Color-changing food film uses avocado pits to kill germs and warn of spoilage

Most food-wrap films just act as a barrier to bacteria, but don’t actually kill the microbes. An experimental new film does exactly that, plus it changes color to show when food is spoiled. And what’s more, it’s made from avocado seeds.Continue Reading… Continue reading Color-changing food film uses avocado pits to kill germs and warn of spoilage

Clever armadillo-inspired “fabric” gets stiff or soft as needed

Soft materials and stiff materials both have their uses, but the two properties typically aren’t seen in one substance. RoboFabric is an exception, then, in that it can be switched back and forth between soft and stiff states.Continue ReadingCategory: … Continue reading Clever armadillo-inspired “fabric” gets stiff or soft as needed

X-rays light up brain tumor cells – then selectively destroy them

X-rays are known to penetrate the body’s deep tissues, which is why they’re used to deliver cancer radiotherapy. Whereas radiotherapy uses X-ray beams to damage tumor cells’ DNA, killing them, photodynamic therapy uses a different method to achieve the… Continue reading X-rays light up brain tumor cells – then selectively destroy them

Strong shape-memory adhesive could put Spider-Man to shame

You can stop skulking around labs trying to get bitten by radioactive spiders – a new breakthrough could make it easier than ever to get Spider-Man’s wall-crawling powers. Scientists in Singapore have created a strong and reusable adhesive out of a sha… Continue reading Strong shape-memory adhesive could put Spider-Man to shame

Soybean waste used to grow good “green” food for farmed fish

Fish farming may be getting much more eco-friendly, courtesy of soybean processing wastewater. Microbes in the liquid have been used to produce proteins that could replace the fishmeal which is currently fed to farmed fish.Continue ReadingCategory: Env… Continue reading Soybean waste used to grow good “green” food for farmed fish

Another common bacteria implicated in stomach cancer

A common, usually harmless bacteria have a significant role in causing stomach cancer, a new study has found. It joins the better-known, at least in medical circles, H. pylori bacteria as a known cancer risk. Researchers identified the bacteria’s mecha… Continue reading Another common bacteria implicated in stomach cancer

Tear-charged glucose battery could power smart contact lenses

Although great strides are being made in the field of “smart” contact lenses, one challenge remains – how do you safely and discreetly power the things? Singaporean scientists may have the answer, in the form of a tear-fluid-charged ultra-thin battery…. Continue reading Tear-charged glucose battery could power smart contact lenses

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 in which surgical incisio… Continue reading New understanding of “wavy wounds” may make for faster post-op healing

Simple process converts fruit waste into water-purifying material

Solar stills provide a clever and simple means of purifying dirty or salty water, but they work at a rather slow rate. A new material has been shown to boost their performance, and it’s made from fruit waste which would otherwise be discarded.Continue … Continue reading Simple process converts fruit waste into water-purifying material

BIND connector keeps the “stretch” in stretchable electronic devices

While the field of stretchable electronics does hold a lot of promise, joining the components of such devices together can be tricky. A new connector is designed to help, as it stretches between the components, plus it links them to one another in a ma… Continue reading BIND connector keeps the “stretch” in stretchable electronic devices