If you've ever fumbled trying to connect the two loose ends of a zipper—and really, who hasn't?—you'll immediately see the value in Under Armour's new approach that uses a strong magnet and a re-engineered clasp to automatically guide the two ends of a zipper together, allowing you to do up a coat with just one hand.
Engineers at North Carolina State University invented the metallic bubble wrap as a way to improve the durability of packaging materials for electronics and suitcases, along with other products such as car doors, airplane wings and helmets, where it can also be used in the products themselves. The metal is not meant to replace traditional plastic bubble wrap, but to be used when circumstances call for sturdier cushioning.
Alex Scott, a senior editor at C&EN, notes that spider silk's impressive strength has been studied for years, and scientists have been trying to make a synthetic version of the super-strong protein in the lab.
