How to get all the toothpaste out of the tube
With a super-slippery surface
A GNARLED TOOTHPASTE tube, squeezed and twisted out of shape in a vain attempt to extract its remaining contents, haunts many a bathroom. But not, perhaps, for much longer. Colgate-Palmolive, an American consumer-goods giant, has taken up an invention by a pair of experts in super-slippery surfaces to produce toothpaste tubes that promise to deliver every last scrap of their contents.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Every last drop”
More from Science & technology
Wasps stole genes from viruses
That probably assisted their evolutionary diversification
America’s departure from the WHO would harm everyone
Whether it is a negotiating ploy remains to be seen
Genetic engineering could help rid Australia of toxic cane toads
It is better than freezing them to death
High-tech antidotes for snake bites
Genetic engineering and AI are powering the search for antivenins
Can you breathe stress away?
Scientists are only beginning to understand the links between the breath and the mind
The Economist’s science and technology internship
We invite applications for the 2025 Richard Casement internship