New Atlas

Science Audio available

Safety of common food additive questioned after study reveals effects on gut microbiome

Rich Haridy May 13, 2019

New Australian research is raising questions over the safety of a common food additive after mouse studies found titanium dioxide can induce gut microbiome changes associated with the development of several diseases, including colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

A new study suggests food additive E171, or titanium dioxide, can impair gut homeostasis and lead ...

Space Audio available

Space experiment looks to slow the aging process using nanoparticles

David Szondy May 6, 2019

The latest SpaceX Dragon cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) included an experiment that could help to combat aging here on Earth, as well as chronic illness and space-related stresses for astronauts on prolonged space missions.

The Kubik incubator on the ISS will be used to conduct experiments searching for a longer-lasting ...

Science

Nano-thermometers created using diamond particles and quantum light

Matt Kennedy May 6, 2019

Nanothermometers, while not a brand new idea, are still at the cutting edge of science. We've seen impressive results to date, but accuracy and resolution can always improve, and this is what researchers from the University of Technology Sydney in Australia believe they've achieved.

Illustration of nanoscale diamonds probing temperature of electronic circuits

Materials

Nanoparticle coating defogs surfaces using light instead of electricity

Michael Irving March 5, 2019

Goggles, glasses and windshield can fog up if there’s a difference in temperature or humidity. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new anti-fog coating that warms up the surface without needing electricity.

The new coating reacts to simulated sunlight to defog a glass surface

Science Audio available

Nanoparticle eye drops give mice night vision

Ben Coxworth February 28, 2019

Sci-fi aficionados will likely be familiar with the 2000 film Pitch Black, in which Vin Diesel plays a character with predator-like night vision. Well, such a scenario has come a step closer to reality, as scientists have enabled mice to temporarily see near-infrared (NIR) light.

Scientists have used nanotechnology to give mice the ability to perceive near-infrared light

Medical Audio available

New chemo drug keeps platinum nanoparticles on target for liver cancer

Michael Irving February 15, 2019

Chemotherapy drugs are effective at killing cancer cells – but they’re also pretty good at killing healthy cells. Making these drugs more selective for tumors is a key area of research, and now a team at ETH Zurich has found a way to keep a common treatment – platinum nanoparticles – on target.

Researchers have found a way to make platinum nanoparticles more effective against liver cancer, without harming ...

Medical Audio available

Novel nano-gel promises to help kill leftover cancer cells after surgery

Rich Haridy December 10, 2018

The first step in many cancer treatments is to surgically remove the tumor, however this often isn’t enough. As long as a few cancer cells remain the tumors often grow back, but a new innovative spray gel, administered onto a cancerous site during surgery, may help prevent the tumors recurring.

The gel helps the immune system target and kill any cancer cells that remain after tumor-removal ...

Medical

Could silk and gold replace stitches and staples?

Ben Coxworth November 2, 2018

If you need to close up an injury or incision in human body tissue, you use sutures, staples or a surgical adhesive … right? Well, if technology that's currently being developed at Arizona State University gets commercialized, liquid silk combined with gold may eventually be a better way to go.

The LANS technology incorporates liquid silk obtained from silkworm cocoons

Science

Nanoparticles may be a silver bullet against brain-eating amoeba

Ben Coxworth October 25, 2018

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.

The flagellate form of Naegleria fowleri

Medical

Nasal spray and ultrasound team up for direct-to-brain drug delivery

Michael Irving September 10, 2018

The blood-brain barrier is an effective shield against infection, but it’s not so helpful when you’re trying to get drugs in there. Nasal sprays could bypass the barrier, and now researchers have developed a way to use ultrasound pulses to drive the drugs to where in the brain they’re needed.

Drug nanoparticles could be delivered directly to the brain through a nasal spray, which is then ...