Tag: #148

In future cables could transport useful items autonomously. Blood clots (detectable by smartphone) are anything but useful. These ball-shaped tangles of protein strands trap red blood cells and cause strokes and heart attacks. Now, a Californian-based research team has designed a milli-spinner, introduced into the bloodstream via catheter, to treat them. The team developed a hollow pipe with elongated...

Smart glasses can protect blind people from collisions. Dogs are not immune to losing their sight either. Which is why Texas-based students are focusing on a solution that will stop blind dogs injuring themselves while out playing or walking. Their innovation: a smart vest with a hood. Attached to it at eye level are two cameras, with 8 vibrating...

Fish waste can be used to manufacture sustainable packaging. Though water hyacinth protects fish, the proliferous plant harms biodiversity and destroys fishing nets. Enter a Kenyan founder' startup with a sustainable solution. Fishermen collect the weed, earning money for each dried kilo. Fibres are then extracted and, in a patented process, turned into a plastic alternative using an organic...

Some butterflies have properties which help detect breast cancer early. Aquatic invertebrates such as octocorals, in turn, can influence cancer’s development. Students in San Diego examined the DNA of various species with the help of automated equipment, successfully decoding a common set of five key genes. Thanks to these genes, corals are able to produce so-called diterpenoids - substances,...

Water fleas help curb the spread of algae. But fleas have also inspired an Australian research team hoping to guard implants against bacterial settlement. Fleas owe their jumping ability to resilin, an elastic protein that is highly resistant, non-toxic and biocompatible. Adapted as nano droplets with a large surface area and acting as a coating, the protein was 100% effective...

The smell of ladybirds keeps parasites away from plants. Some human bodies produce too much sweat, and bacteria in the armpits cause unpleasant smells. Deodorants with aluminium salts are not advisable as ingredients can cross the blood-brain-barrier, risking diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The clinically-tested device of a Seoul-based startup uses plasma from molecules that contain oxygen, thus easily sterilising...