Balsa is a soft, lightweight wood that’s perfectly suited to whittling but not a whole lot else. Which is a shame, according to Kihyun Kim, because it’s a relatively sustainable, fast-growing resource ...

A balsa wood glider is really easy to make despite the physics involved in its flight. Make one yourself and have a ton of ...

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland — A team led by fungal researcher Francis Schwarze from Empa's Cellulose & Wood Materials lab in St. Gallen is currently pursuing another idea for a new type of composite ...

For centuries, the fast-growing balsa tree has been prized for its light weight and stiffness relative to density. But balsa wood is expensive and natural variations in the grain can be an impediment ...

CAMBRIDGE, MA – An essential lumber product tucked inside the blades of sleek massive wind turbines is experiencing spot shortages of supply: Balsa wood. The lightweight wood is used to build sandwich ...

The right indoor lighting can help set the mood, from a soft romantic glow to bright, stimulating colors. But some materials used for lighting, such as plastics, are not eco-friendly. Now, researchers ...