Materials Science

The ancients were able to devise a mix for concrete that actually gets stronger over time thanks to chemical reactions. If only we could rediscover the recipe...

ByLaurie L. Dove

Once upon a time, food was used for one thing: eating. Today, it has a much more complicated role. And one of those roles might be serving as an upstart in the world of plastics.

ByJonathan Atteberry

Wouldn't it be cool to blow past that swimmer in the next lane who always leaves you eating her watery dust? Could a bathing suit help you do it?

BySusan L. Nasr

The refining of iron ore is one of our most historically significant achievements. The element is so important that primitive societies are measured by the point at which they learn how to refine it.

ByMarshall Brain&Robert Lamb

欢迎来到nanowi的奇妙而奇怪的世界res. Scientists can adapt this incredibly thin material for a number of uses, whether as a fiber-optic nanowire or to build increasingly smaller microprocessors. They're even used in medical implants.

ByJonathan Strickland

纳米技术是新的,没有人能确定what will come of it. Even so, predictions range from the ability to reproduce things like diamonds and food to the world being devoured by self-replicating nanorobots.

By Kevin Bonsor &Jonathan Strickland

Just imagine the possibilities: a world free of gum walls and full of bartenders speeding drinks along the bar. But that's really just the tip of the (super-slick) iceberg.

ByWilliam Harris

Building bicycles with environmentally friendly bamboo is an idea whose time has come. We talk to a master bamboo bike builder about the ins and outs.

ByCarrie Tatro

Nearly everything you use in your life was touched by a CNC machine tool. Don't know what a CNC machine tool is? We'll explain.

ByMitch Ryan

The centuries-old art of sword making involves incredibly intricate metal work, and it's still being practiced today. Get a rare glimpse into the creation of this ancient weaponry.

By Jeff Tyson

As an invention, Cold Heat seems to have everything. But reviewers -- both professionals and average users -- either love the tool or hate it, and some people question whether it's really "new" at all.

ByTracy V. Wilson

Sports injury taping has undergone a quiet revolution over the last 30 years. How can a pattern of tape stuck to your body help you heal from (or prevent) an injury?

ByStephanie Crawford

Glass ionomer cement is a kind of cement used in restorative dentistry. Learn what glass ionomer cement is in this article.

ByHowStuffWorks.com Contributors

For a process that simply bonds two pieces of metal, welding affects a lot of our world and some stuff that's out of this world, like the International Space Station. What's it like to man the torch?

ByJonathan Atteberry

Charles Goodyear was obsessed with this stretchy material, and we are, too. It's weatherproof, shockproof and entertaining, and it's found in more products than you can shoot a rubber band at.

ByCraig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

This not-so-new material looks like a hologram and could play a valuable role in the future of insulation, electronics, oil spill cleanup and green energy. So why don't aerogels have the A-list name recognition they deserve?

ByHeather Quinlan

Versatile and efficient, electroluminescent (EL) wire is widely used by artists to illuminate clothing, bicycle spokes, turntables and even cars. But how does this cool product work with so little power and without a visible energy source?

ByJoanna Burgess

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a method of printing objects using the pressure of sound waves on even the most viscous liquids.

ByJerad W. Alexander

Researchers in China have developed a non-toxic "smart" wallpaper that won't burn and triggers an alarm when it gets hot.

ByLaurie L. Dove

Plastic road materials-maker MacRebur is paving the way to a greener environment, using recycled waste to build roads.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

If you give us a tunable polysiloxane-based material, 21st century Americans can’t resist going full-on Kardashian with it.

ByJesslyn Shields

Welding isn't the only way to make metals, like the ones on your aviator shades, meet up. Brazing can do the trick, too, with a little heat, some filler and some capillary action.

ByWilliam Harris

All steel is not the same, and Damascus steel has a reputation for being the best. But is today's Damascus steel the same as that forged centuries ago?

ByCarrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Dyneema is trademarked as the world's strongest fiber. Find out how this high-strength synthetic is capable of protecting an individual (or an entire vehicle) from IEDs or even shots fired from an AK47.

ByChristopher Neiger

You probably know that high pitched or high frequency sounds can break materials apart. But did you know that high frequency sounds can be used to bond materials together?

ByCraig Freudenrich, Ph.D.