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#Discoveries

Global News

Who Could Have Thought About 'Tennis Balls' To Be Seen This Way ~ An Artist's Prespective

Almost all of the 300 million tennis balls produced for the popular sport each year are thrown away.  A Belgian eco-designer has started turning some of them into custom furniture in a way that keeps the rubber balls out of the trash.Trusting The Creative Process ~ (Source: Google Images) To create the micro-cushioning parts for her two trademark items, a bench and a chaise lounge, Mathilde Wittock and her crew can manually carve 1,800 balls per day. To put it into context, only the recently finished US Open used 70,000. When they are completed, one can see why the two to three weeks it takes to manufacture them are worth it. The fuzzy part of the tennis balls is colored to resemble the colors of the inside, making them look attractive and hopefully pleasant. A tennis ball is made during the course of about 24 manufacturing processes, or about five days. Then it's so fleeting," Wittock said to CNN via video conference from Brussels. "I know there is a lot of waste because I played tennis myself, which is why I was looking into tennis balls."  Since tennis balls are durable, have a short lifespan, and require 400 years to degrade in a landfill—that is, if they haven't been eaten by a dog—they looked like an easy choice when searching for novel sources of materials.(Source: Google Images) Why the tennis balls become unusable ~ The gas that gives tennis balls their bounce and the reason their packaging is sealed like a soup can are both caused by this gas. Once the ball is open, the gas gradually escapes from its core, leaving it flat and ultimately unfit for play.(Source: Google Images) Sports organizations such as the Federation of Wallonia in Belgium, recently donated to her its whole inventory of 100,000 used tennis balls—which, according to Wittock, should last for about nine months of production.Her Approach Behind This  ~(Source: Google Images) “Circularity is basic to eco-design. Excellent materials with low carbon emissions or those that have been recycled can be used, but you must consider the whole life cycle. It's not eco-design if it's not circular and you can't repurpose (the elements) into another design. Because they are novel materials, it's considerably worse.”“There is no such thing as 'away'. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.” ~ Annie Leonard, a proponent of sustainability. 

12 Sep 2024
Global News

Robotics Breakthrough ~ New Possibilities Are Emerging!

Researchers have been working on motor-powered robots for the past 70 years; motor technology dates back around 200 years. Even though these robots can walk and have arms and legs, they frequently lack human agility and fluidity of movement. Why?  ~ due to the lack of muscles in them. Finding The Muscle Power ~ (Source: Google Images)  Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and ETH Zurich claim to have made progress by creating a robotic leg that is driven by artificial muscles instead of electrical motors. Inspired by both people and animals found in the wild, the robotic arm can jump over barriers and traverse surfaces like sand and gravel. Isn't this magical to read?  It doesn't require complicated sensors to execute quick motions or high jumps. The researchers claim in a statement that the leg is also far more energy-efficient than motor-powered robots, and that although the technology is still in its infancy, it may pave the way for future humanoid robots to be propelled by artificial muscles. The paper, which was written by PhD students Thomas Buchner and Toshihiko Fukushima, is scheduled to be published in the scientific journal Nature Communications in the coming days . Artificial muscles: understanding their existence? (Source: Google Images)  Various Investor's interest in the robotics space has been growing this year; according to Goldman Sachs, the global market for humanoid robots is expected to reach $38 billion( US Dollars) by 2035.  Europe's humanoid robot startups include the Norwegian AI company ‘1X’, and the Swiss firms (and ETH spinouts) 'ANYbotics', which is creating a four-legged robot for industrial use, which is creating robotic hands with artificial intelligence.However, in contrast to traditional robotic limbs, the researchers from ETH and Max Planck claim that the leg's movement mimics that of actual people and animals, having both a flexor and an extensor muscle that allows for bidirectional movement. The researchers refer to these prosthetic muscles as electro-hydraulic actuators, or HASELS, and they are affixed to the skeleton via tendons. According to the researchers, this is not the same as traditional robotic legs, which are powered by electromagnetic rotary motors. Fresh opportunities  ~(Source: Google Images)  Since 'electro-hydraulic actuators' were first introduced just six years ago, the field of artificial muscles is still in its infancy, and the researchers acknowledge that more work needs to be done before their technology can match or surpass the most sophisticated humanoid robots currently available. Their methods still have limitations as compared to walking robots that use electric motors. Robert Katzschmann, a professor at the Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich, noted that the limb is now tied to a rod, jumps in circles, and is not yet capable of free movement. He also noted that mobile battery technology is still not being used to power it.Looking at the Future Prospects ~  However, because artificial muscles can adapt and make more subtle and minor movement modifications, they could pave the way for actual robots to walk on more uneven terrain provided these constraints are addressed.  The reason for this, according to the researchers, is that electric motors need sensors to continuously determine the angle at which the robotic leg is positioned, and the artificial muscle adjusts by interacting with its surroundings to achieve the ideal position.  "Perhaps one day, when it is battery-powered, we can deploy it as a rescue robot if we combine the robotic leg in a quadruped robot or a humanoid robot with two legs," added Katzschmann. 

