NSF SCIENCE360 SUPER SCIENCE REWIND: NO BONES ABOUT IT

The video discusses the differences between mechanical failures in cars and airplanes and the resilience of bones. It highlights research from Cornell, UC Berkeley, Case Western, and Trinity, focusing on the concept of material heterogeneity in bones, which allows them to recover after breaking. The video explores the implications of this discovery for medicine and engineering, suggesting that understanding bone structure could lead to the development of new materials that perform better after failure. The video concludes with a humorous exchange about borrowing money.

What is a common issue with mechanical parts in cars and airplanes?

• They are difficult to repair.

• They are made of biodegradable materials.

• They often break down before 100,000 miles.

• They are too expensive to manufacture.

What property of bones allows them to recover after breaking?

• Uniform density throughout the structure.

• A spongy outer surface and brittle interior.

• A hard outer shell with a soft core.

• A flexible outer layer with a rigid core.

Which universities were involved in the research on bone resilience?

• Cornell, UC Berkeley, Case Western, and Trinity

• Harvard, MIT, and Stanford

• Oxford, Cambridge, and Yale

• Princeton, Columbia, and Caltech

How does material heterogeneity benefit bones when they break?

• It makes them lighter.

• It makes them more flexible.

• It directs cracks to less harmful locations.

• It prevents them from breaking.

What potential applications do the researchers suggest for material heterogeneity?

• Improving the taste of food products.

• Enhancing the durability of electronic devices.

• Developing new materials in medicine and engineering.

• Creating more efficient fuel sources.