engineering – Lifeboat News: The Blog https://lifeboat.com/blog Safeguarding Humanity Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:03:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 The most graceful animal in the ocean has inspired a propulsion system that could soon power our ships, thanks to Switzerland https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/the-most-graceful-animal-in-the-ocean-has-inspired-a-propulsion-system-that-could-soon-power-our-ships-thanks-to-switzerland https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/the-most-graceful-animal-in-the-ocean-has-inspired-a-propulsion-system-that-could-soon-power-our-ships-thanks-to-switzerland#respond Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:03:54 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/the-most-graceful-animal-in-the-ocean-has-inspired-a-propulsion-system-that-could-soon-power-our-ships-thanks-to-switzerland

Innovation in maritime propulsion has reached a significant milestone with the development of a revolutionary technology inspired by one of the ocean’s most elegant creatures. Swiss engineering giant ABB has successfully tested its biomimetic propulsion system that replicates the graceful swimming motion of whales, potentially transforming how vessels navigate our seas.

Biomimetic innovation transforms maritime propulsion

The marine industry stands at the threshold of a major breakthrough with ABB’s latest innovation. The ABB Dynafin propulsion system draws inspiration from the efficient swimming techniques of cetaceans, creating a mechanism that could significantly reduce energy consumption across various vessel types. This technology comes at a crucial time as detailed ocean mapping reveals new underwater features that challenge traditional navigation methods.

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Forensics Engineering Conference https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/forensics-engineering-conference https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/forensics-engineering-conference#respond Sat, 19 Apr 2025 19:06:59 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/forensics-engineering-conference

For the past 19 years, the Forensics Engineering Conference at UT Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering has brought together the best of academia and industry for an exciting exchange on advances in forensics engineering.

The 2025 conference carries special importance, celebrating longtime Lead Faculty David Fowler, Ph.D., and his rich legacy. This year’s conference will be led by Ryan Kalina, Ph.D., P.E., vice president, Forensix Consulting and lecturer, Cockrell School Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering.

The 2025 conference topics span real-world case studies, lessons from significant structural forensic failures, ethical issues and the impact of weather on structures. Sessions are presented by industry and academic engineering experts.

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Ink engineering approach boosts efficiency and cuts cost of quantum dot-based photovoltaics https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/ink-engineering-approach-boosts-efficiency-and-cuts-cost-of-quantum-dot-based-photovoltaics https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/ink-engineering-approach-boosts-efficiency-and-cuts-cost-of-quantum-dot-based-photovoltaics#respond Sat, 19 Apr 2025 07:28:55 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/ink-engineering-approach-boosts-efficiency-and-cuts-cost-of-quantum-dot-based-photovoltaics

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are tiny semiconductor particles that are just a few nanometers in size, which are synthesized in a liquid solution (i.e., colloid). These single-crystal particles, created by breaking down bulk materials via chemical and physical processes, have proved to be promising for the development of photovoltaic (PV) technologies.

Quantum dot-based PVs could have various advantages, including a tunable bandgap, greater flexibility and solution processing. However, quantum dot-based developed so far have been found to have significant limitations, including lower efficiencies than conventional silicon-based cells and high manufacturing costs, due to the expensive processes required to synthesize conductive CQD films.

Researchers at Soochow University in China, the University of Electro-Communications in Japan and other institutes worldwide recently introduced a new method that could potentially help to improve the efficiencies of quantum-dot based photovoltaics, while also lowering their manufacturing costs. Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Energy, entails the engineering of lead sulfide (PbS) CQD inks used to print films for solar cells.

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Outstanding Strength: Next-Gen Copper Alloy Pushes Past Limits of Traditional Materials https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/outstanding-strength-next-gen-copper-alloy-pushes-past-limits-of-traditional-materials https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/outstanding-strength-next-gen-copper-alloy-pushes-past-limits-of-traditional-materials#respond Sat, 19 Apr 2025 07:03:34 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/outstanding-strength-next-gen-copper-alloy-pushes-past-limits-of-traditional-materials

The strongest Cu-Ta-Li alloy developed to date exhibits outstanding strength and stability, making it ideal for advanced engineering applications. A team of researchers from Arizona State University, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Lehigh University, and Louisiana State University has de

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Precision Self-assembly of 3D DNA Crystals Using MicrofluidicsClick to copy article linkArticle link copied! https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/precision-self-assembly-of-3d-dna-crystals-using-microfluidicsclick-to-copy-article-linkarticle-link-copied https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/precision-self-assembly-of-3d-dna-crystals-using-microfluidicsclick-to-copy-article-linkarticle-link-copied#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2025 22:34:44 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/precision-self-assembly-of-3d-dna-crystals-using-microfluidicsclick-to-copy-article-linkarticle-link-copied

Controlling the uniformity in size and quantity of macroscopic three-dimensional (3D) DNA crystals is essential for their integration into complex systems and broader applications. However, achieving such control remains a major challenge in DNA nanotechnology. Here, we present a novel strategy for synthesizing monodisperse 3D DNA single crystals using microfluidic double-emulsion droplets as nanoliter-scale microreactors. These uniformly sized droplets can shrink and swell without leaking their inner contents, allowing the concentration of the DNA solution inside to be adjusted. The confined volume ensures that, once a crystal seed forms, it rapidly consumes the available DNA material, preventing the formation of additional crystals within the same droplet. This approach enables precise control over crystal growth, resulting in a yield of one DNA single crystal per droplet, with a success rate of up to 98.6% ± 0.9%. The resulting DNA crystals exhibit controlled sizes, ranging from 19.3 ± 0.9 μm to 56.8 ± 2.6 μm. Moreover, this method can be applied to the controlled growth of various types of DNA crystals. Our study provides a new pathway for DNA crystal self-assembly and microengineering.

