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Large iron gyroid (1.3 x 1.0 cm). Credit: ALCHEMY EPFL CC BY SA EPFL scientists have created a breakthrough 3D printing method that uses hydrogels as templates to produce ultra-dense, durable metals and ceramics. The process builds a gel scaffold that is later infused with metal salts and converted into nanoparticles, then heated to reveal the final solid form. The resulting materials are stronger and less prone to warping than those made with traditional methods. Unlocking the Potential of Vat Photopolymerization Vat photopolymerization is a 3D printing process where a liquid resin that reacts to light is poured into a...

Scientists at Columbia Engineering have developed a bioactive, injectable healing gel derived from yogurt. By harnessing extracellular vesicles (EVs) from milk, the team developed a soft material that mimics living tissue and promotes natural regeneration. This novel gel doesn’t just deliver therapeutic molecules; the EVs help build the structure of the gel itself. In mouse models, it boosted blood vessel formation and tissue repair—without added chemicals. The research hints at a future where food-derived biotechnology plays a powerful role in healing the body. Designing the Next Generation of Bioactive Hydrogels Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a new approach to...

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you — you just watched a metal ball bounce off a sliver of jelly. But you wouldn’t put this jelly in a sherry trifle: it is a sophisticated hydrogel developed by Zhigang Suo, a materials engineer at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his colleagues1. A hydrogel is a network of polymers that soaks up lots of water to form a jelly-like material. But most shatter easily and don’t stretch far without breaking. Some of the toughest hydrogels are used to make soft contact lenses, and researchers want to make them more robust, for use in...