11 Sep 2024
Global News

Power in Minutes: New Tech Promises to Charge Phones in One Minute!

Ankur Gupta, a researcher of Indian descent, and his colleagues have developed a new technology that can recharge an electric automobile in ten minutes or a dead laptop or phone in just one minute. According to an ANI report, the researchers' discovery, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, revealed how ions—tiny charged particles—move through an intricate web of microscopic holes. Gupta, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder in the United States of America (USA), believes that this discovery may result in the creation of more effective energy storage technologies, such as "supercapacitors." ( Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that rely on ion accumulation in their pores, have rapid charging times and longer life spans compared to batteries) The Future Of Being Battery Less Is Here ~ (Source: Google Images)  'Imagine if your dead laptop or phone could charge in a minute or if an electric car could be fully powered in 10 minutes.' ~ While not possible yet, new research by a team of CU Boulder scientists could potentially lead to such advances! ~ "Given the critical role of energy in the future of the planet, I felt inspired to apply my chemical engineering knowledge to advancing energy storage devices," Gupta said. "It felt like the topic was somewhat underexplored and as such, the perfect opportunity." The finding is significant not only for energy storage in cars and electronics but also for power grids, where variable energy demand needs effective storage to prevent waste during low demand and guarantee prompt delivery during high demand, according to Gupta. In comparison to batteries, supercapacitors—energy storage devices that rely on ion collection in their pores—have quicker charging times and longer lifespans. According to researchers, supercapacitors' main selling point is their speed. Ion motions were previously only described in one straight pore in the literature. The researchers noted that this discovery makes it possible to simulate and predict ion movement in a complex network of thousands of interconnected pores in a matter of minutes!

4 Jun 2024
Global News

The Whys and Hows

Medicine Miracle : Doing Big Time Surgeries Remotely Now | Health

Is this what medicine will look like in the future? Yes, I believe! There seems to be a supernatural breakthrough in the science of medicine. In it, 3,000 kilometers away, Dr. Luo Qingquan utilizes an advanced control center to direct a robotic surgery tool set to remove a lung tumor from a patient. While the patient was sedated on a bed in a hospital in Kashgar, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Dr. Luo was seated in the Shanghai Chest Hospital on China's Pacific Coast.Luo was able to instantly transmit his decades of expertise and precision across three time zones using the Chinese-made 5G Medbot. This groundbreaking technology has ushered in a new era of telesurgery, potentially saving thousands of lives in rural areas where access to skilled medical professionals was once a life-threatening challenge.( Source: Google Images)  According to Shanghai Daily, the Shanghai Chest Hospital is the nation’s first medical facility to carry out robot-assisted surgery, and it is also the facility carrying out the largest quantity of such surgeries in China.The global scarcity of specialized surgeons is a significant obstacle to the progress of medicine in lower- and middle-income nations. There are shortages in high-income countries as well, with just over 1.1 million surgeons and half as many anesthesiologists. However, a Lancet review found that for every 100,000 people in low- and middle-income countries, there are only 0.7 specialist surgeons, compared to 5.5 in high-income countries.Takeaway~ While training to become a surgeon takes more than ten years, a robot can be imported and installed in a matter of months. This means that surgeons from wealthy nations can operate on patients from poorer nations marking a giant step forward in global healthcare equity.

