HackingTheUniverse

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Growing blood stem cells in a lab may be the key to producing a limitless supply of blood. This has potential to bypass the difficult process of finding a matching donor and doing blood marrow transplants. Limitless Lab-Grown Blood Is ‘Tantalizingly Close’ After 20 Years – [singularityhub.com] Blood stem cells are things of wonder: hidden […]

A polymer mesh fabric seeded with stem cells can help in the regeneration of rotator cuff tendons. Stem Cell Fabric Innovation Regrows Rotator Cuffs – [uconn.edu] The combination of the “nano-mesh” with stem cells seems to be critical. Surgeons will sometimes inject stem cells into rotator cuff repairs, but results from this technique are mixed. […]

The use of smart thread in wound sutures (stitches) allows them to wirelessly collect data that can help doctors diagnose the healing process. Researchers invent “smart” thread that collects diagnostic data when sutured into tissue – [tufts.edu] For the first time, researchers led by Tufts University engineers have integrated nano-scale sensors, electronics and microfluidics into […]

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered that penicillin has the ability to kill many disease causing bacteria, creating a new kind of medication known as antibiotics. Over the years since then, many variations of penicillin have been discovered and other groups or “classes” of antibiotics have also been found. Each class of antibiotics continues to be […]

The Human Genome Project – [genome.gov] The Human Genome Project (HGP) was one of the great feats of exploration in history – an inward voyage of discovery rather than an outward exploration of the planet or the cosmos; an international research effort to sequence and map all of the genes – together known as the […]

The concept of suspended animation has been used in science fiction for many years. As medical science has advanced, our ability to extend life has grown to the point where it is difficult to define the difference between “alive” and “dead”. There are many documented cases of hypothermia (extreme cold) slowing down body functions and […]

This kickstarter project is going to produce a film on longevity and the possibility of human immortality. (follow this link for the kickstarter project) The Last Generation To Die — a short film – [kickstarter.com] The story takes place roughly 30 years in the future at the moment when science has first figured out how […]

Merging functional electronics with 3D printing that adds layers of a hydrogel matrix allows researchers to grow cartilage tissue and form a simple bionic ear. Now they just need to add blood vessels and skin. Printable ‘bionic’ ear melds electronics and biology 0 [princeton.edu] Using 3-D printing tools, scientists at Princeton University have created a […]

When arthritis attacks the cartilage layer that allows bone joints to slide smoothly, the bones begin grinding and cause damage and discomfort. We know how to fix this problem with artificial replacements, but that requires surgery which can be invasive, is expensive and takes time and therapy for full recovery. Professor Karperien in the Netherlands […]

Moore’s Law postulates the growth rate of a particular subset of technology. Geneticists are suggesting that a similar approach can map out the growth rate of genetic complexity, helping to predict when our genetic timeline began. And it works pretty well, matching up some key points on the timeline, but there’s just one problem – […]