Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage
For many years, [associate professor] Alon Gorodetsky, Ph.D., and his research group have been working on materials inspired by squid.
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How Do Squids Camouflage?
“The properties of [reflectins’] unusual amino acid content give them a high refractive index,” explained Alon Gorodetsky, a biomolecular engineer at University of California, Irvine, who develops materials inspired by the optical properties of reflectins. … The squids’ color-changing system also motivated Gorodetsky’s team to develop materials with adjustable infrared reflectivity. Gorodetsky noted that this material could coat objects and hide them from infrared cameras, with potential applications in the military.
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How the diabolical ironclad beetle survives getting run over by a car
What makes the diabolical ironclad beetle (the insect's actual common name) so indestructible? To find out, researchers at the University of California, Irvine and their colleagues repeatedly drove over them with their cars. Yes, the creepy crawlers survived the tire test and countless other more exacting compression tests in the laboratory. After years of research, materials scientist David Kisailus and grad student Jesus Rivera determined that it’s the combination of the material and structure of the beetle's exoskeleton which is different than other beetles.
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Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage
For many years, Alon Gorodetsky, Ph.D., and his research group have been working on materials inspired by squid. In past work, they developed "invisibility stickers," which consisted of bacterially produced squid reflectin proteins that were adhered onto sticky tape. "So then, we had this crazy idea to see whether we could capture some aspect of the ability of squid skin tissues to change transparency within human cell cultures," says Gorodetsky, who is the principal investigator on the project.
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Heart valve for young children shines in early-stage preclinical testing
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have successfully performed preclinical laboratory testing of a replacement heart valve intended for toddlers and young children with congenital cardiac defects, a key step toward obtaining approval for human use.
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How studying a nearly indestructible beetle could improve aircraft construction
The diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand enormous forces, protecting it from predators — and potentially providing scientists with new designs for materials. … Three different types of supports on the sides of the beetle, where the elytra and the shell on the insect's underside meet, allow the beetle to be compliant so it can squeeze into rocks without crushing its organs, says David Kisailus, a [UCI] materials scientist …. Read More
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How much rain did we get? Ask the iRain app, created at UC Irvine
With forecasters predicting the most powerful storm in a decade in Northern California this weekend — and more precipitation likely throughout the state in the coming days — UC Irvine engineers are hoping researchers, hydrologists and weather enthusiasts will make the most of their iRain mobile app.
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Holmes Endowed Fellowship
Holmes Endowed Fellowship
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Hydrogen may help replace fossil fuels in California — but it’s still a greenhouse gas
DWP is hardly the only Californian institution rushing to commit to hydrogen. SoCalGas, one of the state’s largest natural gas utilities, hopes to blend hydrogen into the gas network that supplies homes and businesses across Southern California.
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How science will suffer as US pulls out of Iran nuclear deal
“We were all full of enthusiasm when the agreement was signed, but unfortunately things went in the opposite direction,” says Soroosh Sorooshian, an Iranian–American hydrologist at the University of California, Irvine. He was one of hundreds of scientists who participated in the NASEM workshops. “God knows what happens next.”
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How to Steal DNA With Sound
Engineers at the University of California say they have demonstrated how easy it would be to snoop on biotech companies making synthetic DNA…. The researchers demonstrated their spying technique on the Applied Biosystems 3400 DNA Synthesizer, a widely used older model….
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Hydrogen replacing fossil fuels and becoming new source of power
Jack Brouwer, Professor of Engineering at UC Irvine is ecstatic to see the change. "It's exciting to have this happening in our backyard. It's exciting also to be one of the first in the world to actually adopt this platform," he says. Professor Brouwer says green hydrogen can be used to power not only buildings and cars, but also jets, ships, trains and long haul trucks and its emissions won't harm people or the environment. … “The only emission is water," he says. Read More
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Human cells hacked to act like squid skin cells could unlock key to camouflage
"In general, there's two ways you can achieve transparency," UC Irvine's Alon Gorodetsky, associate professor, chemical & biomolecular engineering], who has been fascinated by squid camouflage for the last decade or so, said during a media briefing at the ACS meeting.
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Human urine can turn into this useful material. See what is it and how do scientists make this science wonder happen
According to co-author David Kisailus from the University of California, Irvine, the process solves two problems. It removes urine from wastewater, helping the environment. It also creates a useful material. Hydroxyapatite made this way can be used in bone and dental implants. It may also serve other industries. These include archaeological restoration, biodegradable plastic alternatives, and construction materials.
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Hydrogen advocates look to capitalize on California's goal to replace diesel for back-up generation
The key draw of hydrogen is its cost-effectiveness at longer durations. For a completely resilient, 100% renewable data center with zero emissions, using hydrogen would translate to a levelized cost of electricity amounting to $119 per MWh, said Jack Brouwer, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Irvine. … "Lithium-ion batteries are cheaper for short-duration storage, and they're more efficient.
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Hotter summer highs means cities face increasingly deadly risks
“There are more than a billion people living in extreme poverty, with many of them living in megacities and large urban centres. These are people struggling to survive,” said Simon Michael Papalexiou, … [UCI] environmental engineer and the lead author of the study. … Amir AghaKouchak, a civil engineer and co-author of the study, said growing urban heat risk will require city authorities to think about new measures save lives - something some are already putting in place.
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Hyperloop U: At SpaceX, Elon Musk’s high-tech transportation competition may be launching loads of careers
“Every engineering student should do a project like this,” said Adora Tadros, an engineering student from UC Irvine working with about 60 teammates on the HyperXite team. … “What we’re doing is really pushing ourselves,” Tadros said. “To be as competitive as we are just proves how much you can accomplish when you organize and set your minds to something.”
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How to Tell If Your Home Is in a Flood Zone
“Sometimes we like to look at these lines on maps and think that they are very strong determinants—like flooding won't happen here because I'm on the other side of this line, but that's not necessarily true,” says Brett Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering and urban planning and public policy at the University of California, Irvine. … “The reality is that there's a variety of gradual variation in risk across the land surface.” In fact, insurance claim data shows that many flood loss claims that are made to insurance companies often fall outside of map hazard zones, says