Researchers have designed and fabricated a bio-inspired, high strength and high toughness lignocellulose-based material that can serve as a 'wood armor' that rivals the performance of conventional engineering materials such as glass, ceramics or alloys. This wooden armor has biomimetic flexible-rigid layered Bouligand-like structures similar to the scales of pirarucu, a fish that can withstand piranha attacks. In ballistic tests it withstood 9 mm caliber bullets with an impact velocity of ...

We are in the early stages of neural computing and have time to think through the ethical issues involved. Among other things, if neural computers become common, we will grapple with tissue donation issues. Scientists have found that human neurons were faster at learning than neurons from mice. Might there also be differences in performance depending on whose neurons are used? Might Apple and Google be able to make lightning-fast computers using neurons from our best and brightest today? ...