I've always been fascinated by vines. Large woody climbers like grape vine and Dutchman's pipe lend a tropical aspect to our mature temperate forests in Western North Carolina. Roadside tangles like ...

Now, researchers at MIT and Stanford have turned that botanical quirk into a robotic breakthrough that can wrap, tighten, and lift with remarkable softness. Their new “robo-tendrils” can curl around ...

Some vines in nature are strong enough to wrap around fences and even pull down trees. Their ability to twist, cling and ...