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2013 ushered in some interesting scientific advances, from
discovering earth-like exoplanets to breaking previously held records
for quantum teleportation. Since the year is winding to a close, it's
the perfect time to look back at some of the most unique and interesting
breakthroughs of the year.
Resurrecting an Extinct Species
image credit - Peter Schouten for UNSW
Scientists at Australia's University of Newcastle are leading a
de-extinction initiative known as The Lazarus Project. Spearheaded by
Professor Mike Archer, the group figured out a way to bring an extinct
species, the gastric-brooding frog, back from the dead.
(The unusual frog species is a phenomenon because it gives birth
through the mouth). Using DNA from frozen tissue samples, Archer and his
team were able to use a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer
(SCNT) to deactivate eggs from a distantly related frog and swap it with
the nuclei of the gastric-brooding frog. Although none of the embryos
lived more than a few days, genetic tests revealed that they were, in
fact, from the same genetic material as the extinct species. Archer is
confident that his team will be able to fully resurrect the species.
After that, he has his eye on resurrecting the extinct Tasmanian tiger.
Lab-Grown Blood Vessels
image credit - Scientific American
Surgeons at Duke University successfully implanted the
first bioengineered blood vessel into the arm of a patient with severe
kidney disease. The vein was made with donated human blood vessel cells,
which were implanted into a biodegradable scaffold. The scaffold
supports the cells as they grow into a fully formed vessel. The
technique might eventually allow blood vessels to be transplanted for
other procedures, such as heart bypass surgery. Because the veins are
created to be universal instead of personalized, they may eventually be
mass-produced for on-demand availability. Jeffrey Lawson, MD, PhD, a
vascular surgeon who helped develop the vein, stated that, "We hope this
sets the groundwork for how these things can be grown, how they can
incorporate into the host, and how they can avoid being rejected
immunologically." In 2013, scientists also created lab-grown human ears,
teeth, and livers.
Invisibility Cloak Revealed
video credit - Wireless Design Mag.
Scientists first revealed an invisibility cloak in 2006, but it was
bulky and cast shadows. Within the past few years, however, scientists
have made major strides in creating a truly invisible cloak. Two
researchers from The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical &
Computer Engineering, Professor George Eleftheriades and PhD student
Michael Selvanayagam, created and tested a new approach to cloaking-which
surrounds objects with tiny antennas that radiate an electromagnetic
wield. The field cancels out waves surrounding the cloaked object, which
makes it adaptable to various types and sizes of objects. This means
that the field cancels any light waves that would bounce back, making
objects undetectable to radar. The invisibility cloak could eventually
be used for practical purposes such as hiding military vehicles or
conducting surveillance drills. This exciting new breakthrough
guarantees that there will be plenty of exciting scientific breakthroughs to keep up with in the coming year.
If 2013 was any indication, then 2014 will also be filled with
groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs. There's talk of edible password
pills, artificial memories, invisible skyscrapers, and virtual reality
headpieces that allow gamers to experience games within their head.
These creative ideas--and the innovators behind them--show that the sky
really is the limit when it comes to future inventions.
Editor's Note: Peter Jones blogs about science.
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