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This Living Building Material Forms Bone-Like Structures and Could One Day Repair Itself https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/this-living-building-material-forms-bone-like-structures-and-could-one-day-repair-itself https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/this-living-building-material-forms-bone-like-structures-and-could-one-day-repair-itself#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2025 22:06:45 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/this-living-building-material-forms-bone-like-structures-and-could-one-day-repair-itself

It’s no wonder engineers have long dreamed of harnessing these powers in human-made structures. Now, scientists have combined fungus and bacteria to create a living material that stays alive for up to a month and can form bone-like structures. The researchers say this approach could one day be used to create structural components that repair themselves.

“We are excited about our results and look forward to engineering more complex and larger structures,” Chelsea Heveran at Montana State University, who led the study, told New Scientist. “When viability is sufficiently high, we could start really imparting lasting biological characteristics to the material that we care about, such as self-healing, sensing, or environmental remediation.”

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Scientists Just Discovered a Strange Material That Breaks the Rules of Physics https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/scientists-just-discovered-a-strange-material-that-breaks-the-rules-of-physics https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/scientists-just-discovered-a-strange-material-that-breaks-the-rules-of-physics#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:08:46 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/scientists-just-discovered-a-strange-material-that-breaks-the-rules-of-physics

A team led by UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering has discovered materials that defy convention, shrinking when heated and expanding under pressure, marking a breakthrough in fundamental science. What expands when crushed, shrinks when heated, and could both transform scientists’ fundamental

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Integration method enables high-performance oxide-based spintronic devices on silicon substrates https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/integration-method-enables-high-performance-oxide-based-spintronic-devices-on-silicon-substrates https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/integration-method-enables-high-performance-oxide-based-spintronic-devices-on-silicon-substrates#respond Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:15:13 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/integration-method-enables-high-performance-oxide-based-spintronic-devices-on-silicon-substrates

A research team from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed a hybrid transfer and epitaxy strategy, enabling the heterogeneous integration of single-crystal oxide spin Hall materials on silicon substrates for high-performance oxide-based spintronic devices.

The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Spintronic devices are gaining attention as a key direction for next-generation information technologies due to their , non-volatility, and ultra-fast operating capabilities.

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‘Hyperadaptor’ alloy with stable properties stands strong across extreme temperatures https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/hyperadaptor-alloy-with-stable-properties-stands-strong-across-extreme-temperatures https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/hyperadaptor-alloy-with-stable-properties-stands-strong-across-extreme-temperatures#respond Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:28:33 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/hyperadaptor-alloy-with-stable-properties-stands-strong-across-extreme-temperatures

A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has developed a new alloy that maintains its strength and ductility across extreme temperatures ranging from −196 °C to 600 °C. The findings, which have drawn attention from the aerospace and automotive industries, were published in the journal Materials Research Letters. The team was led by Professor Hyoung Seop Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology, and Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Most metals used in everyday life are sensitive to temperature changes—metal doorknobs feel icy in winter and hot in summer. Consequently, conventional metal materials are typically optimized for performance within a narrow temperature range, limiting their effectiveness in environments with dramatic temperature fluctuations.

To overcome this challenge, the POSTECH research team introduced the concept of the “Hyperadaptor” and developed a nickel-based high-entropy alloy (HEA) that embodies this idea.

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Multivalley semiconductor enables optical switching in germanium for high-speed computing and communications https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/multivalley-semiconductor-enables-optical-switching-in-germanium-for-high-speed-computing-and-communications https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/multivalley-semiconductor-enables-optical-switching-in-germanium-for-high-speed-computing-and-communications#respond Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:27:16 +0000 https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/04/multivalley-semiconductor-enables-optical-switching-in-germanium-for-high-speed-computing-and-communications

Opaque materials can transmit light when excited by a high-intensity laser beam. This process, known as optical bleaching, induces a nonlinear effect that temporarily alters the properties of a material. Remarkably, when the laser is switched on and off at ultrahigh speeds, the effect can be dynamically controlled, opening new possibilities for advanced optical technologies.

Multicolored optical switching is an important phenomenon with potential applications in fields such as telecommunications and optical computing. However, most materials typically exhibit single-color optical nonlinearity under intense laser illumination, limiting their use in systems requiring multicolor or multiband switching capabilities. Currently, most optical switches are based on , which require an electric voltage or current to operate, resulting in slow response times.

To address this gap, a group of researchers, led by Professor Junjun Jia from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Waseda University, Japan, in collaboration with Professor Hui Ye and Dr. Hossam A. Almossalami from the College of Optical Science and Engineering at Zhejiang University, China, Professor Naoomi Yamada from the Department of Applied Chemistry at Chubu University, Japan, and Dr. Takashi Yagi from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan, investigated the multivalley optical switching phenomenon in germanium (Ge) films.

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