There may be new hope for people who have lost some of their hearing due to exposure to loud noises, or simply due to aging. Scientists from the University of Michigan and Harvard University have restored hearing in mice, by getting them to create more of a protein within their ears…

In the Michigan/Harvard research, mice were first subjected to loud noises, causing them to lose some of their … Read More → "Scientists use protein to restore hearing to deaf mice"

Have you seen these fun bike lights by MonkeyLectric? 

There are 4-LED, 10-LED, and 32-LED versions (and even a 256-LED version — the MonkeyLectric Pro). Fun!

The 10-LED version:

The 32-LED version:

Read More → "Monkey Light for your nighttime bike rides"

Google’s ambition to cure death is beginning to take shape in a new product from its Google X division. Andrew Conrad, the head of the company’s life sciences division, today announced the details of an effort that would use nanotechnology to identify signs of disease. The project would employ tiny magnetic nanoparticles, said to be one-thousandth the width of a red blood cell, to bind themselves to various molecules and identify them as trouble … Read More → "After indexing all the things, Google now wants to go into your bloodstream"

As the world seeks alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists, entrepreneurs and government leaders are pushing to develop cheap, clean energy.

Wind-harnessing turbines are increasingly found in many parts of the world. Solar panels can be seen on more and more rooftops as budget and energy-conscious homeowners take advantage of government subsidies for renewable energy sources.

However, renewable energy has yet to reach the level of increased efficiency and lower cost needed … Read More → "New solar cell doubles as battery to store the energy it creates"

Pibot is a robotic pilot created by researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST) in South Korea to potentially replace human pilots in plane cockpits. The humanoid ‘bot was specifically crafted to sit in any type of plane, offering a much more diverse array of functionality than drones or autopilot programs designed for specific aircraft.
via < … Read More → "Pibot, a robotic pilot designed to replace humans in the cockpits of planes"

In a world first, surgeons at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Australia have successfully transplanted a “dead” heart into a patient. Thanks to the use of a revolutionary preservation solution, developed by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and St Vincent’s Hospital, the doctors were able to resuscitate and transplant the donor heart after it had stopped beating for up to 20-30 minutes.
via Read More → "Surgeons successfully transplant a heart that had stopped beating"

The EarthKAM program (EarthKnowledge Acquired by Middle school students) allows schoolchildren all over the world to get excited about space and science by operating a camera on-board the International Space Station and analyzing their photos. Sally Ride Science said in their release that Ride always found the view of the Earth from space inspiring:

“When Sally Ride … Read More → "Sally Ride Science launching a new EarthKAM mission for kids to operate an ISS camera"

In the not too distant future, swimmers in distress may look up to the sky for help and find, not a lifeguard, but a drone, delivering a life preserver in their moment of need. Designed by Amin Rigi and RTS Labs in Iran, the Pars drone is a robotic lifesaver. First demonstrated in 2013, Rigi is launching an RTS Labs offshoot, RTS London, to mass produce the drones.
via Read More → "Lifeguard drone ready for mass production"

Cool technologies that were once reserved for science fiction are invading our reality at an accelerating pace. In some cases, our Earth-bound scientists have proven that seemingly impossible technologies can be developed, but they still have some obstacles to overcome first. In other cases, those technologies are already here.
via Gizmodo

Continue reading</ … Read More → "10 cool sci-fi technologies invading our reality"

Cubic Rubber Bands are rubber bands created by Japanese design firm Nendo that are shaped like geometrical cubes, making them easier to pick up and to spot when stashed away in a drawer. The bands come in packs of three.
via Laughing Squid

Read More → "Cubic Rubber Bands, cube-shaped rubber bands that are easier to find in a drawer"