8 Aug 2024
The Whys and Hows

'Marsquakes' To Help Reveal Liquid Water On Mars

If water is present on Mars now, it might be too far below the surface for conventional Earthly techniques to find. The discovery of water on Mars has always been just a far-fetched dream. However, now it can be a tantalizing possibility within our reach. According to a group of scientists at Penn State, listening to Marsquakes—Martian equivalents of earthquakes— can uncover the elusive secrets of liquid water on the Red Planet. Earthquakes generate electromagnetic waves when they rumble and travel across subterranean aquifers ~  If electromagnetic signals were generated on Mars, the researchers explained in the journal JGR Planets, they could be used to locate water miles below the planet's surface. Lead author and doctorate candidate in Penn State's Department of Geosciences Nolan Roth believes the study may set the stage for further analysis of data from Mars missions. Scientific breakthrough for new finding in Mars Surfaces (Source Of The Image: Google Images)  "The scientific community has theories that Mars used to have oceans and that, throughout its history, all that water went away," Roth said. "But there is evidence that some water is trapped somewhere in the subsurface. We just haven't been able to find it. The idea is, if we can find these electromagnetic signals, then we find water on Mars."Scientists can map the subsurface of Earth using instruments like ground-penetrating radar to locate water. However, the scientists noted that this technique is ineffective at depths of miles below the surface, where water may exist on Mars. Rather, they suggest a novel use of the seismoelectric approach, a more recent technique designed to define Earth's subsurface non-invasively. Electromagnetic fields are created when seismic waves from an earthquake travel through an underground aquifer due to variations in the movement of rocks and water. The researchers claim that these signals, which are audible to surface sensors, can provide details about the location, volume, depth, and chemical composition of aquifers. "If we listen to the marsquakes that are moving through the subsurface if they pass through water, they'll create these wonderful, unique signals of electromagnetic fields," Roth said. "These signals would be diagnostic of current, modern-day water on Mars." Utilizing this technique to locate active aquifers is difficult on Earth's water-rich surface since water is present below the surface even outside of aquifers, producing different electric signals as seismic waves pass through the Earth. According to the experts, accurate identification and characterization of the aquifers need the separation of their signals from this background noise. "On Mars, where the near-surface is certainly desiccated, no such separation is needed," said Tieyuan Zhu, associate professor of geosciences at Penn State and Roth's adviser and co-author. "In contrast to how seismoelectric signals often appear on Earth, Mars' surface naturally removes the noise and exposes useful data that allows us to characterize several aquifer properties." The message they want to give the community is there is this promising physical phenomenon — which received less attention in the past — that may have great potential for other planetary geophysics!

28 Jun 2024
The Whys and Hows

Good News

Breakthroughs in Brain Injury: Harnessing Light for Healing!

The ability of various wavelengths of light to heal wounds has been researched for many years. According to a recent study published in the journal Radiology, which is published by the Radiological Society of North America, individuals who have experienced substantial brain injuries may benefit from low-level light treatment in terms of their brain's ability to repair. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital treated 38 patients with moderate traumatic brain injury—a brain injury severe enough to affect cognition or show up on a brain scan—using low-level light therapy. Within 72 hours of their injuries, all of them underwent light therapy using a near-infrared light-emitting helmet. Low-level light Could Be the Next Breakthrough in Medicine Industry ( Source: Google Images)  Low-level Light Therapy ~ Nothing is as potent as hope, as an incentive as strong, or as a tonic as the expectation of a brighter tomorrow ~ “The skull is quite transparent to near-infrared light,” said study co-lead author Rajiv Gupta, M.D., Ph.D., from the Department of Radiology at Mass General. Once you put the helmet on, your whole brain is bathing in this light ~  To measure the impact of the light therapy, the researchers employed a functional magnetic resonance imaging approach. They concentrated on the communication that takes place between brain areas during rest and when an individual is not working on a particular task, which is known as the brain's resting-state functional connectivity. Three recovery phases were studied by the researchers using MRI(Magnetic resonance imaging) data: the acute phase occurred one week after the injury, the subacute phase occurred two to three weeks after the injury, and the late-subacute phase occurred three months after the injury. Alan Minson also stated his Parkinson's symptoms improved after he started to use a "light helmet" in July 2019 ( Source: Google Images  )  Twenty-one of the 38 trial participants did not get light treatment while donning the helmet. This was done as a control to reduce potential placebo effects and bias resulting from patient characteristics. Compared to the control group, patients who underwent low-level light therapy throughout the acute-to-subacute recovery phase exhibited a larger change in resting-state connectivity in seven brain area pairs. “There was increased connectivity in those receiving light treatment, primarily within the first two weeks,” said study coauthor Nathaniel Mercaldo, Ph.D., who noted the next step is to study long-term effects. It's also unclear exactly how light treatment affects the brain and how exactly. According to Dr. Gupta, prior studies suggest that an enzyme in the mitochondria—often referred to as the "powerhouse" inside each cell—may have changed. Adenosine triphosphate, a chemical that stores and transports energy within cells, is produced in greater quantities as a result of this. Light treatment is also associated with blood vessel dilation and anti-inflammatory benefits. The study's 810-nanometer wavelength of light is already being used for several medical purposes. Due its portability, the helmet can be used in environments other than hospitals. Dr. Gupta says it might be useful in treating a variety of other neurological disorders. There are numerous connection issues, mostly in the field of psychiatry, for which this intervention may be beneficial. The fields of light therapy show promise in treating PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), depression, and autism. It's true that one thing. The more study results that are received, the more beneficial light treatment will become. "Medical science has proven time and again that when the resources are provided, great progress in the treatment, cure, and prevention of disease can occur."  ~ Michael J. Fox

