NoMad's National Museum of Mathematics has an exhibit on origami, but far from the typical cranes. Intricately designed works of folded paper, vinyl and ribbon are meant to display principles of ...

That isn't a problem with an experimental new type of tube, that's inspired by both origami and bamboo. First of all, flat-pack tubes do indeed already exist.

It creates paper structures you can fold flat, but are strong enough to also hold weight. Researchers say this zippered tube approach can also be applied to other thin materials, like plastic or ...

“With our origami-inspired innovation, flat-pack tubes are not only easy to transport, but they also become strong enough to withstand external forces when in use,” Xie said.