An Uncuttable Material Inspired by Abalone Shells A new material called Proteus made from “ceramic spheres embedded in a cellular structure made of metallic foam” that’s believed to be uncuttable could revolutionize security. Inspired by abalone shells—which are composed of an essentially weak material that’s arranged in a manner that makes the shells super-strong—Proteus may be used in various ways, from bank vault doors to …
During the 19th century, firefighters in the United States had two ways to make their way from their beds to their horse and buggy: “spiral staircase—installed to keep wayward horses from wandering upstairs—or through a tube chute.” That was until the ingenious David Kenyon installed a pole at Chicago’s all-Black firefighter Company 21 firehouse. Kenyon had seen a colleague use a “wooden pole normally used …
Shanghai’s Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum Project Opens This Week Inside Shanghai’s David Chipperfield–designed West Bund Museum, acclaimed Paris contemporary art museum Centre Pompidou will curate exhibitions and provide work from its own collection (for at least the next five years). According to the Pompidou, it’s an act of “museum diplomacy,” the “largest ever cultural exchange” between France and China thus far. Part of …
