Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics have developed a new process that turns ordinary metal tubes unsinkable—meaning they will stay afloat no matter how long they are forced into water or how heavily they are damaged. The researchers describe their process for creating aluminum tubes with remarkable floating abilities in a study published in Advanced Functional Materials. By etching the interior of aluminum tubes, the researchers create micro- and nano-pits on the surface that turn it superhydrophobic, repelling water and staying dry.

In recent years, Nepal has been heralded as a global leader in community-based forest conservation. By handing over nearly a third of its nationally owned forest to local villagers in the 1980s, the country reversed years of deforestation and effectively doubled its forest cover. However, a new study from the University of Notre Dame suggests these environmental successes may exclude Nepal’s most vulnerable groups from their accompanying economic benefits.

Called "CytoTape", University of Michigan researchers developed a flexible thread-like intracellular protein fiber, designed with the help of artificial intelligence, to record cellular processes in vivo.

An international research team led by The University of Osaka has demonstrated that two-faced Janus nanoparticles can restore the effectiveness of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. These particles disrupt the protective outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, which normally blocks antibiotics. This allows conventional drugs to regain access and kill the once-resistant microbes. This synergistic strategy restores the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, offering a new line of defense against the growing threat of superbugs and extending the utility of our current medical arsenal.

Slippery, drippy goop makes Ralstonia bacteria devastating killers of plants, causing rapid wilting in tomato, potato and a wide range of other crops, according to new research. The work comes from an unusual collaboration between plant pathologists and engineers at UC Davis. 

Important everyday products—from plastics to detergents—are made through chemical reactions that mostly use precious metals such as platinum as catalysts. Newly identified methods to harness the properties of tungsten carbide could yield viable substitutes for platinum.