under the microscope
I’m allergic to shrimp, but only when I dance
How fascinating! “Cofactors may explain a patient’s otherwise unexplained intermittent systemic allergic reaction to certain foods.” | learn more
Category: under the microscope
under the microscope
A performance-enhancing pill based on the gut bacteria of elite athletes
“Harvard researchers who founded a company called FitBiomics are now developing a prototype for a supplement that they hope will boost your endurance during a workout. It stems from a four-year study that found a performance-enhancing bacteria in the guts […]
under the microscope
Tattoos that work as sensors to track blood pH, glucose, and more
Imagine a world where health diagnostics were color-coded and visible on your skin. “A team of scientists in Germany have developed permanent dermal sensors that can be applied as artistic tattoos.” | learn more
under the microscope
Animal study presents best evidence to date that Parkinson’s begins in the gut
“An important and rigorous new animal study led by scientists at Johns Hopkins University has demonstrated how the misfolded proteins thought to cause Parkinson’s disease may originate in the gut, and travel up to the brain via the vagus nerve. […]
under the microscope
New insights into how a mammalian brain naturally produces psychedelic DMT
“The research shows the psychedelic is endogenously produced in a number of brain regions, including the visual cortex, and spikes in concentrations following an induced cardiac arrest.” | learn more
under the microscope
The Pentagon has a laser that can identify people from a distance—by their heartbeat
HOLY COW! “The Jetson prototype can pick up on a unique cardiac signature from 200 meters away, even through clothes.” At one point someone from the Pentagon says you can’t do it from space. That sounds to me like they’re […]
under the microscope
Can we engineer biology
Today, I bring you two links that are best read in sequence. The question is whether we’re anywhere near being able to approach biology the way we approach engineering. The debaters are both exceptional: Vijay Pande, healthcare investor at a16z, […]
under the microscope
FDA warns that fecal transplant is linked to a patient’s death
This is a real setback in FMT research. It highlights a need for better screening (like we do with blood). “The agency said two patients received donated stool that had not been screened for drug-resistant germs, leading it to halt […]
under the microscope
DNA nanopore sequencing
There’s now a portable DNA sequencer on the market for $1,000. Yep, that’s right. | learn more
under the microscope
Jet fuel from plastic waste
This is very cool and if the scaled cost is right will be a huge deal! “…[L]ow-density polyethylene can be recycled into new plastic, but there’s much more waste than recycling facilities can currently handle. With that in mind, scientists […]