Fazmina Imamudeen explores our wacky and wonderful world

SMARTER DEVICES Scientists in Beijing have developed a groundbreaking method to turn everyday materials such as paper and plastic into electronic smart devices using liquid metal. The process involves the application of a liquid metal coating to surfaces that typically repel such materials, and has the potential for use in wearable testing platforms, flexible devices and soft robotics.

Chinese researchers discovered that by adjusting pressure, liquid metal can adhere to various surfaces that were previously thought to be incompatible. This is in contrast to the high surface tension of liquid metal, which prevented it from binding to most materials including paper.

Although ensuring the stability of the liquid metal coating after application remains a challenge, these researchers aim to find a solution that eliminates the need for additional packaging. They also plan to expand the technique to include a wider range of surfaces such as metal and ceramic, and utilise it to construct smart devices.

The research received support from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation and National Natural Science Foundation of China, and cooperation funding between Nanshan and Tsinghua SIGS in science and technology.

HEALTHIER LIVES A recent study led by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center has revealed that taurine, a molecule naturally produced in the body and found in various foods, may hold the key to prolonging and improving health in old age.

The study found that a deficiency of taurine contributes to the ageing process in animals but taurine supplements can effectively slow it down and extend healthy lifespans.

Taurine supplementation increased the average lifespan of female mice by 12 percent and males by 10 percent, which is about three or four extra months of life. Moreover, taurine supplements exhibited numerous health benefits in mice including weight control, increased energy expenditure, enhanced bone mass, improved muscle strength and reduced depression-like behaviour, in addition to bolstering the immune system.

Since the study primarily focussed on animal models, further research including randomised clinical trials involving humans is necessary to validate the potential health benefits of taurine supplementation.

However, taurine’s natural occurrence in the body, its presence in various diets, limited known toxic effects and potential to be boosted through exercise make it an appealing candidate for further investigation as an anti-ageing strategy.

PRINTING MATTER Scientists have developed an innovative 3D printing method called ‘high-throughput combinatorial printing’ (HTCP) that transforms materials discovery. By mixing multiple aerosolised nanomaterial inks during printing, HTCP allows precise control over material architecture and composition. This versatile process creates gradient materials across metals, semiconductors, polymers and biomaterials.

Traditional material discovery is slow and labour-intensive, and hinders the progress of clean energy, electronics and biomedicine. HTCP changes the game by shortening the discovery timeline from years to months. The method generates combinational materials with thousands of unique compositions and accelerates the identification of novel properties.

HTCP has already led to the discovery of a semiconductor material with exceptional thermoelectric properties, and promising advancements in energy harvesting and cooling. Additionally, the production of functionally graded material that bridges the gap between soft tissues and rigid devices will benefit biomedical applications.

Future plans include integrating machine learning and AI with HTCP data, to expedite the discovery and development of materials. The aim is to establish an autonomous process that will enable researchers to focus on higher level thinking. With HTCP’s ability to accelerate the discovery of materials, the path towards transformative applications becomes shorter than ever.

SPOILAGE ALERTS A revolutionary wireless sensor has been developed to tackle the critical issues of food waste and food borne diseases by offering real-time spoilage alerts. The breakthrough research, led by scientists at Koç University in Türkiye, presents a cost-effective and user-friendly sensor that can be directly applied to food, replacing the need for laboratory monitoring.

This miniature device is battery free, compatible with smartphones and provides instant measurements. Particularly effective for high protein diets featuring foods such as beef, chicken and fish, the sensor utilises near field communication (NFC) technology to ensure accurate and moisture resistant results.

The implications of this invention extend beyond cost reduction for companies – it also benefits consumers significantly. Convenience of on demand spoilage analysis using mobile phones holds great promise in preventing both food waste and food borne illnesses.

With its affordability and accessibility, the researchers hope this makes a substantial contribution to the global struggle against greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The next step involves focussing on commercialising the product to maximise its potential impact in the near future.