This is awesome. Herman Miller has announced that it will start making the iconic Eames Molded Chair in fibreglass... again. The fibreglass chairs were discontinued in 1989 and ever since then, the iconic chairs that decorate modern houses have been made with recyclable polypropylene. But now we're getting back to the good stuff. Read More >>
These little things look exactly like flowers—and that's because they're meant to. But in real life you'd never be able to spot them, because they are in fact microscopic crystals grown on the surface of a razor blade. Read More >>
Weapons. Toys. Entire skulls. There’s no limit to the objects we can 3D print these days, but the materials themselves haven’t evolved as quickly—we’re still stuck in a world of plastic, steel, and ceramic. That’s all about to change, thanks to the work of a small Oakland fabrication studio called Emerging Objects. Read More >>
Featured comment by Binary_trees:
"There is some very profound maths behind this, if you want an intro http://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/workbk/knot/knot.html" More »
Most of your exposure to silk probably comes in the form of uncomfortably sensual linens or cobwebs in a dusty old closet. In reality, though, silk is an incredible and overlooked material. While it may have roots in the ancient past, it could also form the building blocks of the future. Read More >>
The world is up to its ears in plastic. You would be hard pressed to find items in your life that are devoid of this amazingly versatile material. But plastics are a varied bunch and some could potentially even give you cancer. So, read on to avoid being suckered into buying a knockoff water bottle that infuses a nauseating chlorine-flavour into your drink because it's made from cheap, shiny PVC. Read More >>
Graphene is touted as being the supermaterial to beat all supermaterials—but not so fast! Researcher have discovered a weakness that occurs in many sheets of graphene that renders it half as strong as we thought. Read More >>
When a bomb explodes, you can't outmaneuver it; you probably can't even take cover quickly enough to protect yourself. Instead, you have to hope that there's something — anything — already in the way that can shield you from the blast. Here are five of the best future bomb-proof materials that could end up saving lives in our increasingly uncertain future. Read More >>
Featured comment by BeardySam:
"Just to say that certain military stuff will still go through all of these. These are good for things like IEDS where there is a shockwave and bits of..." More »
Ferrofluids are liquids that become super magnetized when they're in contact with a magnetic field. Ferrocious is a ferrofluid sculpture that uses the hyper-magnetic material respond to sound, like a high-tech musical lava lamp. Read More >>
Every day, scientists make discoveries that change the way we live. But sometimes, just sometimes, they achieve results that are so extraordinary or unexpected that they literally don't know what to do with them. Here are five of the most puzzling. Read More >>
Featured comment by NickMackz:
"I was about to post this as well. When you heat atoms into a plasma, all the electrons are stripped off and move about freely. It has to be hotter sti..." More »
Corning has made it known that next week, the company will tell us all about its latest ultra tough gadget glass. Details about Gorilla Glass 3 are scant right now, but here's what we do know: It'll be tough stuff. Read More >>
Featured comment by AtomicFire:
"They have similar potential uses to zeolites, which are used for absorption/purification of gases. The fact they have metals incorporated also means t..." More »
It looks like a wisp of smoke or even the work of a very confused spider, but this is actually a close up of the lightest material that has ever been created. Read More >>