Liquid-pumping heart replicas could lead to better cardiac treatments

Before operating on someone, it would be very helpful if cardiac surgeons could examine a physical model of that specific individual’s heart. Well, they should soon be able to do so – and the model will actually pump liquid, just like the patient’s rea… Continue reading Liquid-pumping heart replicas could lead to better cardiac treatments

Soft-robotic wearable helps people with ALS to raise their arms

People suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) often have difficulty raising their arms, due to deterioration of cells in their brain and spinal cord. A new wearable system is designed to help, utilizing a pair of under-arm balloons.Continue… Continue reading Soft-robotic wearable helps people with ALS to raise their arms

Twisty multi-material filaments could serve as artificial muscles

While multi-material 3D printers do already exist, the filament that they extrude is typically all one material at any one point in the printing process. A new system produces actual multi-material filaments, however, and they boast a potentially very … Continue reading Twisty multi-material filaments could serve as artificial muscles

Epigenetic “reboot” reverses aging in mice and could extend lifespan

Scientists at Harvard Medical School have investigated why we age, and identified a possible way to reverse it. In tests in mice, the team showed that epigenetic “software glitches” drive the symptoms of aging – and a system reboot can reverse them, po… Continue reading Epigenetic “reboot” reverses aging in mice and could extend lifespan

Menu labels nudge diners toward planet-friendly choices

As the new year approaches, people everywhere start thinking about how to make better choices for their diet and the planet. This includes a team of multi-institutional researchers, who tested a simple but effective way to influence the choices people … Continue reading Menu labels nudge diners toward planet-friendly choices

Ant-inspired robot swarm works together to bust out of jail

One ant is not very smart, but put a bunch of them together and they can achieve some remarkable things. Inspired by this emergent cooperative behavior, Harvard researchers have built robots that can work together to escape from a “prison,” without nee… Continue reading Ant-inspired robot swarm works together to bust out of jail

Harvard study links severe COVID with genetic signs of brain aging

The study found severe COVID was linked with many of the same gene expression changes in brain tissue seen in old age

A study looking at post-mortem brain tissue samples has found severe COVID-19 is associated with molecular signs of brain aging. The study identified gene expression changes in the brains of deceased COVID patients that resemble what is seen in old age, and the researchers warn potential long-term neurological problems could emerge in the years following the pandemic.

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Continue reading Harvard study links severe COVID with genetic signs of brain aging

Traversable wormhole recreated in a quantum computer for first time

Wormholes are a staple of sci-fi, and there’s a possibility that they exist in the real universe. But how would they work? Physicists have now used a quantum processor to simulate a traversable wormhole, teleporting information between two quantum syst… Continue reading Traversable wormhole recreated in a quantum computer for first time

Shape-memory implant may keep immobilized muscles from wasting away

When a limb is rendered immobile for long periods of time, its muscles will inevitably begin to atrophy. A new implant could help keep that from happening, however, by mechanically stretching and compressing those muscles.Continue ReadingCategory: Medi… Continue reading Shape-memory implant may keep immobilized muscles from wasting away

Robot tackles the knotty problem of grasping delicate objects

Folks blessed with a soft touch seem to have no problem getting to grips with delicate objects, but it can be a tough ask for robots. Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have taken a strength-in-… Continue reading Robot tackles the knotty problem of grasping delicate objects