12 Technologies We Need To Stop Stalling On And Develop Now The pace of technological change is governed by many factors — including public demand. Which is why we need to be demanding more. Here are 12 transformative technologies whose development should be expedited right now. Top image: Conceptual space elevator (Credit: Obayashi Corporation) To make this list meaningful, I only included those items that are within reasonable technological reach. 1. Image: Biosphere 2 Before we can venture out into space and build long-term space habitats, we have to figure out a whole bunch of stuff, including how to make viable and self-sustaining artificial biospheres. 2. 3D Bioprintable Vaccines West Africa's current Ebola epidemic is a sober reminder that we're only a mutation or two away from a larger world-scale catastrophe. Imaging having one of these in your home. Biotechnologist Craig Venter has envisioned a remarkable solution to this problem, what he calls "a 3D printer for DNA." 3. 4. The global demand for meat is steadily rising. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Plant Power: Dutch company harvests electricity from living plants to power streetlights, Wi-Fi, and cell phones A Dutch company harnesses electricity from living plants, and then uses it to power cell phone chargers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and now over 300 LED streetlights in two sites in the Netherlands. Plant-e debuted its “Starry Sky” project in November 2014 at an old ammunition site called HAMbrug, near Amsterdam, and plant power is also being used near the company’s headquarters in Wageningen. Many researchers are looking for ways to basically generate electricity from thin air, and this idea is similar. Harvesting energy from growing plants has come a long way since middle school science fair projects featuring clocks run by potatoes. Related: Biophotovoltaic moss tables generates electricity through photosynthesis For the Netherlands streetlight projects, Plant-e’s electricity generation process involves plants growing in two-square-foot plastic containers. Via Yes Magazine Images via Plant-e and Shutterstock
Children Who Get Flu Vaccine Have Three Times Risk Of Hospitalization For Flu, Study Suggests -- ScienceDaily The inactivated flu vaccine does not appear to be effective in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma. In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than their peers who do not get the vaccine, according to new research that will be presented on May 19, at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego. Flu vaccine (trivalent inactivated flu vaccine—TIV) has unknown effects on asthmatics. "The concerns that vaccination maybe associated with asthma exacerbations have been disproved with multiple studies in the past, but the vaccine's effectiveness has not been well-established," said Avni Joshi, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend annual influenza vaccination for all children aged six months to 18 years.
plant-e.com Home Oxygen absorbing material may allow us to breathe underwater Using specially synthesized crystalline materials, scientists from the University of Southern Denmark have created a substance that is able to absorb and store oxygen in such high concentrations that just one bucketful is enough to remove all of the oxygen in a room. The substance is also able to release the stored oxygen in a controlled manner when it is needed, so just a few grains could replace the need for divers to carry bulky scuba tanks. The key component of the new material is the element cobalt, which is bound in a specially designed organic molecule. In standard form – and depending on the available oxygen content, the ambient temperature, and the barometric pressure – the absorption of oxygen by the material from its surroundings may take anything from seconds to days. The crystalline material changes color when absorbing or releasing oxygen: black when saturated, pink when oxygen released (Photo: University of Denmark) Source: University of Southern Denmark. Share
BioLite - BioLite Stove The Edible Growth project: a study into sustainable, healthy 3D printed food Oct. 6, 2014 | By Alec 'Hungry? Why not print yourself a nice meal?' That is what forms the basis of one the biggest challenges in the world of 3D printing technology. Is it possible to develop a desktop (well, kitchen top) 3D printer that is capable of printing diverse, edible, affordable and even tasty meals? It would not only reach a new level of convenience, but it would also be a wonderful solution to paradox that is the combination of world food shortages and the wasteful consumer market prevailing throughout the west. Therefore, a number of companies have been doing wonderful work in developing the necessary technology to 3D print wholesome, edible, tasty and long-lasting meals. All this makes the Edible Growth project, by the young but very talented Dutch industrial designer Chloé Rutzerveld, extremely interesting. Rather than convenience, health and nature are thus key in the Edible Growth project, which really lets you think differently about 3D food printing. inShare14
Biomimicry Pictures: Nature Yields New Ideas for Renewable Energy and Efficiency 3D Printed Mini-Pastries Called ‘Edible Growth’ Created by Dutch Industrial Design Student 3D-printed nylon prototype. A University of Eindhoven student of Industrial Design has just created her own modest version of a Star Trek-style replicator. While Chloe Rutzerveld’s machine, which she’s dubbed “Edible Growth,” won’t be cranking out extravagant snacks like Jean Luc Picard’s much-favored caviar anytime soon, there is a certain elegance to the croquette-like treats that issue from her Edible Growth 3D printer. In collaboration with Netherlands-based, TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), an independent research association with centers across the globe, Rutzerfeld developed Edible Growth as a means of addressing the critical issues of food waste and the ever-greater demand for food in a massively overpopulated world. The impetus for this young designer was, it seems, less about creating a clever and novel culinary device and more about putting environmentally responsible food production into the hands of individuals.