Njengelinye lamathuluzi amadala esintu nezinto eziphilayo, imikhiqizo yokhuni inokubaluleka kwesayensi okungaphezu kokuqonda okukha phezulu. Kusukela kusayensi yezinto zokwakha kuya kubunjiniyela bemvelo, izakhiwo eziyingqayizivele zokhuni ziyaqhubeka nokuhlinzeka ngemininingwane ebalulekile kubuchwepheshe besimanje kanye nentuthuko esimeme.
Ngokombono wesayensi yezinto zokwakha, ukhuni luyinhlanganisela yemvelo ehlanganisa i-cellulose (40%-50%), i-hemicellulose, ne-lignin (20%-30%), eyenza isakhiwo esiyingqayizivele se-anisotropic. Lesi sakhiwo sinikeza ukhuni amandla akhethekile-okuthi{8}}isilinganiso sesisindo-ezinye izingodo eziqinile zibe namandla aqinile asondela kwezensimbi, kodwa ukuminyana kwazo kuyingxenye eyodwa kwezinhlanu kuphela zensimbi. Ucwaningo eNyuvesi yase-Kyoto eJapane luthole ukuthi ukwelashwa kwe-nanocellulose kungakhuphula amandla okhuni acindezelayo ngo-200%, kuvule izindlela ezintsha zezinto zokwakha ezingasindi.
Ku-thermodynamics, izici zokhuni ze-thermal insulation (i-thermal conductivity engu-0.04-0.12 W/m·K) ziyenza ibe amandla afanelekile-impahla yokwakha eyonga. I-Cross-laminated timber (CLT), ethuthukiswe yi-VTT Technical Research Center yase-Finland, isebenzisa-inqubo yokucindezela okuphezulu kwezendlalelo ukuze ikhuphule ukuzinza kwe-dimensional yezinkuni ngo-300%. Sekusetshenziswe kakade ekwakhiweni kwe "skyscraper yokhuni" enezitezi ezingu-30. Okuphawuleka nakakhulu izici zokhuni "ze-carbon negative": yonke i-cubic meter yokhuni esetshenziselwa ukufaka esikhundleni se-sequesters kakhonkolo cishe amathani angu-0.9 we-CO₂, inzuzo eyisisekelo yezinto eziphilayo ngaphezu kwezinto zokubasa.
Isayensi yanamuhla ivula amandla okhuni. IYunivesithi yaseMaryland, isebenzisa ukuhlonza amakhemikhali, ikhulise ukubonakala kwezinkuni ku-90% ngenkathi igcina amandla, idala into entsha yokubona. I-Swiss Federal Laboratory yeSayensi Yezinto Zokusebenza Nobunjiniyela isebenzise isakhiwo esinezimbotshana sokhuni ukuze yakhe isistimu yokuhlunga amanzi esebenza kahle kakhulu ekhanga ama-ion ensimbi esindayo ngokuphumelela kakhulu kunekhabhoni ecushiwe. Lezi zindlela ezintsha ziqinisekisa owiwine uMklomelo KaNobel u-Richard Feynman ukuthi "Imvelo ingunjiniyela omkhulu."
Ngokombono wentuthuko esimeme, ukuhlolwa okugcwele komjikelezo wempilo wemikhiqizo yezinkuni kuveza ukuthi izinkuni zinikeza izinzuzo ezingenakubuyiseleka phezu kwepulasitiki ngokuya nge-biodegradability, i-carbon footprint, kanye nokuvuselelwa. Idatha evela ku-International Academy of Wood Science ibonisa ukuthi amahlathi omhlaba akhula inani elilinganayo lezinkuni ngomzuzwana kuya kwezingu-1,000 zeziqukathi zokuthutha ezijwayelekile. Ukugawulwa kwemithi ngendlela efanele kuqinisekisa ukusetshenziswa okusimeme kwezinsiza zokhuni. Le ndawo "yempahla ekhulayo" iyisixazululo esibalulekile-enkingeni eyodwa yokungcoliswa kwepulasitiki.
Inani lesayensi lemikhiqizo yokhuni lisekufanekisweni kwayo okuphelele kwefilosofi yezinto ezibonakalayo "evela emvelweni, engcono kunemvelo," ehlinzeka nge-paradigm yakudala yokulinganisa izidingo zokuthuthukiswa komuntu nokuvikelwa kwemvelo.