Bone is a miracle material. Scientists are defying physics to replicate it for longer-lasting hip replacements

Metal implants used to repair fractures are also more resilient than bone, which can be problematic because they absorb external forces. The bone that forms around them therefore experiences no stress during exercise and can therefore die. Kumar and his colleagues therefore also wanted a metamaterial that had the same shape and properties as those found at the joint ends of long bones, for example in our arms and legs. The inner bone has a porous and honeycomb-like structure called trabecular bone, which provides stability and the ability to absorb shock.