Tag: #101

Mobile and solar-powered beds can provide speedy relief to babies with jaundice. During outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola or Polio, however, many doses of vaccines are required locally. To help with logistics and storage, a research team from MIT has developed a mobile printer to produce vaccination patches. They can be stored at room temperature for months....

Complex objects could be reliably lifted during production. But how can people with rheumatism or carpal tunnel syndrome be helped to carry out everyday activities such as brushing their teeth? Cue a new online platform which aims to provide personalised adapters for handheld and electric toothbrushes. First, users provide information about their condition and the type of toothbrush they...

Powder made from pineapple waste is a superfood for fish. Forget salmon or beef tenderloin: pets can get all the nutrients they need from soldier fly larvae. And so can livestock. Up until now soldier fly larvae have been predominantly reared on starchy chicken feed. Still, thought a Danish research team, why not experiment with an organic waste product...

Muscles grow in magnetic fields. External magnetic stimulation of the brain has been used to treat depression, but requires weeks or months to take effect. Thanks to a new study by Stanford researchers that timeframe could be drastically reduced. Using image analysis, the team discovered that in patients with severe depression, the brain region responsible for emotions sends signals...

Maze-like paths keeps insects away from plants. Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying; they are also carriers of disease. Sometimes simple concepts are the best. An idea that an Alabama research team has developed to create a material that protects humans from mosquito bites. The insects can bend their piercing and sucking proboscises at 90 degree angles, penetrating even the thickest...

Peat fires can be quickly extinguished using natural surfactants. A magnetic sponge, meanwhile, could help clean oil slicks in the ocean. Recycled hair, it transpires, could do the job too. That’s thanks to the work of a female founder from Kiel, who knows how good hair is at absorbing oil and pollutants. Once her startup has collected hair waste...