Gliding sensors inspired by floating seeds will biodegrade after use

A biodegradable glider based on the seeds of the Javan cucumber, which float for long distances, could be used to monitor the environment without leaving polluting e-waste

By Ananya

A gliding sensor inspired by Javan cucumber seeds could be used for environmental monitoring, and then quickly biodegrade, leaving no waste behind.

Ecologists routinely use sensors to collect data on temperature, humidity, pH and other variables to better understand ecosystems. But when these sensors are left behind, the electronic waste ends up polluting the environment.

Now, Fabian Wiesemüller at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and his colleagues have taken a …