Testing

Sodium nitrite is often added to cured meats, in order to prevent spoilage and provide flavor. It can also cause health problems in large amounts, however, which is why a color-changing film has been created to indicate nitrite levels.

After developing a system that could detect 17 different contaminants in a drop of water, researchers have now added "molecular brains" to that setup so the hand-held device not only confirms contamination but also indicates concentration levels.

US researchers have developed an innovative smartphone-based kit that can test saliva samples for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses. Early studies have found the cheap system is as accurate as current lab-based testing and much faster.

How do rapid antigen COVID-19 tests work? Why did the US government just pledge to buy 280 million of them? And is that even enough to help curb the spread of the virus?

In people with liver disease or other metabolic disorders, blood ammonia levels can quickly climb to dangerous levels. And unfortunately, checking those levels is not a fast and easy process. A newly developed device, however, could change that.

In the age of a global pandemic, some researchers are suggesting the current vaccine trial process is too slow, and to test potential COVID-19 vaccines we will have to deliberately infect healthy people.

A novel form of cancer immunotherapy has shown exceptional promise in a new clinical trial, with 93 percent responding positively. The treatment involves supercharging a patient’s immune cells to fight cancer then reintroducing them to the body.

The James Webb Space Telescope has crossed another milestone on the path to its long-awaited launch. NASA engineers have now completed a deployment test, unfurling the telescope’s gigantic mirror into the configuration it will take in space.

Although small amounts of fluoride in drinking water may help to strengthen teeth and bones, too much can be dangerous. With that in mind, a simple new test has been designed to determine if fluoride levels are too high.

A team of researchers have revealed an innovative new salvia test that promises to quickly and cheaply screen for the presence of malaria parasites up to a week before any symptoms appear.

To help prepare astronauts for a longer return trip to the Moon, the European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined a new facility that will recreate the lunar surface as accurately as possible.

​The FDA has authorized, for the first time, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test to report on three genetic variants found on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genetic variants are known to increase a person’s risk for developing primarily breast cancer, but also also ovarian or prostate cancers.