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Engineers did years of testing on the ground suggesting they could limit dust accumulation, by using polymers designed to dissipate the electrostatic charge attached to the dust.

I think that's probably going to be the most impactful part of all of this: It is seeing these things, these little tiny nanoscale particles that are polymers.

In the long-term, scientists and public health experts hope to replace synthetic polymers — which are largely unregulated and can therefore contain dangerous chemicals — with biodegradable and regulated alternatives such as bioplastics like bio-polyethylene and lignin.

MIT chemical engineers have now designed a new catalyst that can convert methane into useful polymers, which could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To prevent damage from acid and microbes, conservators usually remove water from these artifacts by freeze-drying or using a process that replaces the water with highly pressurized carbon dioxide or a viscous polymer.