A group of scientists have used human neural stem cells to rebuild damaged spinal cord tissue in mice. This is very promising as it would help to regenerate tissue needed by those with broken backs. The cells themselves helped to rebuild what needed to be there on their own.
Technology
Hydrogen at Point of Use
A Canadian inventor/business man has come up with a reliable way to kick start the hydrogen economy. Most pundits against our hydrogen future claim safety concerns and large infastructure changes to covert our fuel sources to hydrogen. Plus we still need the electical energy to produce the hydrogen. Produce, store, transport, sell, store again and end use. An energy intensive process, and one that is quite shortened with a electrolysis hydrogen generator that small and cheap enough to be plced in the car. Using only distilled water electronics within the car breaks down the water into hydrogen and oxygen for use directly powering the car. The advantage being its safer since only enough hydrogen is produced for the time of use and it eliminates storage, transportation and infastructure.
See the full story in the Montreal Gazette
Frozen Ovary, or Frovaries
Women with ovarian cancer may soon have a new option, frozen ovaries. An ovary can be frozen and thawed than transplanted, a huge step for any transplanted body part.
The research is still in the testing phase with 6 out of 8 ovaries functioning perfectly after the transplant.
Scrubbing Smog
A Stockholm-based company have been researching catalytic cement and concrete materials. Essentially they aim to make buildings and roads actually clean the air.
This is not a new idea but the technology being researched is newly discovered nanotechnologies.
“In Rome, the Dives in Misericordia church, designed by U.S.-based architect Richard Meier, is made of self-cleaning concrete that helps keep the surface shiny white. In Japan, several modern buildings including the Marunouchi Building in downtown Tokyo, are covered with photocatalytic tiles to reduce discoloring from pollution.”
Science Fiction Travel Book is Real
Don’t panic. A new “book” knows where you are and will tell you about your surroundings. It is designed for tourists so that they can get more information about what they are looking at and provide a more enriching experience.
“If you go to a historic area there may be thousands of points around the site of importance, but on their own they don’t warrant a museum,” says Wellesley-Davies. “Our guide allows you to pull them all together.
This device can perhaps provide a better way to learn about history (and other subjects) by being interactive and more engaging.