You might’ve noticed that you feel calmer, even happier, when you’re walking through a lush park or forest. This is no coincidence — spending time in nature has been linked to multiple mental health benefits, including stress relief and a better sense of well-being. Stanford scientists even believe a 90 minute walk in the woods can lead to a lower […]

Chronic skin wounds may be notoriously difficult to treat, but at the same time they shouldn’t be over-treated, subjecting patients to more antibiotics than is necessary. That’s why scientists have developed a “smart” bandage that only dispenses medication as needed. Developed by a research team at Massachusetts’ Tufts University, the prototype bandage is just 3 mm thick, and consists of […]

A team of scientists from Stanford University School of Medicine has discovered a blood-based genetic biomarker that could predict how likely a person is to become ill when exposed to the flu virus. If verified through further research this discovery could not only pinpoint individuals who should be vaccinated in the case of a flu epidemic, but also help investigations […]

When it comes to treatments for constipation, the options aren’t plentiful, nor are they always particularly effective. Help may be on the way, however, in the form of genetically-engineered bacteria. Traditionally, people with constipation have been advised to alter their diet, or to try taking probiotics (live bacteria that can help with digestion). According to the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Purna […]

Of the many people who receive artificial hips, approximately 10 percent will require replacement surgery within 10 to 15 years. This is due to a condition called osteolysis, in which the adjacent bone deteriorates, causing the implant to loosen. Soon, however, it may be possible to determine who will develop the condition, via a urine test. Led by Dr. D. […]

Because diabetics often have both nerve damage and poor circulation, they will often not notice when they receive skin wounds, which proceed to heal very slowly. Those wounds can thus become chronic, sometimes even leading to amputations. A new regenerative bandage, however, could help keep this from happening. Led by Prof. Guillermo Ameer, a team from Illinois’ Northwestern University started […]

We all know that it’s important to sit up straight, and to not stay seated for too long. With that in mind, researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institutes for Industrial Engineering and for Silicate Research have developed an LED-equipped stool that coaches people in their sitting. Along with LEDs, the stool is also outfitted with multiple flexible pressure sensors, each one […]

Imagine popping a pill which can then monitor your insides for potential signs of poor health. That is what a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been working on — only instead of being the kind of soluble pill your doctor may prescribe, this one is a pill-sized ingestible capsule designed to monitor blood in the gastrointestinal […]

Traditional synthetic hair dyes can be quite toxic, not only to our bodies, but also to the environment. As a result, scientists are developing non-toxic dyes based on substances such as graphene. Now, it appears that waste blackcurrant skins can also do the job. Led by professors Richard S. Blackburn and Christopher Rayner, researchers at Britain’s University of Leeds started […]