With high resolution microscopes and 3D technology, researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology captured an unprecedented view of feathers from the desert-dwelling sandgrouse, showcasing the singular architecture of their feathers and revealing for the first time how they can hold so much water. “It is super fascinating to see how nature managed to create structures so perfectly efficient to take in and hold water,” said co-author Jochen Mueller, an assistant professor in Johns Hopkins’ Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, who specializes in smart materials and design. The work was published recently in The Royal Society Interface. Sandgrouse found in African deserts typically nest about 20 miles from watering holes to stay safe from predators. To get water home to thirsty chicks, the adult males perform one of nature’s best examples of carry out, gathering water and flying home with it, a feat made even more extraordinary considering the sandgrouse is holding about 15 per cent of his body weight in water, and keeping most of it safe during a roughly 40 mph flight home that takes about a half hour.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/

After lightning struck a tree in a New Port Richey neighbourhood, a University of South Florida professor discovered the strike led to the formation of a new phosphorus material. It was found in a rock—the first time in solid form on Earth—and could represent a member of a new mineral group. In a recent study published in Communications Earth & Environment, the professor examined how high-energy events, such as lightning, can cause unique chemical reactions, and in this instance, result in a new material—one that is transitional between space minerals and minerals found on Earth.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com