Engineering Design
- Health & Medicine
New COVID-19 vaccines show promise in people
Early data from human trials show that several candidate COVID-19 vaccines produce virus-inactivating antibodies and immune cells that fight the virus.
- Health & Medicine
Can we taste fat? The brain thinks so
Scientists had not considered fat a 'taste.' The brain begs to differ, new data show.
- Health & Medicine
Remdesivir is looking even better at fighting COVID-19
New studies suggest the drug remdesivir not only speeds recovery of COVID-19 patients in the hospital, but lowers their risk of death from the virus.
- Physics
Shape-shifting cuts give shoes a better grip
With pop-out structures inspired by kirigami and animals, a shoe sole goes from flat to spiky to boost friction on slippery surfaces such as ice.
- Health & Medicine
Ah-choo! Healthy sneezes, coughs sound just like sick ones to us
Think you can tell a sick cough from a healthy one? Think again. New research finds the human ear isn’t sensitive enough to tell the difference.
- Physics
A contrast between shadows and light can now generate electricity
A new device exploits the contrast between bright spots and shade to produce a current that can power small electronics.
- Animals
Toxic germs on its skin make this newt deadly
Bacteria living on the skin of some rough-skinned newts make tetrodotoxin. This paralyzing poison is also found in pufferfish.
- Health & Medicine
Common drug, dexamethasone, appears first to cut COVID-19 deaths
A drug used for decades to treat inflammation now appears useful in saving the lives of severely ill COVID-19 patients — ones who have trouble breathing.
- Health & Medicine
Deadly heat: Expected by century’s end, it’s here already
Instances of hot and humid conditions that threaten human lives are on the rise.
- Plants
Silk-based microneedles may help treat diseased plants
Engineers have invented silk microneedles to inject medicines into plants. One day farmers might use drones to dart their sick plants with meds from the air.
- Space
Astronauts may be able to make cement with their own pee
Lunar dust and a compound found in urine might one day be used to build future dwellings on the moon, a new study finds.
- Tech
Waiting for a ‘smart’ toilet? It’s nearly here
With every bathroom visit, we flush away important health data. Scientists hope to change that with 'smart toilets' that analyze your body’s output.
