Tech

Metamorphosis: Scientists watch butterfly wings grow inside chrysalis in real time

Enlarge / A painted lady butterfly lands on a flower. The bright iridescent colors in its wings don’t come from pigment molecules but from how the wings are structured. Chitin scales essentially form a diffraction grating tuned to specific wavelengths of light. (credit: Mark Rightmire / Getty Images) One of the best-known poems by Gerard […]

Tech

Mighty morphin’ flat-packed pasta takes on 3D shapes as it cooks

Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes, which is part of its inherent delight. But all those irregular shapes tend to be inefficient when it comes to packaging. So what if you could buy your pasta of choice in a simple, compact 2D form and then watch it take on the desired final 3D shape […]