Category: Innovation

It is pretty crazy when a new technology is developed that looks like it came straight out of science fiction. Gravity Industries’ jet suits are certainly one of those.

Gravity Industries is a pioneering company known for developing advanced jet suits. Founded by Richard Browning, who aimed to challenge perceived boundaries in human flight, the company has achieved significant attention for its innovative approach to personal aviation. Their jet suit uses multiple miniature jet engines to achieve controlled flight, allowing the pilot to maneuver through the air with impressive agility.

The technology has been demonstrated in various settings, including military, emergency response, and entertainment scenarios, showcasing its versatility and potential applications. Gravity Industries continues to refine and develop their suits, focusing on enhancing performance, safety, and practicality for broader uses.

I first learned about Gravity Industries a few years ago when they tested out their suits in quick response emergency paramedic situation for difficult terrain during both day and night. A very cool use-case.

They recently held the worlds first ever jet suit race in Dubai. Not only does this look super fun, but the technology is seriously impressive. The technology has a lot of promise and likely has a very promising future as they continue to perfect it.

A Filipino engineer named Dexter De Castro, developed a remarkable thermal insulating powder inspired by NASA’s technology. This innovative powder, when applied as a coating or paint, effectively reduces indoor temperatures by a substantial margin, ranging between 30 to 60 percent.

De Castro’s inspiration stemmed from the thermal coating utilized on NASA’s space shuttles, comprising pre-cracked ceramic tiles enriched with silica, alumina, and nano ceramic particles. He ingeniously adapted this concept to formulate his own insulating powder.

Crafted from a mixture of soil and silica clay or white clay, De Castro’s insulating powder offers a cost-effective solution to combat indoor heat. He applied the powder to walls directly exposed to heat and observed a notable reduction in temperature after just two coatings.

Encouraged by these promising results, De Castro’s insulating powder was used in various residential projects, earning commendation from satisfied clients. Available for purchase at P1,620 ($32.43) per bucket and P330 ($6.61) per kilogram, the powder presents a more affordable means to enhance indoor comfort.

Waxworms, the larval stage of wax moths, are typically known to beekeepers as pests because they feed on the wax in honeycombs. However, in 2017, molecular biologist Federica Bertocchini made a surprising discovery about these seemingly unremarkable creatures.

Bertocchini, an amateur beekeeper and a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council, threw some waxworms in a plastic bag after cleaning her bee hive. She soon noticed that the worms had chewed holes through the plastic, but noticed that the worms weren’t just damaging the plastic; they were actually breaking it down and digesting it.

“It was a real eureka moment – it was brilliant,” Bertocchini recalls about her initial observation, which sparked a significant research project.

These waxworms demonstrated a unique ability to break down plastic, a task that has proved difficult for humans. Further investigation revealed that the liquid excreted by the worms contained two enzymes which effectively oxidized the polyethylene in the plastic, breaking it down on contact.

While releasing these worms into plastic-polluted environments could pose risks to ecosystems, Bertocchini sees potential in harnessing these enzymes to address global plastic pollution. Now serving as the chief technology officer at Plasticentropy France, she is exploring ways to scale up these enzymes for broader application in plastic degradation.

“The big-picture goal is to be able to apply these enzymes to the plastic waste,” Bertocchini states, aiming to develop this discovery into a global solution.

The potential mass production of such enzymes could revolutionize how the world handles plastic waste, possibly even integrating the creatures that inspired this innovation.

Check out this fascinating video about the worms.

A new cancer treatment developed by scientists at Virginia Tech aims to boost the body’s immune cells without causing harmful side effects like hair loss.

This method focuses on targeting cancer-killing proteins directly to tumors, making current treatments more effective.

Instead of attacking healthy cells, this treatment activates and “reprograms” immune cells to specifically fight cancer.

The key ingredient, small proteins called cytokines, usually cause side effects when they spread throughout the body. But with this new technique, they stay in tumors longer, reducing harm to healthy tissue.

Chemical engineers designed special particles to deliver these proteins directly to tumors, avoiding damage to the rest of the body.

By combining this treatment with other drugs that wake up dormant immune cells, the researchers saw promising results in eliminating tumors.

This approach has the potential to improve cancer treatment and may be useful for delivering other immune-boosting drugs in the future.