A surgically implanted chip and augmented-reality glasses are helping some people who have lost sight to read again. In a small trial, about 80% of people who had lost vision due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were able to read letters and words a year after receiving the treatment, according to a study published Monday … Read more
Researchers have modified a standard glue gun to 3D print a bone-like material directly onto fractures, paving the way for its use in operating rooms. The device, which has so far been tested in rabbits, would be particularly useful for fixing irregularly shaped fractures during surgery, the researchers say. “To my knowledge, there are virtually … Read more
The patient: A 52-year-old woman in The Hague, Netherlands The symptoms: The woman visited an outpatient psychiatric clinic and told the doctors that when she looked at people’s faces, she saw them transform into the faces of dragons. She also saw dragon-like faces appear in front of her spontaneously, even when no people were present. … Read more
A universal cancer vaccine in development could help rev up the immune system against tumors and supercharge the effects of existing cancer therapies, an animal study suggests. Similar to vaccines for viral infections like the flu, many cancer vaccines are designed to help the immune system recognize specific proteins. However, while conventional vaccines aim to … Read more
An experimental, hormone-free male birth control pill has just passed its first safety test in humans. The trial included 16 people and was only intended to test whether the drug reached adequate levels in the body, as well as whether it triggered any serious side effects, such as concerning changes in heart rate, hormone function, … Read more
Scientists have created night-vision contact lenses that they claim can grant people “super-vision.” The lenses — which use nanoparticles to absorb low-frequency light before emitting it in the visible spectrum — enable wearers to see infrared wavelengths that are otherwise invisible to the human eye. And unlike traditional night-vision goggles, these lenses don’t require a … Read more
In summer 2024, several news outlets chronicled the “nightmarish” impacts Texas communities endured due to the din of noise emanating from nearby cryptocurrency mines. Residents of these communities reported that the unrelenting noise caused them to experience a range of ailments, including high blood pressure, chest pain and tinnitus. The noise levels of the cryptocurrency … Read more
Robots smaller than most bacteria could deliver drugs right to the site of a brain aneurysm, preventing a devastating stroke, a new animal study suggests. The new technology has been tested only in rabbits so far. But with further study, it could become an alternative to the stents and coils that are currently used to … Read more
Scientists have invented an injectable “goo” that can regrow cartilage in the body. For now, they’ve only tested it in sheep, but it could someday be used to repair joint damage in humans, the researchers say. In particular, they hope the goo can treat damage caused by degenerative diseases, such as osteoarthritis, and sports-related injuries, … Read more
Cancer can sometimes thwart drugs designed to treat it — but now, scientists have developed a way to turn tumor cells against their neighbors, forcing the cancer to cooperate with treatment. A cancer treatment’s success hinges on its capacity to damage cancer cells enough to kill them or stop them from growing. However, some cancer … Read more
