Sharkskin actually increases drag
Washington, D.C., March 15, 2016 — On an intuitive level, you’d expect a shark’s skin to reduce drag. After all, the purpose of sharkskin-inspired riblets — the […]
Physics of Booming and Burping Sand Dunes Revealed
Washington, D.C., Oct. 27, 2015 — Avalanching sand from dune faces in Death Valley National Park and the Mojave Desert can trigger loud, rumbling “booming” or short […]
Controlling Evaporative Patterning Transitions
Washington, D.C., Sept. 29, 2015 — Water, soup, wet paint and other liquids often leave stains as they dry. They include “coffee rings” from dried coffee droplets, […]
How Rocket Science May Improve Kidney Dialysis
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 17, 2015 — A team of researchers in the United Kingdom has found a way to redesign an artificial connection between an artery and […]
Why a Latte is Less Likely to Spill than a Coffee
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 24, 2015 – Carrying a full cup of coffee from the kitchen to the dining room can be precarious for a sleepy-eyed caffeine addict […]
Laser-Guided Herds of Sea Monkeys Show how Zooplankton Migrations May Affect Global Ocean Currents
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 30, 2014–Sea monkeys have captured the popular attention of both children and aquarium hobbyists because of their easily observable life cycle — sold as […]
The Physics of Ocean Undertow
WASHINGTON D.C. May 13, 2014 — People standing on a beach often feel the water tugging the sand away from under their feet. This is the undertow, […]
Working to Cure ‘Dry Eye’ Disease
WASHINGTON D.C. May 6, 2014 — The eye is an exquisitely sensitive system with many aspects that remain somewhat of a mystery—both in the laboratory and in […]
What Makes Flying Snakes Such Gifted Gliders?
WASHINGTON D.C. Mar. 4, 2014 — Animal flight behavior is an exciting frontier for engineers to both apply knowledge of aerodynamics and to learn from nature’s solutions […]