Self Healing

If you were wondering how my second phone fared after I killed the first one, this post will probably clue you in. I'm a klutz, what can I say?

Nissan has developed a new coating that is scratch resistant. They've created the first self-healing iPhone case.  The paint is made of polyrotaxane which can stretch itself to fill gaps. It takes anywhere from an hour to a week for the case to heal itself. The surface is gel-like which makes it easier to grip and reduces the chances of dropping the phone. Originally, the Scratch Shield paint was developed for cars, but this new case is the first of many new uses for the substance.

Drug Contacts

No, it's not what you think. I swear. 

Researchers at Auburn University have come out with a new way to deliver eye medicine. In place of drops, a contact lens will deliver the dose to your eye. This will allow a more controlled and thorough dosing. 

The contacts can come in two varieties. A daily disposable contact lens or a thirty day extended wear lens. The medicine is released slowly controlled by a drug memory in the lens structure. 

Germaphobe Friendly Keyboard

I have a few friends that are serious germaphobes. Let me say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everyone has something they are scared of or don't like. I'm deathly afraid of thousand leggers. Anyway, when I showed this gadget to my friend, she practically squealed with joy. 

This keyboard from Viogaurd uses ultraviolet light to kill harmful micro-organisms in seconds. The keyboard looks and feels the same as any standard keyboard, but it sanitizes itself. The keyboard is stored inside a box and comes out with a wave of the hand and returns once a button is pressed. 

The Eiffel Tower Does It Again

What did it do the first time? I'm not really sure, but this time it has inspired a new type of metal-like material.

This material is a new super light material. It's as strong as metal and 100x lighter than Styrofoam. This new material could reduce material demands worldwide because it's 99.9% air. 

Paper Battery

Sony has created a battery that is fueled by paper. This is awesome because it shows that there are more eco-friendly options out there and we should be exploring them. I still say save the trees. Old newspapers, magazines, and school work can be used to power these batteries, and we all know there are tons of those laying around.

The battery is powered by glucose. It's produced when the paper is broken down by an enzyme suspended in water. While this battery is still in development, it has been used to power a small fan. This is the start of new power sources. 

Cancer Detector

I will admit that I watch too much Gray's Anatomy. I can't help it. I like the show. A lot of the patients on the show have cancer.They have to get surgery to remove whatever tumors they have. Well, sometimes they don't get it all.

Researchers have developed a spray that is able to mark cancer cells. They just have to spray on  a fluorescent spray and in under a minute, any cancer cells they have missed will light up. This spray is great because if any cancer cells are missed during surgery then it will just keep growing, but with this spray doctors will be able to make sure they got everything.

The spray was developed by the National Cancer Institute. The spray works because it is activated when it comes in contact with a particular enzyme found in tumor cells. The spray will help with detecting ovarian and colon cancers because these cancers tend to spread.

Broken Bones

Fracture Putty is a new a gel that researchers have developed to help speed up the healing of bones. This gel was created by a team at the University of Georgia. The gel is created by using stem cells. The stem cells create a protein that helps bone healing. By taking these stem cells and turning them into a gel, it can be put into a bone fracture and speed up healing time.

I wish I would have known about this last year when I broke my ankle. Have you guys ever broken anything?

Long-lasting Sandwich

The US Army has found a way to preserve a sandwich for two years. By eliminating water with ingredients that lock in moisture and including a small packet of iron shavings to pull out oxygen, bacteria cannot thrive in the packs extending the shelf life of the sandwich.

Don't take my word for it! Watch the video here

Heart Powered Pacemaker

A pacemaker powered by the heart. That sounds pretty cool, and a little too good to be true. For anyone who doesn't know what a pacemaker is, it's a little machine that helps keep the heart beating normally for those with heart murmurs or other heart problems. Pretty ideal, right? The problem with them is that they run on batteries, which means people need surgery to put them in, and then surgery again later when the batteries die.

Engineers have started to develop a pacemaker that doesn't run on batteries at all. It's powered by the heart. Right now it's only a prototype. But engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a material that flexes with the beats of the heart. It can produce enough energy to power the pacemaker. 

Skip the Needle

     Ever since I was little, I can remember my dad pulling out a black pouch before dinner. He would unzip the small black pouch and pull out a cylinder the shape of a pen, a small monitor, and alcohol wipes. He would put a little piece of plastic into the pen that looked like a stick with a small ball on it. The ball would break off and inside would be a small sharp needle. My dad would take the alcohol wipe and wipe off one of his fingers on his right hand then prick his finger. Then he would squeeze his finger and let the small dot of red blood soak into the strip sticking out of the monitor. 

     I never understood why he would prick his finger every night before dinner until I was considerably older. My dad has diabetes, and he's had it for many years. My father and many other people in the world prick their fingers everyday to measure their blood sugar levels. Pricking his fingers doesn't bother him anymore, but I imagine there are people out there that absolutely hate it.

     Researchers have developed a new way to test blood sugar levels. They have developed a new sensor that can measure glucose levels in saliva giving a diabetic a new way to measure their glucose every night. The picture above is of a surface with nano-meter wide grooves and slits that capture and scatter protons to allow a wave to detect the difference in lightwaves to determine glucose levels.

Read more about it here