Despite predictions that writing paper may soon "go extinct," people are still using an awful lot of the stuff. That's why a number of groups have developed rewritable paper, with an interesting example of the technology recently being created by scientists in China.
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Found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs, Naegleria fowleri enters a person's body through their nose, then proceeds to kill them by eating their brain. Infections are rare, fortunately, and they may also soon be more treatable thanks to the use of silver nanoparticles.
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Removing oil spills from water is a difficult business, with various approaches having met with mixed results. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Forestry believe they may be onto something, however, in the form of a reusable "wooden" sponge that absorbs oil while leaving water behind.
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Skin cancer treatment often still requires chemotherapy, which is delivered intravenously and can cause a whole range of unpleasant side effects. Now, researchers have made the first steps towards a kind of chemo that can be “painted” onto the skin.
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When a root canal is performed, the infected dental pulp inside a tooth is replaced with tiny rubber rods – unfortunately this leaves the tooth dead, and thus likely to become infected again. A new procedure, however, may be able to keep such teeth alive and strong.
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As we age, an enzyme in our skin known as elastase breaks down the elasticity-maintaining protein elastin, causing wrinkles to form. Now, however, scientists have developed a natural product that may keep this from happening – and it utilizes maple leaves.
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Ptahmes was the mayor of Egypt's capital city of Memphis during the 13th century BC, and when his body was entombed, a mysterious substance was put in with it. According to a new study, that substance has turned out to be what is the oldest solid cheese ever discovered.
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In the movie "Predator," Arnold Schwarzenegger hid from an alien's night vision system by covering himself in mud. He might have found things much easier, however, if he'd had access to a newly-developed thermal camouflage material.
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Although you may sniff meat to see if it's OK to eat, doing so is a subjective method of detecting spoilage, as it's dependent on the sensitivity of your sense of smell. Scientists have now developed a more objective alternative, in the form of a gas sensor that communicates with your smartphone.
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Could scent-tracking sniffer dogs be out of a job? Well, perhaps eventually. Scientists from Japan's Kyushu University have developed a prototype robot that can detect and follow odors left on the ground, such as those deposited in footprints.
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