Life is just a theory

An artificial muscle that twists into action as soon as it’s exposed to light—yet another application of carbon nanotubes. Researchers infused carbon nanotubes with wax and twisted them into yarn. When a light, or electrical heating, switches on, the wax warms up and expands, which increases the volume of the yarn and forces its length to contract. The fast contraction can lift objects 50,000 times heavier than the yarn itself!

Check out the muscles in action in this video from the University of Texas at Dallas. The full paper is published in the journal Science.

I have a bit of a thing for graphene. And this American Chemical Society video showcases some great examples of why the wonder material is so…wonderful. Check out the explanations of graphene’s unique structure, along with traits like its great electrical and heat conductivity, strength, and flexibility. All these make graphene the perfect material for flexible touchscreens, sensors, and even medical implants.

All credit for the video goes to the American Chemical Society, animation and motion graphics by Sean Parsons, directed by Adam Dylewski