under the microscope
A soft robot unfurls inside the skull.
“The novel gadget may lead to minimally invasive ways to investigate the brain and implant brain-computer interfaces, researchers say.” ~ learn more
Category: under the microscope
under the microscope
CapScan capsule gathers gut data where it counts the most.
“Measuring gut metabolites in stool is like studying an elephant by examining its tail,” said Envivo Bio’s Dari Shalon, inventor of the capsule. “The device consists of a polymer shell which contains a collapsed fluid-collection bladder. When the capsule is […]
under the microscope
New understanding of “wavy wounds” may make for faster post-op healing.
“For some time now, it has been observed that wounds with a zig-zag pattern heal faster than those which simply form a straight line. Scientists have now determined why this is the case, and their findings could change the ways […]
under the microscope
Protein size determines Alzheimer’s stage, may lead to earlier detection.
“In a new study, researchers were able to stage the disease using atomic force microscopy to visualize the size and shape of these clumps, which may provide a way of detecting the debilitating disease earlier.” ~ learn more
under the microscope
Entire ant colonies play dead.
“Researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) were investigating nesting boxes for wild animals on Kangaroo Island, when they came across a box full of dead ants. They didn’t think much of it, until one amateur flubbed its lines […]
under the microscope
Extending the life of a yeast cell by 82%.
There are two ways the cell deteriorated over time: either deterioration within its cellular nucleus or its mitochondria. “[R]ather than the entire cell aging at once, the aging process was toggled between different physical parts of the organism, extending its […]
under the microscope
Stem cell ‘junk removal’ process changes as the cells age.
The researchers learned that rather than clearing unusable proteins right away, ”blood’s stem cells actually squirrel away their misfolded waste and only recycle it when they need it.” And as the cells age, their ability to do this declines. Researcher […]
under the microscope
Regenerating hair cells to restore hearing.
“A team of Harvard Medical School scientists say they’ve come up with a new drug cocktail of molecules that they say can successfully regenerate the hair cells in the inner ear that enable hearing — a potentially groundbreaking treatment for […]
under the microscope
Science, cessation, and human hibernation.
Building on the published evidence above, Dr. Ruben Laukkonen proposes the hypothesis that this is a version of human hibernation. It’s a very interesting idea. ~ learn more
under the microscope
Cessations of consciousness in meditation.
The full paper is paywalled (boo Elsevier) but enough is there to be intriguing. There are rare meditators who seem to enter a state without consciousness for up to 7 days. Unlike sleep, “they cannot be ‘woken up’ from the […]