In the era of global climate change, personal thermoregulation has become critical to addressing the growing demands for thermoadaptability, comfort, health, and work efficiency in dynamic environments. Here, we introduce an innovative three-dimensional (3D) self-folding knitted fabric that achieves dual thermal regulation modes through architectural reconfiguration. In the warming mode, the fabric maintains its natural 3D structure, trapping still air with extremely low thermal conductivity to provide high thermal resistance (0.06 m² K W⁻¹), effectively minimizing heat loss. In the cooling mode, the fabric transitions to a 2D flat state via stretching, with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings that enhance solar reflectivity (89.5%) and infrared emissivity (93.5%), achieving a cooling effect of 4.3 °C under sunlight. The fabric demonstrates exceptional durability and washability, enduring over 1000 folding cycles, and is manufactured using scalable and cost-effective knitting techniques. Beyond thermoregulation, it exhibits excellent breathability, sweat management, and flexibility, ensuring wear comfort and tactile feel under diverse conditions. This study presents an innovative solution for next-generation adaptive textiles, addressing the limitations of static thermal fabrics and advancing personal thermal management with wide applications for wearable technology, extreme environments, and sustainable fashion.

Biological tissues like skin, arteries, and cartilage have a non-linear strain-stiffening relationship. Some biomimetic hydrogel scaffolds have been successful in effectively replicating this behavior. However, achieving structural complexity in such strain-stiffening hydrogels has been difficult. A recent Research study has demonstrated an innovative and efficient technique, immersion phase separation 3D printing, to fabricate structurally complex tissues with strain-stiffening properties. These hydrogel scaffolds can pave the way for biomimetic, patient-specific implants in the future.

A research team reported in International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing has created a “smart” hydrogel-coated surface that can instantly switch its properties to separate oil and water with remarkable precision. By combining laser-etched micro–nano structures with a dual-component hydrogel, the surface achieves record-breaking separation speeds—up to 17,750 liters per square meter per hour—while maintaining over 99% efficiency and resisting fouling.

Global innovators have a new place to land in Northern Virginia: the NISA program at George Mason’s SciTech campus. Beyond the labs and mentors, it’s a community that wants bold ideas to take hold. With $3.9M from GO Virginia and support from local partners, the region is showing it’s serious about growing with the companies it attracts.

Researchers at University of Tennessee, Knoxville are collaborating on PegasusAI, an NSF-funded project to enhance scientific workflows using AI. By integrating tools like large language models and neural networks, PegasusAI aims to simplify complex data processing, improve accessibility, and empower researchers nationwide with intelligent, user-centered workflow management systems.