As if nature wasn’t already full of pests, a team of engineers just built their own — and the little bug can take a beating. The DEAnsect is a soft robot modeled after an insect, and it’s the work of ...

Swiss boffins have developed a light, quick robotic bug called the DEAnsect, which can withstand several whacks from a flyswatter and can survive being stepped on by a shoe. According to ...

Researchers have combined research with real and robotic insects to better understand how they sense forces in their limbs while walking, providing new insights into the biomechanics and neural ...

In their guest blog, mechanical engineering professor Hassan Masoud and doctoral student Mitch Timm share how they built a tiny, self-powered robot inspired by water-skimming insects. For centuries, ...

Cyborg cockroaches that find earthquake survivors. A “robofly” that sniffs out gas leaks. Flying lightning bugs that pollinate farms in space. These aren’t just buzzy ideas, they’re becoming reality.

Jumping on water is hard. Heck, walking on water is hard. Floating on water is hard. Some animals — especially insects — can manage a water-based jump, but only through impressive feats of ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The term “necrobotics” is relatively self-explanatory—using ...

Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about ...

Harry Fuller escaped from television work to be executive editor at CNET News.com. There are several free events at the American Association for Advancement of Science conference in San Francisco this ...

The human brain contains an impressive 86 billion neurons, but insects get by with a lot fewer. The honeybee manages all its complex behaviours with about 1 million neurons, and the tiny Megaphragma ...