As we enter the age of designer matter—where objects can morph and change shape on
command—what tools do we need to create shape-shifting structures? At the heart of an …

Microcapsules are reviewed with special emphasis on the relevance of controlled
mechanical properties for functional aspects. At first, assembly strategies are presented that …

After a decade of periodic truss-, plate-, and shell-based architectures having dominated the
design of metamaterials, we introduce the non-periodic class of spinodoid topologies …

Recent advances in three dimensional (3D) printing technology that allow multiple materials
to be printed within each layer enable the creation of materials and components with …

We create mechanical metamaterials whose response to uniaxial compression can be
programmed by lateral confinement, allowing monotonic, nonmonotonic, and hysteretic …

Plant leaves, whose remarkable ability for morphogenesis results in a wide range of petal
and leaf shapes in response to environmental cues, have inspired scientific studies as well …

Avian egg shape is generally explained as an adaptation to life history, yet we currently lack
a global synthesis of how egg-shape differences arise and evolve. Here, we apply …

Low-density materials with tailorable properties have attracted attention for decades, yet stiff
materials that can resiliently tolerate extreme forces and deformation while being …

The strength of rocks in the subsurface is critically important across the geosciences, with
implications for fluid flow, mineralisation, seismicity, and the deep biosphere. Most studies of …

Cell-to-cell heterogeneity prevails in many systems, as exemplified by cell growth, although
the origin and function of such heterogeneity are often unclear. In plants, growth is physically …