During research, Czech scientists built microscopic cleanup robots from 2 materials and tested them against plastic pollution. Now, the moving swarms remove about 94% of polystyrene and 89% of PET from contaminated water

Czech scientists have developed microscopic cleanup robots designed to capture microplastics in contaminated water and soil. Built from layered MXene particles and magnetic nickel nanoparticles, the robots can be propelled and controlled using rotating magnetic fields. In laboratory tests, the moving swarms traveled through water and tiny water-filled spaces in soil, while their sticky surfaces captured plastic particles. T