Biomimicry News And Research Archives Page 1

Researchers Genetically Engineer Microorganisms into Tiny Factories (9/19/2007)

Microorganisms may soon be efficiently and inexpensively producing novel pharmaceutical compounds, such as flavonoids, that fight aging, cancer or obesity, as well as high-value chemicals, as the result of research being conducted by University at Buffalo researchers. ...> Full Article

Scientists synthesize memory in yeast cells (9/15/2007)

Researchers have successfully synthesized a DNA-based memory loop in yeast cells, an experiment that marks a significant step forward in the emerging field of synthetic biology. ...> Full Article

Putting His Finger on Hand Mechanics (9/13/2007)

Biomedical engineer grasps the importance of learning seemingly simple functions. ...> Full Article

Biohybrid of elastic film and muscle cells packs a punch (9/11/2007)

Depending on shape, biohybrids can generate force to grip, pump, walk, or swim ...> Full Article

Now it's not just Spiderman that can scale the Empire State Building (8/30/2007)

Physicists have found the formula for a Spiderman suit. Only recently has man come to understand how spiders and geckos effortlessly scuttle up walls and hang from ceilings but it was doubted that this natural form of adhesion would ever be strong enough to hold the weight of real life Peter Parkers. ...> Full Article

Restoring Sight, One Pixel At A Time (8/29/2007)

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) are developing a tiny camera for prosthetic systems that can be implanted directly into the human eye and connected to the retina, the part of the eye that converts visual information into electric signals that travel to the brain. Such an implantable camera would represent an important milestone in the ultimate goal of providing limited vision to those rendered blind by certain diseases, via a fully implantable retinal prosthetic device. ...> Full Article

Aggressive bees may track future of flying robots (8/26/2007)

Angry bees that fly like mini-missiles could map the futures of unmanned aircraft and planetary explorer robots, thanks to new University of Queensland research backed by the Queensland Government. ...> Full Article

Cow-Powered Fuel Cells Grow Smaller, Mightier (8/25/2007)

Cows could one day help to meet the rise in demand for alternative energy sources, say Ohio State University researchers that used microbe-rich fluid from a cow to generate electricity in a small fuel cell. ...> Full Article

Professor helps design new Speedo swimsuit that's breaking world records (8/24/2007)

Rick Sharp was once a competitive swimmer and still swims daily. And so the professor of exercise physiology in Iowa State University 's Kinesiology Department is getting great satisfaction out of being part of a design team that created Speedo's new Fastskin FS-Pro swimsuit, which is being credited with helping world class swimmers break dozens of national and international records in the six months since its release. ...> Full Article

'Clutter Detector' could cut confusion (8/22/2007)

The danger of clutter--especially on a visual screen--is that it causes confusion that affects how well we perform tasks. To that end, visual clutter is a challenge for fighter pilots picking out a target, for people seeking important information in a user interface, and for web site and map designers, among others. ...> Full Article

Engineers design robot capable of climbing walls (8/21/2007)

Robotic research at the University of Canterbury has climbed new heights with the development of a wall-climbing robot. ...> Full Article

Life Source to Help Develop New Technologies (8/18/2007)

The blueprint of life- DNA- could be used to enhance technologies in electronics and information storage following innovative and cutting edge science at the University of Leicester. ...> Full Article

Researchers Evolve Artificial Enzymes in the Laboratory (8/17/2007)

Living cells are not the only place where enzymes can help speed along chemical reactions. Industrial applications also employ enzymes to accelerate reactions of many kinds, from making antibiotics to removing grease from clothing. For the first time, scientists have created a completely new enzyme entirely in vitro, suggesting that industrial applications may one day no longer be limited to enzymes that can be derived from natural biological sources. ...> Full Article

Researchers Develop Programmable Mini-Bacteria (8/8/2007)

Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig have now launched a project to reduce the bacterial genome of Pseudomonas putida to its essentials and, at the same time, insert additional genetic circuits. ...> Full Article

Team Building Robotic Fin For Submarines (8/1/2007)

Inspired by the efficient swimming motion of the bluegill sunfish, MIT researchers are building a mechanical fin that could one day propel robotic submarines. ...> Full Article

Two Bacteria Better Than One In Cellulose-Fed Fuel Cell (7/31/2007)

No currently known bacteria that allow termites and cows to digest cellulose, can power a microbial fuel cell and those bacteria that can produce electrical current cannot eat cellulose. But careful pairing of bacteria can create a fuel cell that consumes cellulose and produces electricity, according to a team of Penn State researchers. ...> Full Article

