Category: Science
Tim Peake: Investment in R&D allows UK to reap rewards
Investment in science, and research and development is key for the UK to reap the rewards of future technologies, astronaut Tim Peake has said. He said the Government is recognising how important it is to invest in the sector, but there is always more that can be done. Major Peake said the benefits are seen…
Bike helmet brain scanner used with children for first time
A new wearable bike helmet-style brain scanner system could make scans easier and more reliable in children, researchers say. It allows natural movement during scanning and has been used in a study with young children for the first time. Scientists say this marks an important step towards improving our understanding of brain development in childhood.…
Scientists develop ‘artificial skin’ to make mobile phones ticklish
Scientists have developed an “artificial skin” that they say can wrap around devices such as smartphones and make them ticklish. The prototype, which has been designed to look like and mimic human skin, responds to different forms of human contact such as tickling, caressing and pinching. Called Skin-On interface, it can be attached to mobile…
Tetraplegic man walks using mind-controlled exoskeleton
A tetraplegic man in France has been able to walk while wearing an exoskeleton controlled by his brain signals. The 28-year-old man who is known only as Thibault, said taking his first steps in the suit felt like being the “first man on the Moon”. The four-limbed robotic system controlled helped Thibault to move his arms…
Is anybody out there? Men more enthusiastic about talking to aliens
When it comes to speaking to aliens, men are more enthusiastic than women. Almost two thirds (65%) of men want to reach out to extraterrestrials, compared to 47% of women. Research from the University of Oxford, announced at the British Science Festival, also revealed that if alien beings contacted earth, Britons would pick scientists (39.4%)…
Scientists urge Government to back brain-computer technology
Britain’s leading scientists are calling on the Government to get ahead of other countries in ensuring ethical risks of using brain-computer technology are properly understood, along with suitable regulations. The Royal Society says a national investigation should be launched into neural interface technologies, which are devices placed on the outside or inside of the brain…
Student creates 3D Kidney model to help train cancer surgeons
A student has used 3D printing technology to create a model of a kidney that could be used to help train cancer surgeons. The model created by Glasgow School of Art (GSA) student Lisa Ferrie could help surgeons hone their skills in performing a robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy – a procedure that removes part of…
Leaving EU without deal a ‘threat to UK science sector’
Leaving the EU without a deal is a threat to the UK’s “thriving” science sector, a leading charity and medical research institute has warned. Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller, chairwoman of the Wellcome Trust, has written to new Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on him to make a significant statement on science as soon as possible. In the letter,…
Elon Musk hopes to put brain-reading implant in human by 2020
Elon Musk is hoping patients with severe neurological conditions will be able to test wireless technology connecting the human brain to computers as soon as 2020. The SpaceX founder’s startup Neuralink has sought approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and has already tested its technology on a monkey, which was able to control…
Could silica aerogel make Mars habitable?
Mars could be made habitable by the creation of small islands that mimic the Earth’s greenhouse effect, according to new research. A two-centimetre thick shield of silica aerogel – an ultralight material derived from a gel – would be effective in insulating the planet and melting ice beneath the surface for permanent water, scientists say.…