It's neither a bird nor a plane, but a winged microchip as small as a grain of sand that can be carried by the wind as it monitors such things as pollution levels or the spread of airborne diseases.

A microchip the size of a grain of sand is the smallest human-made flying structure ever created, according to its developers, who say it could track airborne disease. Scientists say the 'microfliers' ...

Northwestern University engineers have added a new capability to electronic microchips: flight. About the size of a grain of sand, the new flying microchip (or "microflier") does not have a motor or ...

Engineers at Northwestern University have given microchips a new ability – the power of flight. Inspired by wind-dispersed seeds, these “microfliers” are shaped like tiny propellers to catch the wind, ...

Sometimes, in the pursuit of efficiency, we can make big gains by taking cues from nature. Wing design is one place where nature excels, and we've been cribbing its notes for everything from wind ...

High above the clouds, but far below the satellites, there exists a slice of Earth’s atmosphere that has remained frustratingly hard to explore. Known as the mesosphere, this region sits between 30 to ...

Researchers have created a fleet of bee-inspired flying 3D printers that build and repair structures while flying. The technology, which has been tested in the lab, could ultimately be used for ...

Northwestern University says these are the world's smallest human-made flying structures, and they could be used for monitoring the environment,... It's neither a bird nor a plane, but a winged ...

It's neither a bird nor a plane, but a winged microchip as small as a grain of sand that can be carried by the wind as it monitors such things as pollution levels or the spread of airborne diseases.