Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Frequency of Spring-Mass System

Frequency of Spring-Mass System

One interesting characteristic of the simple harmonic motion (SHM) of an object attached to a spring is that the angular frequency, and the period and frequency of the motion, depend only on the mass and the force constant of the spring, and not on other factors such as the amplitude of the motion or initial conditions. We can use the equations of motion and Newton's second law to find the angular frequency, frequency, and period.
Consider a block on a spring on a frictionless surface. There...

What is an Ecosystem?

What is an Ecosystem?

Meristems and Plant Growth

Meristems and Plant Growth

Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Light-based 3D printing of mechanoluminescent living gels loaded with dinoflagellates.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Cell-in-Bead-in-Droplet Platform for pH-Based Microfluidic Screening of Ureolytic Bacteria.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026

Same author

Intercultural and Active Classroom for Teaching and Learning Biomimicry: A Case Study with Singaporean and American Undergraduate Engineering Students.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

Self-organization of cellulose-producing microbial communities during biofilm spreading.

Soft matter·2025

Same author

Embodying Control in Soft Multistable Robots from Morphofunctional Co-design.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2025

Same author

Mechanics control the proliferation of diatoms entrapped in hydrogels.

Soft matter·2025

Same journal

Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Local signals, systemic decline.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

The mechanics of liver regeneration.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Computing in a memory with physics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Retraction.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Making time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method

Published on: August 1, 2018

Bioinspired spring origami.

Jakob A Faber¹, Andres F Arrieta², André R Studart³

¹Complex Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|March 24, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Earwig wings exhibit unique folding due to protein-rich joints, inspiring a new spring origami model. This bioinspired approach enables tunable, four-dimensional printing with programmable morphing functionalities.

More Related Videos

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

Rapid Mix Preparation of Bioinspired Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications

Rapid Mix Preparation of Bioinspired Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 23, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method

Published on: August 1, 2018

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

Rapid Mix Preparation of Bioinspired Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications

Rapid Mix Preparation of Bioinspired Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 23, 2017

Area of Science:

Bioinspired engineering
Materials science
Robotics

Background:

Traditional origami models struggle to explain complex biological folding systems like the earwig wing.
The earwig wing displays unique properties: incompatible folding patterns, bistable locking for flight, and rapid self-folding without muscle.
Protein-rich joints in the earwig wing are key to its unusual folding mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the unique folding mechanism of the earwig wing.
To develop a novel origami model inspired by the earwig wing's structure and function.
To enable the creation of advanced, four-dimensional printed objects with programmable bioinspired morphing.

Main Methods:

Analysis of the earwig wing's natural folding system.
Development of a spring origami model based on protein-rich joint mechanics.
Application of the model to four-dimensional printing for bioinspired morphing functionalities.

Main Results:

The protein-rich joints act as extensional and rotational springs, explaining the earwig wing's folding.
A new spring origami model was established, expanding traditional origami limitations.
The model facilitates the fabrication of tunable, four-dimensional printed objects with programmable bioinspired morphing.

Conclusions:

The earwig wing's folding is driven by protein-rich joints functioning as springs.
The developed spring origami model offers a new paradigm for designing foldable structures.
This research paves the way for advanced bioinspired materials and programmable morphing technologies.