Nature Podcast Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test
Aug 6, 2025
Jonathan Gewurzmann, a co-lead author from Yale University, discusses an incredible discovery of diverse microbial ecosystems within trees, revealing a hidden world that supports tree health. Ewan Calloway, a writer for Nature, shares insights on the ethical debates surrounding de-extinction efforts, notably the controversial attempts to revive the direwolf. The podcast also dives into the development of a revolutionary underwater hydrogel adhesive, successfully tested with a rubber duck, showcasing its potential for aquatic repairs and surgical applications.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Rubber Duck Glue Test
- The research team tested their sticky hydrogel by gluing a yellow rubber duck to a rock on a beach.
- The duck stayed attached despite waves, showcasing the glue's strong underwater adhesion.
Challenge of Sticky Hydrogels
- Hydrogels are soft and squishy due to their polymer-liquid networks, which typically undermines stickiness.
- Designing sticky hydrogels requires overcoming molecular movement and weak adhesion in salty underwater environments.
AI-Driven Hydrogel Design
- The team used AI and insights from mussel and barnacle adhesive proteins to design stickier hydrogels.
- Machine learning optimized these materials iteratively, culminating in their super-adhesive R1 Max hydrogel.