Replicating Hardest Known Biomaterial Could Improve Solar Cells and Batteries 28
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Soulskill
from the harder-better-faster-stronger dept.
from the harder-better-faster-stronger dept.
cylonlover writes "Inspired by the tough teeth of a marine snail and the remarkable process by which they form, assistant professor David Kisailus at the University of California, Riverside is working toward building cheaper, more efficient nanomaterials. By achieving greater control over the low-temperature growth of nanocrystals (abstract), his research could improve the performance of solar cells and lithium-ion batteries, lead to higher-performance materials for car and airplane frames, and help develop abrasion-resistant materials that could be used for anything from specialized clothing to dental drills."
Polyp-based spacecraft creation (Score:5, Interesting)
Lots of sci-fi has the idea of "grown" spacecraft (references: Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn series, Dyson Trees, etc). Perhaps this would help us understand enough to move towards realistic spacecraft generation (build it in the environment in which it's going to operate it, and even better - have it build itself).