Some people feel that their food isn’t quite tasty enough unless it had added salt, sugar or MSG. The SpoonTEK spoon offers a healthier alternative, as it reportedly boosts the perceived flavor of foods by harmlessly zapping its user’s tastebuds. Manufactured by a US startup of the same name, the SpoonTEK features a built-in battery and electronics, including one electrode […]
Tongue-Zapping Spoons?
Blood Pressure Reduced By Engineered Supplements
Researchers in Australia have demonstrated a specially engineered form of fermentable fiber can lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The randomized, placebo-controlled trial revealed just three weeks of dietary supplementation decreased blood pressure in hypertensive patients as effectively as currently used drugs. Doctors have long suggested dietary changes should be the first option to treat hypertension in patients. The […]
Early Retirement Accelerates Cognitive Decline
New research from economists at Binghamton University shows early retirement can be linked to an acceleration of age-related cognitive decline. Looking at data from a unique pension program in China, the findings suggest increased social activity may mitigate the cognitive costs of early retirement. The novel research focused on government heath data from a pension program introduced in China in […]
Aurora Uses UV Rays For Fridge
It’s always a shame when you buy fresh produce, only to have it spoil in the fridge before you can use it. The Aurora system is designed to keep that from happening, using a combination of ultraviolet light and vacuum packing. Currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign, Aurora is made by a startup called Uvera, which is in turn […]
Urban Farming Office In Vietnam
For some time now, VTN Architects has been on a mission to regreen the gray streets of Vietnam’s cities by producing buildings that host plants and trees on their exteriors. The firm’s own new office naturally reflects this passion and is almost totally covered in greenery, including vegetables, herbs and fruits. The Urban Farming Office is located in a burgeoning area […]
Ultra Thin Coating For Solar Panels
Solar panels can’t operate efficiently if they’re caked in dirt, but cleaning them regularly can become a time-consuming process. Engineers in Germany have now developed an ultra-thin coating that can make solar panels and other surfaces self-cleaning. Solar is the biggest source of renewable energy, and it’s growing quickly. But as you could imagine, it’s not feasible to send someone […]
Scubajet
Rather than having to buy both an eFoil and an electric surfboard for powered fun on the water, Austria’s Scubajet – the folks behind the torpedo-shaped underwater propulsion devices – has launched its new Performance Series with a single board that combines both. “E-foiling and e-surfing are two different passions of mine, and I don’t want to miss out on either,” said […]
Hair Follicle Transplants Could Eliminate Scars
Unlike normal skin, scar tissue doesn’t contain any hair follicles. New research now indicates that when such follicles are transplanted into scar tissue, that tissue changes to become much more like uninjured skin. Previous studies have already shown that skin with lots of hair follicles heals faster and scars less than non-hairy skin. It has additionally been found that follicles […]
MVRDV Designed Expansive Library
Much of MVRDV’s architectural output lately has drawn inspiration from the natural landscape, including its recently completed Valley project. Having been commissioned to create one of China’s largest new libraries, the firm continues this trend and riffs on its planned location at the confluence of two rivers to design an eye-catching flowing building with an interior layout that takes the form of […]
Concentrated Photosynthesis Device
We are a solar-powered planet; the vast majority of energy needed for life on Earth comes from the sun – and a lot of it, including food and fossil fuels, is the result of plant-based photosynthesis – the conversion of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugars. The first chemical step in photosynthesis happens in the chlorophyll that […]