Feb 22
"Octopus House" (2007) ◠ Erich Vogel Architect · Markus Aumuller ⌇ Concrete shaped by cephalopod logic
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"Octopus House" (2007) ◠ Erich Vogel Architect · Markus Aumuller ⌇ Concrete shaped by cephalopod logic
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2010 Couture
Scientists “bottle the sun” with a liquid battery that stores solar energy
Researchers created a “rechargeable sun battery” that stores sunlight in molecules and later releases enough heat to boil water.
As solar panels lose their ability to generate electricity after sunset, one major challenge remains for renewable energy: how to store solar power for use later, whether during cloudy weather or overnight. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara believe they may have found an answer that avoids the need for massive battery systems or reliance on the electrical grid. Writing in the journal Science, Associate Professor Grace Han and her research team describe a new material capable of absorbing sunlight, storing that energy in chemical bonds, and later releasing it as heat whenever needed. The material is based on a modified organic molecule called pyrimidone and represents a new step forward in Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage technology.
Read more.
Could the biology of a squid be responsible for ending needle phobias? Stranger things have happened.
"Thanks to a new discovery by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, painful injections and intravenous drugs could potentially be a thing of the past.
Inspired by the way squids (yes, squids!) use jets to propel themselves through the ocean, shooting ink clouds, researchers took this biological process to the lab.
The result is an ingestible capsule that “releases a burst of drugs directly into the wall of the stomach or other organs in the digestive tract,” developed by researchers from MIT and Novo Nordisk...
Traverso was the senior author of the study, which concludes that the capsule could offer an alternative to delivering drugs that normally have to be injected, like insulin, antibodies, and even mRNA.
The reason these drugs cannot be taken orally is because they consist of large proteins that are easily broken down in the digestive tract, rendering them ineffective.
For years, Traverso’s lab has been working on a solution, encapsulating these drugs in small devices that protect them through their journey in the body until they reach the lining of the digestive tract, where they can be injected directly into the system.
In previous iterations, he and his colleagues devised capsules that use microneedles to deliver the drugs once they enter the digestive system.
But in this new study (recently published in Nature), the researchers went completely needle-free.
Taking inspiration from cephalopods — or squids and octopuses — the researchers came up with two ways to mimic their siphon organ, which allows these animals to shoot jets of ink to distract predators...
And don’t fret — once the drugs are administered, the capsules (which are made of metal and plastic) simply pass through the digestive tract naturally.
Although researchers have only tested the device on animals so far, the trails have shown resounding success. In these tests, the capsule successfully delivered insulin, a drug similar to Ozempic, and a type of RNA that can be used in treating genetic disorders.
In this research, success was calculated by measuring the concentration of drugs in the animals’ bloodstream, which reached the same levels as drugs administered by injections. Plus, there was no tissue damage after the fact...
According to MIT, the researchers will now work to further develop the capsules, in hopes of testing them in humans.
Their ultimate vision is that the capsules could be used at home by patients who need to take insulin or other injected drugs frequently. The approach also eliminates the need to dispose of sharp needles, creating a safer — and more comfortable — experience for patients and providers alike."
-via GoodGoodGood, November 25, 2024
Something really cool about The Deep (2015) is that the submarines of the Nektons and Alpheus look like a sperm whale and giant squid, respectively.
In the wild, these two animals are rivals. While no one has ever seen them fight (that we know of!), there's lots of evidence that they do — remains of giant squid have been found inside sperm whales, and many sperm whales have scars from large tentacles.
I think this is done on purpose. Using the conflict between two formidable species to represent the conflict between the two most advanced submarines in the sea is a great allegory, and it's a cool detail for those who are interested in marine biology.
Further reading:
Giant Squid Sucker Marks
https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/1999/Battle-of-the-Titans (doesn't embed like previous link, sadly)
Who was it again that was talking with me about biomimicry in drones? Get back here so I can tag you in this post and credit you!
I was thinking about what was said about their bodies using various materials they consume to slowly repair damages.
Not sure if it was something discussed but the collection of those un-used materials so not only do they become more physically heavy but it collects around the middle so they can have little rolls or pot bellies sometimes. Some more domestic drones that had humans that deeply loved them were a little plump! Some drones were just round!
if nature still remains resilient against disturbances,so can you.
Drone’s Artificial Respiratory System
All worker drones are equipped with two different cooling systems; first, is a standard cooling system operated by fans, second, is a cooling system similar to humans lungs which consist of two inflatable sacs controlled by synthetic muscles.
The standard system is the one that does the bulk of work while the artificial lungs are more supplementary. The lungs usually activate during periods of increased physical activity such as running away from unholy angels of death. The synthetic muscles that drive these lungs can seize up due to disuse which can cause them to malfunction when increased activity does occur, these malfunctions can lead to coughing fits, wheezing or momentarily breathlessness. Occasionally stressing these secondary lungs can lead to increased efficiency.
A minor malfunction in the supplemental cooling system is the spontaneous activation and spasming of the synthetic muscles which lead to what is essentially hiccups. These hiccups can last from minutes to hours, they do not majorly interrupt the drones efficiency but does cause annoyance.
Occasionally, a manufacturing defect occurs in the supplemental cooling system where the synthetic muscles that drive are rigid and inflexible which leads to the system having difficulty operating and failing to intake enough air to support the primary cooling system. This can be liken to asthma in humans.
