Materials
7 articles-
The Exotic Matter States Behind PCs, Visual Displays, and the Future of Water
You might have learned in school that there are three phases of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. That is a useful simplification for young students, but there are in fact many, many more. In the past century or so, we’ve discovered that there are hundreds of distinct solid phases—some of which are used to build […] -
How to Make Art That Withstands the Test of Time
A degraded frame from an old celluloid (aka nitrate) film, the same material used by Naum Gabo in some of his sculptures Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . In the 1930s, Russian-born sculptor Naum Gabo started experimenting with a thin, plastic material called celluloid. Previously used as film […] -
Odell Beckham’s Helping Hands—the Tech Behind the Catch
It was the catch that broke the Internet. In a game against the Dallas Cowboys last week, rookie wide receiver for the New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr. launched himself into the air backwards, arm outstretched, and managed to catch a pass using one hand—actually just the tips of a thumb and two fingers—to score […] -
Our Cities Could Get a Whole Lot Smarter
Pieces of SolaRoad, concrete blocks topped with solar cells, were recently installed in a bike path in Holland.SolaRoad Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . Remember having to stay at home and wait for phone calls? (If you’re below a certain age, you can consult old movies, books, or TV […] -
A Material So Dark That It Looks Like a Black Hole
Even when applied to a highly reflective surface like aluminum foil, Vantablack renders the entire surface, including creases, all but invisible.Surrey Nanosystems via Wikipedia Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . Color is such a powerful and evocative sensation—one of the first that we learn to describe as children—that we […]
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Food Vibrations: Spiders Are Total Virtuosos with Their Webs
Spider webs are veritable antennas humming with signals.
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Sparkly Mints May Help Explain Puzzling “Earthquake Lights”
Agriculture inspector Jim Conacher photographed these earthquake lights over Tagish Lake, in Canada’s Yukon Territory, in 1972Jim Conacher Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . For centuries, people have been reporting mysterious lights along the ground and in the sky soon before an earthquake hits. But it wasn’t until 1966 […]