The first-ever permanent liquid magnet was made accidentally by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California. “For me, it sort of represents a sort of new state of magnetic materials,” Thomas Russell, the project’s lead researcher, says. The lab was working with iron oxides (compounds made from iron and oxygen) and a researcher there noticed that the particles within an …
A chainmail of the future, 3D-printed flexible metal space fabric is being produced by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. As far as functionality goes, there are four important attributes: reflectivity, foldability, passive heat management and tensile strength. Each of these has untold applications. Because of its sheer strength, it could be used to shield spacecraft but its insulation capabilities could translate to future spacesuits. The foldability, …
Oftentimes, the aesthetic quality of 3D-printed objects means—no matter how useful—the products are ultimately unattractive. Of course, much progress has been made over the last few years, and the varying levels of amateur and professional work have improved. Initially, KWAMBIO launched with a tech-driven focus and a view in mind to impact developments in 3D printing. Today, however, they’ve announced a shift in gears and …
