Uploaded June 2014 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
This video shows how a flat design folds into a cube with the addition of water. Researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have created self-folding, microscopic structures out of silicon nitrate. When the silicon is exposed to water, like magic, the flat cutouts fold into cubes, hexagonal bowls, pyramids and even Toblerone-shaped triangular tubes, all no bigger than a grain of sand. The research team’s shapes could someday be deployed in a variety of biomedical applications where stealth and accuracy are desired.
Read the full story here: discovermagazine.com/technology/just-add-water-and-silicon-folds-into-origami-shapes
—
Credit: A. Legrain, T. G. Janson, J. W. Berenschot, L. Abelmann, and N. R. Tas. 2014. Controllable elastocapillary folding of three-dimensional micro-objects by through-wafer filling. Journal of Applied Physics 115, 214905. doi.org/10.1063/1.4878460
—
ABOUT DISCOVER:
Discover is your source for science that matters, makes sense and is a lot of fun, too.
Visit us at: discovermagazine.com
FOLLOW US:
Facebook: facebook.com/DiscoverMag
Twitter: twitter.com/DiscoverMag
Instagram: instagram.com/discover.magazine
SUPPORT US:
Subscribe to Discover: bit.ly/34seAFT
Sign up for our newsletter: discovermagazine.com/newsletter-signup
My Science Shop: myscienceshop.com
STAY CURIOUS!
This video shows how a flat design folds into a cube with the addition of water. Researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have created self-folding, microscopic structures out of silicon nitrate. When the silicon is exposed to water, like magic, the flat cutouts fold into cubes, hexagonal bowls, pyramids and even Toblerone-shaped triangular tubes, all no bigger than a grain of sand. The research team’s shapes could someday be deployed in a variety of biomedical applications where stealth and accuracy are desired.
Read the full story here: discovermagazine.com/technology/just-add-water-and-silicon-folds-into-origami-shapes
—
Credit: A. Legrain, T. G. Janson, J. W. Berenschot, L. Abelmann, and N. R. Tas. 2014. Controllable elastocapillary folding of three-dimensional micro-objects by through-wafer filling. Journal of Applied Physics 115, 214905. doi.org/10.1063/1.4878460
—
ABOUT DISCOVER:
Discover is your source for science that matters, makes sense and is a lot of fun, too.
Visit us at: discovermagazine.com
FOLLOW US:
Facebook: facebook.com/DiscoverMag
Twitter: twitter.com/DiscoverMag
Instagram: instagram.com/discover.magazine
SUPPORT US:
Subscribe to Discover: bit.ly/34seAFT
Sign up for our newsletter: discovermagazine.com/newsletter-signup
My Science Shop: myscienceshop.com
STAY CURIOUS!