Researchers Build Robotic Ankle With Power-Assisted Joint (7/27/2007)

Army vet demos MIT prosthesis; device is first of its kind ...> Full Article

Bending Polymers Provides Spontaneous Way To Duplicate Beauty Of Nature (7/26/2007)

There are many objects in nature, such as flowers, that are "pre-programmed" to develop into delicate, beautiful and intricately shaped forms. But can this pre-determined process be duplicated by man starting with plain, flat surfaces? ...> Full Article

Engineered E. Coli May Lead To New Drugs, Detect Pollutants (7/23/2007)

Bacteria that respond to human hormones -- the body's chemical messengers -- may enable the discovery of new treatments for hormone-related medical problems, including thyroid disease and some forms of breast cancer. Developed by Princeton chemical engineers, the sensitive bugs also may detect hormone-mimicking pollutants, which can disrupt normal processes in the body. ...> Full Article

Plasma, Nanotechnology Used To Upgrade Cotton Fabric Qualities (7/22/2007)

Just as you juggle a mix of multitasking chores in this time-starved world, core products to Texas' agricultural economy - such as cotton - are on the clock to provide more new and interesting features before you and other consumers head on down the shopping highway. ...> Full Article

Synthetic Adhesive Mimics Sticking Powers of Gecko and Mussel (7/21/2007)

Geckos are remarkable in their ability to scurry up vertical surfaces and even move along upside down. Their feet stick but only temporarily, coming off of surfaces again and again like a sticky note. But put those feet underwater, and their ability to stick is dramatically reduced. ...> Full Article

Decoding Mushroom's Secrets Could Combat Carbon, Find Better Biofuels And Safer Soils (7/20/2007)

Researchers at the University of Warwick are co-ordinating a global effort to sequence the genome of one of the World's most important mushrooms - Agaricus bisporus. The secrets of its genetic make up could assist the creation of biofuels, support the effort to manage global carbon, and help remove heavy metals from contaminated soils. ...> Full Article

Wobbly Polarity Is Key To Preventing Magnetic Avalanches On Disk Drives (7/19/2007)

Push two magnets together and you'll set off an avalanche of activity, forcing atoms on each magnet to align their polarity with the intruding magnetic field. It may sound like a party trick for physicists, but you do it every time you press "Save" on your computer. ...> Full Article

Gumshoes Solve 'Throbbing' Oil Mystery (7/18/2007)

Hey kids! Try this at home. Pour clean water onto a small plate. Wait for all the ripples to stop. Then mix a small amount of mineral oil with an even smaller amount of detergent. Squeeze a tiny drop of that mixture onto the water and watch in amazement as the oil appears to pump like a beating heart. ...> Full Article

Scientists Endeavor To Make Humanoid Robots More Graceful (7/17/2007)

Infants learn how to move by recognizing which movements and positions cause them physical discomfort and learning to avoid them. Computer science Professor Oussama Khatib and his research group at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory are using the same principle to endow robots with the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and smoothly. ...> Full Article

Carbon Nanotubes Endure Heavy Wear and Tear Like Soft Tissue (7/16/2007)

The ability of carbon nanotubes to withstand repeated stress yet retain their structural and mechanical integrity is similar to the behavior of soft tissue, according to a new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. ...> Full Article

Research Cultivate Cells Using Magnetics (7/15/2007)

Under proper conditions and with the right nutrients, the cells of animals and plants removed from their host tissues can continue to grow. The technique of propagating cells in a laboratory — known as cell culturing — is used extensively and for a wide variety of applications, from food science to drug discovery. ...> Full Article

Semiconductor Membrane Mimics Biological Behavior Of Ion Channels (7/14/2007)

A semiconductor membrane designed by researchers at the University of Illinois could offer more flexibility and better electrical performance than biological membranes. Built from thin silicon layers doped with different impurities, the solid-state membrane also could be used in applications such as single-molecule detection, protein filtering and DNA sequencing ...> Full Article

Using Insects To Solve Crimes (7/13/2007)

Insects make up more than half of the known animal species on our planet and they can be found in all kinds of habitat and feed on all kinds of nutrients. They can even be used in evidence in court cases. So we are talking about forensic entomology. ...> Full Article

Using Individual Atoms to Create Molecular Circuits (7/12/2007)

The electronics industry believes that when it comes to circuits, smaller is better -- and many foresee a future where electrical switches and circuits will be as tiny as single molecules. ...> Full Article