New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Cell reprogramming converts open wounds into healthy skin

Nick Lavars September 5, 2018

Tapping into the machinery of a cell and rewiring it to take on another identity is an exciting capability that scientists are just beginning to explore. Now researchers at the Salk Institute report another groundbreaking advance, converting open wounds into healthy skin.

Salk Institute scientists converted one type of cell (seen in red) into basal keratinocytes (green), a ...

Health & Wellbeing

New approach could grow materials that exactly mimic bone or dental enamel

Rich Haridy June 3, 2018

A team of researchers has uncovered a new approach to grow synthetic mineralized materials. This exciting breakthrough points to a future of regenerative medicine where doctors could mimic the regrowth of hard tissues including dental enamel and bone.

A close-up of the artificially-mineralized enamel-like material

Medical

New stem cell treatment could reverse hearing loss, but not without risk

Rich Haridy November 8, 2017

A new study has demonstrated an exciting new gene therapy treatment that stimulates inner ear stem cells into becoming auditory neurons. The technique could potentially reverse hearing loss in many people, but the researchers urge caution as there could be major side effects.

A stem cell-derived neuron grafted onto a mouse cochlea in the inner ear that lacked neurons ...

Science

Geckos could teach people a thing or two – about regrowing spinal cords

Ben Coxworth November 3, 2017

Like many lizards, geckos can detach their tail in order to evade a predator, then regrow it complete with the spinal cord. Now, a scientist has discovered how they go about doing it. His findings could lead to improved treatment of spinal cord injuries in humans.

Geckos don't just regrow their tails, but also the spinal cord within

Medical

Injectable tissue patch expands within the body for less invasive surgery

Rich Haridy August 14, 2017

One of the big challenges doctors face after patients suffer debilitating heart attacks is finding a way to repair the damage caused to the organ. To address this, a research team has developed a regenerative tissue patch that can be injected within the body without the need for invasive surgery.

This injectable, unfolding tissue scaffold could allow doctors to help repair damaged organs without the need ...

Aircraft

Easyjet to trial hydrogen hybrid airplane tech

Stu Robarts February 5, 2016

EasyJet has announced plans to test a hybrid hydrogen fuel system. The concept was conceived by students at Cranfield University and could save around 50,000 tonnes (55,115 tons) of fuel a year, as well as the associated CO2 emissions. It would recover energy from braking when a plane lands.

A hydrogen fuel cell charges batteries in the aircraft, using energy captured by the plane when ...

Medical

Protein patch restores heart tissue and function after a heart attack

Nick Lavars September 21, 2015

The latest promising advance in efforts to treat damaged heart tissue resulting from a heart attack comes from a team of researchers who have developed a simple protein patch capable of restoring animal hearts almost to normal function.

A protein patch has been shown to regenerate heart tissue in animals (Credit: Shutterstock)

Science

Ammonia-based battery system to convert low-grade waste heat into electricity

Colin Jeffrey December 7, 2014

Engineers at Penn State University have produced an ammonia-based battery that not only captures and converts waste heat into electricity economically and efficiently, but is also claimed to do so at a greater power capacity than other similar systems.

Engineers at Penn State University have produced an ammonia-based battery that captures and converts waste heat ...

Automotive

Ford and Samsung researching lithium-ion tech for ICE cars

C.C. Weiss June 5, 2014

Lithium-ion batteries are an industry standard for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, and Ford is convinced that they will be useful in cars without electric drive motors, too. The automaker is working with Samsung to research a dual-battery system that increases gas vehicle fuel economy.

Ford and Samsung are researching the possibility of a dual-battery system