22 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
3-D Printing of Human Body Parts Could Transform LivesThree-dimensional printing has already begun to revolutionize the manufacturing industry by making it as cost-effective to create a single item as it is to produce thousands of items utilizing conventional manufacturing techniques. The technology, also called additive manufacturing, uses a digital model to create a layered, three-dimensionally printed object. Now, the biotechnology industry may...... Read More
21 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
SpaceX’s Grasshopper Puts a New Spin on Space TravelFor the past decade in the US, the exploration of space has been gradually and forcefully expanding beyond NASAâs sphere of influence. Partly because of the end of the Cold War, and partly because of concerns about the federal deficits, the will to spend tax dollars on space missions has continued to wane. That vacuum has not gone unfilled, however; SpaceX and a number of other fledgling space transport...... Read More
18 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Grape Skin Extract Helps Kill Cancer CellsResveratrol is a compound found in grape skin, peanuts, and red wine. It turns out that this healthy compound not only is good for the heart but also might make tumor cells more susceptible to radiation treatment. Researchers from the University Of Missouri School Of Medicine have studied the cancer-fighting benefits of Resveratrol and found that if added to cancer treatment along with radiation helps...... Read More
17 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
The Continuing Concern of Superbugs and Antibiotic ResistanceThere has been a growing concern about the lack of regulation and the practice of giving antibiotics to livestock to minimize illness and enhance the animalsâ growth. Just as people become resistant to antibiotics, when they are over-exposed to them, animals also build an antibiotic-resistance that makes mutated bacteria harder to eliminate. Due to the way that antibiotics typically affect bacteria,...... Read More
16 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Personalized Genomics Available at a PriceThe ability to understand current health conditions and to learn what others might develop down the road is one of the biggest reasons that some people are getting excited about personalized genomics. Although genome sequencing isnât anything new, making it available on a personal level is. At a cost that currently falls just below $10,000, an individual can have their entire genome sequenced. In...... Read More
15 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
New Hope Emerges from Study on Stem Cells and Organ RegenerationFor the first time, researchers have been successful at reprogramming an animalâs adult cells so that they can grow into various types of tissue. In Madrid, Spain, researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre were successful at accomplishing in mice what had previously only been performed in a petri dish. This research leads to the hope that organs that are diseased or damaged may be...... Read More
14 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Prosthetic Limbs Allow Touch SensationRecent experiments show progress toward the development of touch-sensitive prosthetic limbs. What makes these so advanced is their real-time interaction with the brain. Researchers at the University of Chicago are working on the sensory aspects of prosthetic limbs. Touch and pattern experiments with monkeys, who have sensory systems resembling humans, have shown that specific patterns of neural activity...... Read More
11 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Natural Painkillers in the Brain Ease Social RejectionChemicals in human brains are released to help us feel better after being rejected in a social situation. Researchers at the University of Michiganâs Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute used brain-scanning techniques to track chemical release combined with social rejection testing to look at what is happening in the brain when a person is socially rejected. The study focused on the mu-opioid...... Read More
10 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Centipede Venom Blocks PainThe Chinese Red-Headed Centipede has potent venom that can block nerves in insects to allow the centipedes to prey on them. A molecule in this venom could potentially be used as a painkiller in humans, similar to morphine. Researchers from the University of Queenslandâs Institute for Molecular Bioscience have demonstrated that centipede venom is loaded with molecules that can alter the function...... Read More
09 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Ballet Dancers’ Brains Stop DizzinessThe dance and science worlds collided recently when a study from Londonâs Imperial College showed that ballet dancersâ brains adapt to keep them from feeling dizzy while they perform pirouettes. According to the neuroscience study, years of ballet training enables a dancer to suppress signals to the brain originating from the balance organs located within the inner ear. The findings could lead...... Read More