Student creates first synthetic retina for the visually impaired A synthetic, soft tissue retina developed by a 24-year-old student could offer fresh hope to visually impaired people. Until now, all artificial retinal research has used only rigid, hard materials. The new research, conducted by Vanessa Restrepo-Schild, a researcher at Oxford University, is the first to…
Teen invents bra that could detect breast cancer After almost losing his own mother to the disease, this Mexican teen has patented a bra that can detect early signs of breast cancer. 18-year-old Julian Rios Cantu is the designer of the Eva bra: a brazier with biosensors inside the lining that can moderate the temperature,…
This driverless electric pod is the delivery guy of the future Inside a new type of truck, there are no seats and no windows. The vehicle which founders call a “T-pod” is the first truck to be designed to never have a human inside. The driverless design makes it possible, the startup says, to…
“Holy Grail” Metallic hydrogen is going to change everything Two Harvard scientists have succeeded in creating an entirely new substance long believed to be the “holy grail” of physics — metallic hydrogen, a material of unparalleled power that could one day propel humans into deep space. Scientists created the metallic hydrogen by pressurizing a hydrogen…
“Unprecedented progress” against neglected tropical diseases World Health Organization officials said last week that “unprecedented progress” had been made in reducing the spread of neglected tropical diseases in some of the world’s poorest communities. “WHO has observed record-breaking progress towards bringing ancient scourges like sleeping sickness and elephantiasis to their knees,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said in…
Montréal research team discovers how immunotherapy can fight some cancers Dr. André Veillette and his team have discovered why immunotherapy would work in some patients. What if our immune system could cure cancer? This logic seems almost too simple to be true, but it forms the basis of an emerging cancer treatment—immunotherapy. André Veillette,…
£45,000 for sustainability projects in Bristol Ideas that would help boost sustainability and tackle environmental challenges in Bristol could become a reality with the launch of a £45,000 crowdfunding campaign. Bristol Green Capital Partnership (BGCP) is set to invest the five-figure sum in projects and initiatives that will improve the city’s eco-credentials and create a…
This startup is building a fitness tracker for the planet Using enormous amounts of satellite data, Descartes Labs wants to track everything that’s changing on Earth’s surface from deforestation to transportation to agriculture. It seems like everything is tracked and measured these days. But one startup is working on tracking something more ambitious: the planet.…
Alzheimer’s: new drug that halts mental decline The first drug that can prevent Alzheimer’s disease is finally on the horizon after scientists proved they can clear the sticky plaques from the brain which cause dementia and halt mental decline. Hailed as the “best news” in dementia research for 25 years, the breakthrough is said to be a potential…
A new drug may be able to completely reverse diabetes Scientistes have used a new drug to reverse diabetes in mice. The drug inhibits the enzyme LMPTP, which contributes to the development of Type 2 diabetes by weakening the body’s sensitivity to the hormone. In the global community, the number of people with diabetes has…