Patent News
Wirelessly Powered Brain Implant Could Treat Depression
A wirelessly powered implant the size of a grain of rice can electrically stimulate the brains of mice as the rodents do what they please. The implant could help scientists better understand and treat mental health disorders such as depression.
Passing Quantum Secrets: The Next Level Beyond Quantum Computing
The one thing everyone knows about quantum mechanics is its legendary weirdness, in which the basic tenets of the world it describes seem alien to the world we live in. The benefits of harnessing quantum technologies aren’t limited to computing, however. Whether or not quantum computing will extend or augment digital computing, the same quantum effects can be harnessed for other means.
Weird Microscopic Animal Inspires New Kind Of Glass
A really weird, really tiny animal — the microscopic tardigrade — is the inspiration behind a new material that could improve the efficiency of things like LED lights to solar cells.
Laser Weapon Melts Test Drone In Midair
A new laser weapon that can burn up targets in just a few seconds recently melted and destroyed a test drone flying over California.
Pointing The Way: 3D Computer Cursors Could Navigate Virtual Worlds
Forget everything you thought you knew about computer cursors. Researchers have come up with a way to turn cursors into a tool that can navigate around 3D space.
New Robotic Exoskeleton Is Controlled By Human Thoughts
The future is here, and it looks like a pair of robot legs that you control with your mind.
Bend & Snap: Origami Inspires New Ways To Fold Curved Objects
A new mathematical rule explains how simple, 3D curved surfaces — such as domes or saddles — can be folded and snapped into new positions or to form different structures.
Record-Breaking Laser Hits 2,000 Trillion Watts
The most powerful laser beam ever created has been recently fired at Osaka University in Japan, where the Laser for Fast Ignition Experiments (LFEX) has been boosted to produce a beam with a peak power of 2,000 trillion watts.
3D- Printed Spy Drones Could Be Built At Sea
A 3D-printed drone was recently launched from a British military warship and successfully flew to shore, a demonstration that could pave the way for futuristic spy drones that can be printed at sea.
New Temperature Record Is Huge Achievement For Superconducting
A new record-high temperature has been achieved for superconductors — extraordinary materials that conduct electricity without dissipating energy.
Are Smart Mini Sensors The Next Big Thing?
Smart sensors are everywhere, and will soon inform nearly every aspect of our lives.
Tesla Unveils Snakelike Robot Charger For Electric Cars
The company released a video on YouTube that showed a snakelike robot slithering toward the charging port of Tesla’s Model S electric car. The bot appears to connect with the port without any help from humans and, presumably, stays there until the car is fully charged before slithering away.
Malaysia Airlines Mystery: What Newfound Wing Debris Could Reveal
The high-profile disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remains a mystery — but the recent discovery of a possible wing part points to an ocean landing, raising hopes for a resolution.
Bug Bots! These Insect-Inspired Robots Can Jump On Water
Swarms of robots inspired by water-hopping insects could one day be used for surveillance, search-and-rescue missions and environmental monitoring, researchers say.
Tiny ‘Cellular Lasers’ Could Aid Targeted Cancer Treatments
For the first time, scientists have injected lasers into cells, making them light up from the inside, an advance that could one day help treat problems inside the human body such as cancer, researchers say.
Dark Pion Particles May Explain Universe’s Invisible Matter
Dark matter is the mysterious stuff that cosmologists think makes up 85 percent of matter in the universe. A new theory says dark matter might resemble a known particle. If true, it would open up a window onto an invisible, dark matter version of physics.
Lasers Could Blast Tiny Spacecraft To The Stars
The researcher says, blasting tiny, wafer like sailing spacecraft with powerful lasers could slash interstellar flight times from thousands of years to mere decades.
Ghostly Particle With No Mass Finally Created In The Lab
Scientists have created a long-sought particle in the lab by hitting a crystal lattice with photons.
Bendy Liquid Metal Coils Could Make Stretchable Loudspeakers
Coils of liquid metal could be used to make stretchable loudspeakers and microphones, potentially leading to new kinds of hearing aids, heart monitors, and wearable and implantable devices, researchers say.
Supersonic Jet Could Fly People From NYC To London In 3 Hours
A new luxury jet could get you from New York City to London in just 3 hours. The shape of the jet’s wings and its newly modified tail help reduce drag, or air resistance, which slows the plane down and decreases the fuel efficiency of the aircraft, Moitra added. The new tail also makes the plane lighter, which, in turn, helps it fly faster.
Delivery Drones Could Be On Your Doorstep In A Decade, Google Says.
Google’s Project Wing could be delivering products to your doorstep in a decade with the help of two-way cellular communication systems.
3D-Printed Spy Drones Could Be Built At Sea
A 3D-printed drone was recently launched from a British military warship and successfully flew to shore, a demonstration that could pave the way for futuristic spy drones that can be printed at sea.
4 Tools To Help The Families Of People Fighting Addiction
Here are some of suggestions that help others through the difficult time of recovery
- Educate yourself: Basic addiction science
- Support yourself: Counseling and support groups
- Complicated road: Understand extended problems
- Set boundaries: Honor family members
DARPA Is Developing Human Bio-Factories To Brew Lifesaving Vaccines
The human body could be used as rapid, scalable vaccine factories, DARPA researchers said at a new technology forum. Scientists are developing a new vaccine-making method that coopts the human body’s ability to quickly create antibodies, its main weaponry for fighting disease.
Eating More Fish Linked To Lower Risk Of Depression
A new analysis suggests, eat a lot of fish may lower the risk of depression. The researchers analyzed the studied conducted in Europe, they found that the people who consumed the most fish had a 17% lower risk of depression than those who ate the least amount of fish.
