This week at Lunch n’ Learn, our STEAM enthusiasts were given a lecture by Dr Eleonora D’Elia, a Senior Teaching Fellow in Materials at Imperial College, on the wonders of Materials Science!

Dr D’Elia showed us how different structures in a butterfly’s wing, a seashell, or a hummingbird’s feathers allow the surfaces to reflect iridescent light. We were also taught how animals like spiders and geckos can stick to walls and trees without adhesive. The answer is (you guessed it!) the unique structures of the hairs on their paws. To demonstrate the sheer strength of these structures, Dr D’Elia passed around Gecko Tape. This silicone tape is engraved with nanoscale grooves with precise lasers, replicating the structures on a gecko’s feet. The students learned about how polarisers can be utilised to find stresses in plastics, which is useful for a Materials Scientist when they are looking for ways to improve a product.

We have a lot of exciting Lunch n’ Learn Lectures planned for this Half Term, so make sure to join us next time!

Gaby da Silveira Pinheiro, STEAM Prefect and Lower Sixth Student