THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT...
As a remedy for all the bad news out there, let us prescribe you a small dose of feel-good science. Each issue, we’ll give you a rundown of the latest breakthroughs that aim to solve humanity’s biggest problems. From pigskin eye implants to faster transatlantic flights, here you’ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future…
Robots for stroke patients To help paralysed stroke patients, research is being carried out to find out if brain activity can control a robotic device to move a limb. It’s early days, but scientists have tested a brain-robot interface, with indications that synchronised electrical activity between hand muscles and parts of the brain had increased.
Reverse skin cells Would you like a few decades added onto your life? A new UK study has shown the successful de-ageing of skin cells taken from middle-aged people. Once reprogrammed, these de-aged cells had collagen levels found in cells 30 years younger.
Sperm whale saviours To help save the remaining 200 sperm whales in the eastern Mediterranean, a team of Greece-based researchers have developed a detection system that can pinpoint a whale to an accuracy of a body length or two. Called SAvEWhales, this will help prevent ship strikes.
Pigskin eye implants Human tissue is traditionally required for corneal transplants, but it’s in short supply. Researchers have looked to pigs to solve this problem, with implants engineered out of protein from pigskin. A sample of 20 people with cornea-damaging keratoconus, have had their vision improved by receiving these implants.
Hope for people with PTSD Antiviral medicine used to treat hepatitis C (a virus that affects the liver) could improve symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) in soldiers. A selection of US military veterans with hepatitis C have already been tested with promising results. Comparative tests, on veterans without the virus, are next.
Extending dogs’ lives We may want to live forever, but what about our pets? The Dog Aging Project expects to increase the lives of our canine companions by three years, by reducing chronic inflammation with a trial of the anti-ageing drug Rapamycin.
Hydrogel that outperforms cartilage Because cartilage tends to wear out, joint pain is a common ailment in the ageing population. To solve this, US researchers have developed a hydrogel, made of stretchable cellulose fibres, which is even more durable than the real thing.
Quicker transatlantic flights Flight times between London and Miami could be cut in half to just under five hours, as American Airlines has announced the purchase of 20 Boom Supersonic Overture aircraft. Dubbed the ‘son of Concorde’, these planes will reach Mach 1.7 (2,099km/h), the speed of sound. The first commercial flight is due in 2029.
Space launch to study our planet’s forests A reflector-antenna, resembling a huge umbrella, is heading into space to analyse Earth’s forests, as a key component on the European Space Agency’s BIOMASS mission. After launch in 2023, the BIOMASS Earth Explorer satellite will study trends of tree growth in forests over five years.
Black tea reduces mortality Can you add a few years to your life by drinking black tea? The answer is yes, according to the US National Institutes of Health, which says the risk of mortality may be reduced by drinking two or more cups per day!