Tag: Wellbeing

Faulty heart valves can regenerate. Tooth enamel, on the other hand, cannot. Until now. Using the knowledge that hair (from humans or sheep) contains keratin, a London-based research team has tried embedding it in dental creams and gels. The keratin combines with minerals in the saliva to form crystals. These, in turn, are fused into a scaffold, which resembles...

It’s important to safeguard children against improper content online. Students in Indonesia, meanwhile, have focused on how people with Down’s Syndrome or Fragile X Syndrome can learn about protecting their sphere of privacy. The team developed a simple system using three different colours of soap. Allowing parents or carers to impart crucial information on intimate areas during bathtime using...

Film can identify spoiled food by changing colour. A South-Korean based research team is relying on a similar concept to prevent people from consuming spiked drinks. The team developed a gel-film, intended as a temporary tattoo, to detect colourless GHB drugs - sometimes known as ‘liquid ecstasy’. Perpetrators mix them with drinks to induce stupors and make people vulnerable...

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...

Hot flushes could be prevented by an armband. Meanwhile an American gynaecologist is helping women of various ages get to grips with another gender-specific health scourge. Her startup is treating vaginal infections, caused by fungus or bacteria. Not only are such infections incredibly unpleasant, in pregnant women they also come with an increased risk of premature birth. Patented tampon-like...

An agency represents people whose looks don’t conform. Including those with vitiligo, an auto-immune disease which causes skin discolouration. In its search for a cure, an American university team hit upon a carbohydrate compound. It was isolated from a gut-friendly bacteria called Bacillus subtilis. During an 18-week study, vitiligo-prone mice were given weekly injections of these exopolysaccharides (EPS). The...

Laser light can help wounds heal. For some people with epilepsy, light sensitivity plays a decisive role - especially when watching TV, playing video games or using smartphones. Attacks are often triggered by flashing or flickering lights. A British research team has developed a dual-layer liquid crystal lens to repel lightwaves in the highly triggering 660-720nm range. Their prototype,...

Subliminal noise protects music online as it confuses nosy AI systems. Some music can be confusing for humans too. Take this unusual streaming platform, developed by a British startup founder after years of research into animal wellbeing. Specially composed music, selected TV programmes and video blogs soothe animals when they feel stressed by fireworks or sirens, as well as...