Media Watch Archives
Scientists transform pee into material fit for medical implants
Live Science -
Scientists have developed a method that can transform human urine into the hard mineral in bones and tooth enamel. … "This process achieves two goals at the same time," study co-author David Kisailus, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. "On the one hand, it helps remove human urine from wastewater streams, mitigating environmental pollution and the buildup of unwanted nutrients; and on the other hand, it produces a material that can be commercially marketed for use in a variety of settings.". Read More
State officials consult public on SoCalGas project to test hydrogen-energy at UC Irvine
The Orange County Register -
The public had a chance to weigh in on a potential hydrogen-blending pilot project on UC Irvine’s campus at hearings held on Tuesday, July 1 …. UC Irvine calls the project a major step toward bringing clean energy to all of California. … Graduate students from UCI’s Clean Energy Institute who spoke at the hearing said hydrogen blending can lower emissions of existing gas lines without major infrastructure changes to make a difference now. They said the project can allow researchers to study the performance and safety of hydrogen to eventually scale it across California. Read More
Engineered yeast turns human urine in wastewater into dental and bone implants
Genetic Library Project -
“This process achieves two goals at the same time,” said co-author David Kisailus, UC Irvine professor of materials science and engineering. “On the one hand, it helps remove human urine from wastewater streams, mitigating environmental pollution and the buildup of unwanted nutrients; and on the other hand, it produces a material that can be commercially marketed for use in a variety of settings.” Read More
Peeing our way to more dental implant material
DrBicuspid -
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a system designed to transform human urine into hydroxyapatite (HAp), a material used in dental implants, according to a university press release dated June 17. … “We are currently developing strategies to leverage his yeast platform with our 3D printing and structural knowledge to make multifunctional architected materials,” David Kisailus said. Read More
Squid-Inspired Camouflage May Help Soldiers Evade Sight and Sensors
The Defense Post -
The University of California, Irvine and the Marine Biological Laboratory have tapped into squid skin to unlock a new frontier in battlefield camouflage. The two are developing a stretchable material that mimics the color-shifting ability of the longfin inshore squid, something that could one day help troops slip past visual and thermal detection. Read More
Researchers Uncover Cell Structures Squids Use To Change Their Appearance
Technology Networks -
“In nature, many animals use Bragg reflectors for structural coloration,” said co-author Alon Gorodetsky, UC Irvine associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. “A squid’s ability to rapidly and reversibly transition from transparent to colored is remarkable, and we found that cells containing specialized subcellular columnar structures with sinusoidal refractive index distributions enable the squid to achieve such feats.” Read More
Scientists unlock the light-bending secrets of squid skin
Earth.com -
Alon Gorodetsky, an expert in chemical and biomolecular engineering at UC Irvine, is the senior author of the research. … “This study is an exciting demonstration of the power of coupling basic and applied research,” Gorodetsky said. “We have likely just started to scratch the surface of what is possible for cephalopod-inspired tunable optical materials in our laboratory.” Read More
Squid skin-inspired stretchable camo could make US soldiers invisible to thermal drones
Interesting Engineering -
“The squid’s ability to rapidly and reversibly transition from transparent to colored is remarkable,” said study co-author Alon Gorodetsky, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at UC Irvine. “We found that cells containing specialized subcellular columnar structures with sinusoidal refractive index distributions enable the squid to achieve such feats.” … Building on those insights, the researchers described in Science how they engineered a flexible composite that mimics and extends the squid’s optical range. Read More
UC Irvine Team Finds Squid's Shape-Shifting Structures
Mirage News -
By examining squid skin cells three-dimensionally, a University of California, Irvine-led team has unveiled the structures responsible for the creatures' ability to dynamically change their appearance from transparent to arbitrarily colored states. … In a paper published today in Science , the researchers discussed how they took inspiration from the cells and their internal columnar structures to develop a multispectral composite material with adjustable visible and infrared properties. Read More
Will your family turn you into a chatbot after you die? Plus, synthetic squid skin, and the sway of matriarchs in ancient Anatolia
Science -
Researchers were able to make a synthetic material that changes color in the same way squids do. Georgii Bogdanov, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, talks about how his lab was able to discover the subcellular arrangement of proteins in the squid cells and mimic this structure synthetically using titanium dioxide deposition. Read More