{
  "id": 19515998,
  "title": "Inspired by networks found in nature, engineers design stronger, more resilient “metamaterials”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/inspired-by-networks-found-in-nature-engineers-design-stronger-more",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-11T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MIT News Research",
    "slug": "mit-news-research",
    "url": "https://news.mit.edu/2026/engineers-design-stronger-resilient-nature-inspired-metamaterials-1111"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For years, synthetic “metamaterials” have been designed with strict order, using repeating unit cells to create materials with exceptional properties. However, a team of engineers from MIT and Northeastern University have discovered that introducing disorder into these materials can enhance their “meta” characteristics. Published today in the journal Nature, the researchers unveil a novel method to design metamaterials inspired by natural networks found in leaves, dragonfly wings, and social connections. These new materials, called “scale-rich metamaterials,” exhibit structures of varying sizes that interweave to form a physical network. Unlike traditional materials made from repeating unit cells, these materials boast a network of tiny support beams of differing sizes, similar to a network’s dense, web-like pattern. Upon testing, the materials exhibited a wide range of stiffness and demonstrated improved resilience against sudden impacts compared to conventional metamaterials. Additionally, the materials were able to cushion and protect fragile objects embedded within them. To design these materials, the team employed an algorithm that generates an optimal network of microstructures tailored to achieve desired material properties. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for creating resilient, impact-absorbing materials such as helmets and armor, as well as acoustic lenses that efficiently focus sound or vibrations. Carlos Portela, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and co-author of the study, emphasizes the novelty of this approach, stating that it liberates designers to explore new microstructures and mechanical benefits that were previously unattainable. Portela and his colleagues at MIT specialize in metamaterials, which are engineered materials with unique properties derived from their internal structures. The researchers developed an algorithm to virtually design a network of beams, taking into account the physical constraints of a real-world material. The algorithm starts by placing a point at a random coordinate within the domain representing the size of the final material. It then draws lines at random angles through this point, extending across the entire space until they reach a boundary, either the whole domain or the first drawn line. This process is repeated, drawing progressively shorter and thinner lines until the resulting material represents a dense network of intersecting beams of varying sizes. By adjusting the thickness of the initial line and the rate at which the thickness decreases with each subsequent line, scientists can create different types of networks. Thus, by simply tweaking these two parameters, the team can engineer metamaterials with unique properties, breaking free from the limitations of previously designed, ordered materials.",
  "summary": "The new design approach could improve impact absorption for helmets, packaging, and armor.",
  "key_points": [
    "These materials exhibit varying sizes of support beams forming a dense, web-like structure.",
    "Tested materials showed improved resilience against impacts and cushioning for embedded objects."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}