“Mollusks such as abalone and oysters create their iridescent armor, known as nacre, from brittle calcium carbonate microcrystals and pliant proteins arranged like bricks and mortar, respectively. Materials specialists have long envied the composite's resilience, which is superior to that of human-made ceramics.”

“Tiny one-way air valves, about the size of the eraser on the end of a pencil, have helped emphysema patient Emily Atha breathe easier. The 65-year-old from Springfield, Ohio, was one of the first participants in the Pittsburgh arm of an international clinical trial examining implanted valves that collapse diseased lung tissue to improve overall pulmonary function.”

“Australian scientists have made a breakthrough that could lead to new drugs or therapies to treat breast cancer by discovering rare stem cells. The discovery was made after researchers from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, capital of the state of Victoria, induced female mice to grow new mammary glands from stem cells.”