19 Jun 2024
Good News

Positive Reads

Recent Remarkable Discoveries Of Science

The urge to know and understand things around us has existed since prehistoric times and led to the dawn of science which is the study of the physical world. For ages, scientists have, through observation and experimentation derived fundamental principles based on which technology has advanced manifold benefitting mankind by making life comfortable and convenient. Following are some of the latest amazing and mind-boggling discoveries that scientists have made. Seemingly habitable planets: Astronomers have discovered three Earth-size planets that could sustain life. Their study has revealed the existence of seven planets that revolve around a tiny star called TRAPPIST -1 outside our solar system, about 40 light years away. According to NASA, three out of the seven planets are in the habitable zone with the possible existence of water and extraterrestrial life. Spray-on skin to alleviate ordeal of burn victims: Biomedical scientists have developed a new device that can grow a new, healthy layer of skin in just four days. The device sprays stem cells on wounds to quickly form a new layer of skin. A biotech firm has acquired the patent for this game-changing device and has successfully treated dozens of burn patients during trials. Although the SkinGun awaits FDA approval, experts say it will help burn victims by eliminating the painful and scarring process of skin grafting. A therapy to reverse ageing: The process of ageing involves the build-up of senescent or damaged cells in our tissues which gives rise to age-related diseases. Scientists from the Netherlands have developed a molecule that expels such cells. They tried it on elderly mice and found that their fur regrew, kidney functions improved and they could run faster than untreated mice. This landmark breakthrough in the field of ageing will help to tackle the problem of degenerative diseases in future. An eighth continent: A new continent was discovered by scientists in the south-west Pacific beneath New Zealand. Named Zealandia, the land mass is 94 percent underwater, but meets all the necessary criteria required to be termed as Earth’s eighth continent. An artificial womb: In a path-breaking development, scientists successfully created an artificial womb which sustained as well as helped premature lambs to grow normally. The lambs grew inside the artificial womb which looked like an oversized plastic bag filled with synthetic amniotic fluid. This artificial womb could one day help premature babies safely reach full term even outside their mother’s womb. Gene editing in embryos: Scientists in China have developed a gene editing tool that may remove disease-causing mutations in the DNA of human embryos. This technology is a boon to mankind as it could prevent babies from inheriting serious genetic diseases in future.

