My spirit Pokémon is PCKCHIOM. A pocket monster from over 2,000 years ago, as imagined by DALL·E 2.

Find yours in the Clickables section below!

-Steve

Join The Convo for weekly briefings on the coolest STEM news!

Necrobotics

Scientists figured out how to grab objects using dead arachnids. Dubbed “necrobotics”, an air syringe simulates the prosoma chamber, aka the thing that controls spider legs.

• Prosoma chamber = hydraulic pressure control pumping blood to legs

• Spider-claws make ~1,000 grabs before degrading

• Lifts 130% of the spider’s body weight

Researchers hope these biodegradable claw machines provide another option for microelectronic assembly. They're currently experimenting with various coatings to slow degradation. This Halloween is going to be wild.

Itsy bitsy necromancer

Broken Heart Repair

Best thing for a broken heart is a zebrafish, apparently. Researchers identified how these see-through fish repair damaged heart muscle.

• Zebrafish heart = 2mm

• Specific connective tissue begins repair upon injury

• Can regrow up to 20% within 2 months

Single-cell sequencing identified the exact genes responsible for tissue repair. Human hearts heal differently after an attack, but this discovery may help us learn how to trigger similar processes. As long as we don’t also adopt the clear skin thing.

But what color are the stripes?

Ultrasound Stickers

A small sticker provides a live look at your internal organs. MIT engineers developed ultrasound patches that do all the work of bulky machinery.

• Lasts up to 48 hours

• Novel hydrogel membrane offers consistent imaging

• Contains hundreds of transducers (energy converters)

Engineers are working on a wireless version compatible with smartphones to monitor everything from exercise to tumors. For now, it offers real-time imaging for hospital patients. One day we'll really know how long it takes to digest chewing gum.

Future live streams of life streams

Clickables

• Deep sea life, or gate to the Upside Down?

• Crosswalks for animals

• The fish that evolved backwards

• It’s always sweater weather in moon caves

• Ye old Pokemon cards, as imagined by DALL·E 2

st3v on site

Spider Claws

Not to be confused with Spider Claus, holiday hero of the multiverse.

Thank you for reading!

Missed last week’s Convo?

Catch-up here: Hack-a-Bug | Star Babies | Keyboard Art - The Convo Kit #58

What would improve this email for you?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Reach out on Twitter @_steveburgess or reply to this email.