Are you ready for a journey to the frozen ends of the Earth? Scientists from the University of Delaware ? a leading center for polar research ? are joining scientists from more than 60 nations in exploring the mysteries of the Arctic and the Antarctic during the International Polar Year.

Scientists from the University of Delaware have made a significant advance in the study of small ribonucleic acids (RNAs), discovering 10 times more small RNAs in the plant Arabidopsis (a weed of the mustard family) than previously had been identified. The advance is reported in the Sept. 2 issue of Science magazine.

Two University of Delaware researchers have discovered a means to detect and identify damage within advanced composite materials by using a network of tiny carbon nanotubes, which act in much the same manner as human nerves. The discovery has important implications both in the laboratory, where the scientists hope to better predict the life span of various composite materials, and in everyday applications, where it could become an important tool in monitoring the health of composite materials used in the construction of a variety of essential products, including commercial airliners.