24 Mar 2018
Positive Reads

Discoveries Of Indian Saints Unknown To The World

India is known for its wit for ages. It’s a land of very important discoveries, inventions and astounding knowledge. Saints of ancient India has given the world so many things and inventions that the world will be grateful in future as well. The great ‘Granths’, ‘Puranas’, ‘Vedas’ of theirs are marvellous with great philosophies, teachings, knowledge and meanings. Their discoveries astonished even the kings of those times. Many of their inventions are now termed as modern science. The sad part is many people in the world are still unaware of their hard work and achievements. Let’s accolade some of these great saints who gave the world modern, scientific ways of thinking and solutions. Acharya Sushruta Acharya Sushruta is considered as the father of Indian surgery and ophthalmology. He was the first to carry out cataract operation and plastic surgery that too in 2000 BC (Before Christ). Thinking of such a medical advancement at that time is no less than magic. He made use of curved needles and pushed the lens to remove the cataract. The eyes were then immersed in warm butter and covered until they healed completely. People from all over the world came to India at that time to get his treatment.In his ‘Uttar Tantrum’, he has mentioned many eye diseases in classified manner with their signs, symptoms, prognosis and medical or surgical solutions. His work in medical sciences were translated to Arabic and passed to European countries to done further advancements.  Bhaskaracharya Bhaskaracharya is a very prominent Indian mathematician and astronomer of the medieval era. He is the one who first stated the laws of gravity in the book ‘Surya Siddhanta’ which was written by Aryabhatta. He had contributed to the book with many of his thesis and findings. The laws of gravitations were discovered by Bhaskaracharya 1200 years before Sir Isaac Newton. But unfortunately, the world is unaware of this. At age of 36, he wrote the ‘Siddhānta Śiromaṇī’- Crown of Treatises which is broadly divided into four parts. It deals with the calculus, algebra and arithmetic of the planets and spheres. Saint Bharadvaja Saint Bharadvaja is considered to have given knowledge about flying machines or Vimanas. He had made an airplane from his vayushastras that would vanish. He had revealed secrets of travelling from one planet to another.The book ‘Vaimãnika Shastra or the Science of Aeronautics’ written by Subbaraya Shastry are the teachings of Saint Bharadvaja about flying machines. As per Bharadvaja, there are three types of aviation machines- those that travel from one place to another, those travel from one country to another and those that travel from one planet to another. In Ramanaya, an ancient Indian epic has mentions of deities and powerful people travelling in flying machines. The Pushpaka Vimana of the demon king Ravana is the most famous example of vimana in Ramanaya. Aryabhatta The crucial number Zero in mathematics was given to the world by great Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta. He is also known for many of his findings in astronomy about his explanations of the lunar eclipse and solar eclipse, motions of the solar system, rotation of Earth on its axis, a reflection of light by the moon and many more. He has found the sinusoidal functions, trigonometry, the value of π correct to 4 decimal places and the circumference of Earth to 99.8% accuracy! His book Aryabhatiya is a Sanskrit astronomical treatise that has all his astronomical findings. India’s first satellite was named after him for his notable contribution to mathematics and astronomy. He has influenced many other saints like saint Bharadvaja, Brahmagupta and wrote many books on astronomy and mathematics with their contributions.

30 Dec 2017
Positive Reads

Discoveries that revolutionised human lives

In today’s ‘tech-age’, we see inventions and discoveries happening everywhere daily at a faster rate. The pace of scientific development today is much faster and it has greatly influenced not only lifestyles but also our way of thinking and judging facts and figures. But there are certain discoveries that have completely revolutionised human lives. These few most important discoveries are the origin of countless other discoveries. Some accidental, some over research, but have made it possible to make us live as we live today. Such episodic and dramatic discoveries are enlisted below. Fire Fire is the first discovery of mankind. This discovery is dated back almost two million years ago by our ancestors, “The Stone Age man.” Fire was produced by rubbing two stones or sticks against each other. Though scientists can’t claim whether it was an accidental or a researched discovery, this discovery completely changed lives of human. Humans started cooking food, protecting themselves from wild animals and likewise fire brought a change in their lifestyle. Imagine what if fire would not have been discovered by man!  Wheel Most of the inventions made by humans are influenced from real world entities. For example, airplane was influenced by birds. But wheels are completely out of human creativity and not natural influence. This makes the inventions more special. First wheel was used in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C but as potters’ wheel. It was later after 300 years, human realised it can be used in chariots and thus was invented first wheel running vehicle. Even today the structure of wheel used is the same primitive one with some advancements in materials used in making them. Paper Paper was invented around 100 BC in China under the Han Dynasty. A government official in China named Ts'ai Lun was the first to invent paper mulberry bark and hemp rags with water. After this discovery, Buddhist monks started producing prayers for masses on a large scale. Though it took a little longer to reach the entire world, this discovery sowed seeds of a new legacy. Our each and every day to day activity and important data are documented. Paper brought about anew and master modes of communication and later was produce on a massive scale after invention of the printing press. This promoted sharing and retention of ideas, cultures and knowledge. Vaccines The idea of vaccination is very old. The basic logic behind vaccination was immunisation. There are a lots of writings about this in Indian and Chinese olden medical scriptures. The Buddhist monks drank snake venom to infuse immunity against snake bite. In those days, small pox was a very common disease and 20-30 % of people died due to this disease in Europe. First vaccine for small pox was invented by inoculating cowpox virus that provided immunity against the disease. Later vaccination became very popular and helped for eradication of measles, polio and is still in practice. Compass Another famous discovery of China under Han Dynasty was compass. Earlier directions were predicted through stars but it wasn’t possible during day time and cloudy nights. Compass came in between 9th and 11th century. It was invented by Iodestone which is a naturally magnetised stone. This discovery increased sea voyages and trades across water borders.

25 Mar 2017
Positive Reads

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