How Your Gut Bacteria May Influence Your Heart Health
A new study finds, the bacteria in your gut may affect your heart health. The researchers identified 34 microorganisms in the human digestive tract that may influence a person’s weight and blood lipids. The findings also showed that people who had healthy blood-lipid levels were more likely to have higher levels of microbial diversity in their guts, compared with people with less healthy blood-lipid levels. In addition, researchers found an association between bacteria in the gut and people’s body weight, triglyceride levels and HDL.
Could Red-Wine Compound Resveratrol Help Treat Alzheimer’s Disease?
A compound found in red wine that’s been theorized to have anti-aging effects appears to be safe for people with Alzheimer’s disease, and may point to a new way to treat the disease.
Deadly Parasite Could Be Zapped Like A Cancer Cell
One of the deadliest parasites in the world, the ameba Entamoeba histolytica, could be treated by targeting the human genes that allow the parasite to cause disease, researchers say.
Could The HPV Vaccine Treat Warts?
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is intended to prevent cancer, but it may also be able to treat warts caused by the virus in some people, a new report suggests.
Spinal Manipulation Relieves Back Pain … For Some
It turns out both sides are right when it comes to spinal manipulation therapy – yes, it works, and no, it doesn’t. Depends on the patient.
Why Is Powered Caffeine Dangerous?
Powdered caffeine products are much more potent than caffeine-containing beverages like coffee, and they’re dangerous because it is easy for people to consume a lethal amount of powdered caffeine, the FDA said. Just 1 teaspoon of the caffeine powder contains about the same amount of caffeine as 28 cups of regular coffee, the FDA said. In fact, 2 teaspoons of powdered caffeine would kill most adults, according to the Centers for Science in the Public Interest.
Smart Thermometers Could Help Contain Epidemics, Expert Say
Smart thermometers that allow users to see their temperature readings on a smartphone may also help researchers identify and predict infectious- disease outbreaks, some experts say.
Should You Stop Counting Calories?
To better fight obesity and its related diseases, people should stop counting calories and instead focus on eating nutritious foods, several researchers argue in a new editorial.
Vitamin Zzz? Sleep Could Fight Risk Of Catching A Cold
Not getting enough sleep really does boost your risk of catching a cold, a new study suggests. The study involved 164 healthy people who wore wristbands for a week to monitor their sleep habits, then participants were given nasal drops containing rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold. After five days, 29% of participants showed symptoms of a cold.
Pockets Of Lower Vaccination Rates Remain Across The US
Most infants and kindergartners in the United States are up-to-date with their vaccinations, but there are some areas where vaccination rates are lower, potentially increasing the risk of disease spread there.
‘McWhopper’ Mega-Burger Would Have Mega-Calories
Burger King is proposing a one-day truce with its fast-food competitor McDonald’s to create the “McWhopper,” a combination of the Big Mac and the Whopper. But just how many calories would this conglomeration have? According to the Burger King proposal, the McWhopper would be 6 parts Big Mac and 6 parts Whopper. That is, the sandwich’s top half would include the Big Mac’s top bun, beef patty, cheese, lettuce, special sauce and middle bun, while the bottom half would consist of the Whopper’s tomato, onion, ketchup, pickles, beef patty and bottom bun. Let’s first look at how many calories are in each burger separately: The Big Mac has 540 calories, and the Whopper has 650 calories.
The Science Of Breakups: 7 Facts About Splitsville
Breakups can have severe emotional aftermath… or not. Here’s a look at what science says about splitting up.
- Breakups are predictable
- Breakups are about identity
- Dwelling might be healthy
- But don’t dwell too much
- It’s hard to let go
- It differs by gender
- It might not be as bad as you think
Wormhole Created In Lab Makes Invisible Magnetic Field
Physicists have created a so-called magnetic wormhole that transports a magnetic field from one point to the other without being detected.
New Breast Pump Could Offer More Freedom For Busy Moms
Breast pumps suck in more ways than one, but one startup is trying to make these devices more comfortable for moms.
Powerful DNA ‘Editing’ Has Arrived, Are We Ready For It?
CRISPR/Cas is a new technology that allows unprecedented control over the DNA code. The gene editing technique also raises concerns. It’s sparked a revolution in the fields of genetics and cell biology, becoming the scientific equivalent of a household name by raising hopes about new ways to cure diseases including cancer and to unlock the remaining mysteries of our cells.
No Organs, No Problem: Weird Animal Hunts Without Nerves Or Muscles
A tiny multicellular animal has nothing recognizable as muscle or nerve cells. In fact it has no organs at all. And yet it can hunt down, dissolve and consume algae with surprising sophistication, new research shows.
Finally, Bacon-Flavored Health Food Has Arrived
Bacon-flavored seaweed is the new kale. Scientists are currently cultivating a marine plant that’s packed with more nutrients than the trendy green superfood kale. And it naturally tastes like bacon.Bacon-flavored crackers. Bacon-flavored salad dressing. These are just two of the savory treats that have been created so far using the domesticated strain of dulse (Palmaria palmata), a kind of red algae, or seaweed that typically grows in the waters along northern Pacific and Atlantic coastlines.
‘Synthetic’ Leaves: The Energy Plants Of The Future?
A leaf seems so simple, until you try to recreate its ability to store the sun’s energy. Imagine using plants to grow the natural gas that heats homes and the gasoline that powers cars. People could store it this form of solar energy in cars’ fuel tanks, distribute it through pipelines, and buy it in gas stations. And everyone could use it without adding a single molecule of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere.
California Faces Threat Of Earthquake- Triggered Tsunamis
Californians may be used to hearing about the threat of potentially deadly earthquakes, but a new study finds that quake-triggered tsunamis pose a greater risk to Southern California than previously thought.
