Although it may be hard to believe that there is already an “established” method of doing something such as 3D-printing biological tissue, there does indeed seem to be one. It involves using microscale scaffolds, but a newly-developed technique overcomes some of the shortcomings of this approach by using hydrogel instead. Ordinarily, the “bioprinting” of bodily tissue (including organs) involves seeding […]

Identifying one’s fertility window is critical for many women trying to get pregnant – or for those wanting to avoid pregnancy – but it can be a complex, inconvenient and often inaccurate process. Inspired by personal experience, Vanessa Xi, founder of Silicon Valley-based Yono Labs, has developed a hearing-aid-like wearable which takes the data collection and analysis off your hands, […]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a great tool for diagnosing disease in different organs and tissues, but it can be costly and cumbersome. Now, engineers at the Boston University Photonics Center have developed a new device, small enough for a patient to wear inside the machine, that could boost the signal and provide higher-resolution images at lower magnetic strengths. MRI […]

Cell division is one of the most fundamental biological functions, vital to life – but there’s still so much about it that we don’t understand. In an attempt to find out more, researchers at the University of Chicago have now managed to recreate cell division outside of a cell for the first time, surprising even themselves. From the time we’re […]

The symptoms of ear infections can be a little vague, and can be easily confused with other conditions. But now, researchers from the University of Washington have come up with a mobile app that can help clear up diagnoses by detecting fluid behind the eardrum using just a cone of paper and your phone. According to the National Institute on […]

Wearable health-monitors are everywhere, from Fitbits for the health conscious to continuous glucose monitors for diabetics, but most are limited in what they can tell us, and there are issues around accuracy, calibration and reliability. Researchers in Sweden are working to change that. The technology, developed by scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, employs multi-purpose electrochemical sensors […]

Soap is kind of scary. At least, traditional soap. First of all, soap that comes in a plastic container (with a plastic pump) is not sustainable. Often, that plastic ends up in landfills; if it is recycled, plastic can only be recycled a finite amount of times whereas more sustainable materials (like glass for instance) can be infinitely recycled. But […]

There is so much wastefulness in conventional skincare. Isn’t it time to take a step back from what we’re putting on our faces each day and really evaluate it? Which parts of our skincare routine are necessary and which parts of our routine are totally uneconomical and unsustainable to boot? Taking off makeup doesn’t have to be bad for the […]

Electronic contact lenses have been in development for over a decade by a number of labs around the world. Having electronics integrated into a contact lens may provide medical capabilities, such as measuring intraoccular pressure, analyzing tears for glucose levels, and aiding people with poor vision. While the science of making smart contact lenses has progressed quite a bit, there’s […]

Nobody likes having blood samples taken, which is why we’ve seen a number of devices that gather sweat from the skin and then analyze it. An inexpensive new bandage-like biosensor simplifies that concept, as it doesn’t incorporate any electronic components. Developed by scientists from China and the US, the device consists of an adhesive-backed flexible polyester film that’s coated with […]