable housing, researchers have created a composite material by replacing sand in concrete and mortar with a common, non-degradable waste product: used disposable diapers. But would you build your house with it?

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Discarded diapers lay the foundation for future homes – quite literally

In an effort to create low-cost, sustainable housing, researchers have created a composite material by replacing sand in concrete and mortar with a common, non-degradable waste product: used disposable diapers. But would you build your house with it?

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Latest Kevlar EXO fabric is lighter, more flexible and bulletproof

DuPont has launched a new version of its Kevlar fabric called EXO. The company says it is the most significant aramid fiber innovation in over 50 years with better ballistic protection and it's also lighter, more flexible, and more heat resistant.

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New recipe makes concrete that absorbs more CO2 than it emits

Concrete is one of the largest single sources of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions. Engineers at Washington State University have now developed a new method for making concrete that absorbs more carbon than it emits.

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Microscale knots double tensile strength of new material

Knots are known for boosting the strength of materials, and now Caltech engineers have developed a new material consisting of microscale knots, showing that it’s far tougher than a version of the material made of the same stuff without knots.

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