Category: Innovation

A team of food scientists at West Pomeranian University of Technology in Poland has discovered that horse milk can be a viable alternative to cow’s milk in ice cream production. Their study, published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, involved creating four different ice cream varieties using horse milk and various bacteria.

Traditionally, ice cream is made by combining cow’s milk with cow’s cream and other ingredients, resulting in a beloved treat enjoyed worldwide. In this study, the researchers explored the possibility of substituting cow’s milk with horse milk while still using cow’s cream, and found it to be a feasible option.

Many cultures have used horse milk for centuries, with some believing in its potential health benefits, though these remain scientifically unproven. Previous research has indicated that horse milk is more similar in composition to human milk than cow’s milk, making it a safer alternative for people with cow’s milk allergies. Additionally, horse milk contains beneficial enzymes and proteins not found in cow’s milk, prompting scientists to explore its use in various food products.

In their research, the team produced four types of ice cream using horse milk. The first batch included yogurt bacteria; the second combined yogurt bacteria with inulin, a probiotic. The third batch featured a strain of bacteria called Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, while the fourth incorporated a different strain, Lactiplantibacillus.

Testing of the ice cream samples revealed that all four varieties were similar in terms of overrun, melting characteristics, and protein levels. The samples were also found to be creamy, visually appealing, and had a good taste and texture, according to feedback from 60 volunteers who participated in the tasting. However, the batch with yogurt bacteria and inulin was noted to have a slightly acidic flavor.

I have found that most people in the US aren’t used to drinking any milks other than cow milk. So for most of us, it might seem like a very strange idea. However, I have noticed that products like goat milk yogurt seem to be a lot more common now in places that did not previously have it. Maybe this is something people could get used to.

Nissan unveiled a new “cool paint” designed to keep vehicle interiors cooler, though its thickness, six times that of standard paint, presents commercialization challenges.

The announcement coincided with record-breaking heat in Japan, making the news particularly relevant. Nissan tested the paint on vehicles at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, an area with minimal shade, providing a prime environment to evaluate the technology.

While the cars with the special paint appeared ordinary, they were noticeably cooler to the touch. Nissan reported that the paint lowered roof-panel temperatures by 12 degrees Celsius (22 degrees Fahrenheit) and reduced interior temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cooling materials are already common in buildings and other applications. Cooler cars can reduce air conditioning use and alleviate heat stress on engines and electric vehicle batteries. Toyota Motor Corp. is also experimenting with sun-reflective paints to lower cabin temperatures, primarily focusing on colors.

Nissan’s cool paint not only reflects sunlight but also generates electromagnetic waves to block the rays, redirecting energy away from the vehicle. This paint was developed in collaboration with Radi-Cool of China, which also creates heat-reducing films, fabrics, and coatings, including cooler-feeling hats and sun parasols. Nissan is the sole Japanese automaker partnering with Radi-Cool.

Susumu Miura, a manager at Nissan Research Center, assured that the electromagnetic waves emitted by the paint posed no health risks, noting that such waves are ubiquitous.

I live in Austin, TX and if this actually works, it would be a game changer in the hot summer months!!

At Georgia Tech, a new 3D-printed tracheal splint has successfully treated a rare birth defect affecting a young child. Developed in collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the splint has allowed 4-year-old Justice Altidore to start preschool without breathing issues.

Tracheomalacia (TM), a condition where the windpipe’s cartilage is weak, affects about 1 in 2,100 children. This defect causes the trachea to collapse and obstruct breathing, often requiring ventilation and other treatments.

The Georgia Tech splints are made from bioabsorbable material that supports the trachea as the child’s cartilage strengthens and the splint is eventually absorbed. Dr. Kevin Maher and Dr. Steven Goudy oversaw Altidore and three other children receiving these splints as part of an FDA-approved trial.

All four children have shown significant improvement in their breathing. This success marks a significant advancement in treatment for TM. Previously, 3D printing has been used for tracheal recovery, including a recent case where a 3D-printed windpipe was transplanted into a patient in Seoul.

Scientists are well-versed in the properties of electrons, protons, neutrons, and other subatomic particles that make up matter. However, the particles that constitute antimatter, a rare but real counterpart of matter, still have many mysteries.

The primary distinction between matter and antimatter lies in their electric charges. While matter is composed of particles like protons and electrons, antimatter consists of antiparticles such as antiprotons (negatively charged) and positrons (positively charged), which have opposite charges compared to their matter counterparts.

Studying antimatter could unveil new energy sources and shed light on unknown aspects of the universe. A groundbreaking study by researchers at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) introduces a revolutionary device capable of cooling antiprotons in just eight minutes, a significant improvement from the previous 15-hour process.

“This considerable improvement makes it possible to measure antiprotons’ properties with unparalleled precision,” the study authors note.

Why Cool Antiprotons?
To study antimatter, scientists create and collide particles like antiprotons and positrons in particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Cooling these particles is essential because cooler antiprotons move more slowly, allowing for precise control and measurement without interference from rapid, random movements. This precision is critical for accurate experiments and measurements.

For example, to determine the magnetic moment of an antiproton, scientists must measure the frequency of spin quantum transitions, known as spin flips. An antiproton’s spin alternates between ½ and -½ in a magnetic field, and measuring the spin-flip frequency requires the particle to be slow.

“To get a clear measurement of an antiproton’s spin transitions, we need to cool the particle to less than 200 millikelvins (-459.3°F or -272.95°C),” explains Barbara Latacz, lead author and researcher in the BASE experiment at CERN.

The BASE (Baryon Antibaryon Symmetry Experiment) team studies the magnetic moments of protons and antiprotons to identify any differences between matter and antimatter. Previously, their setup required about 15 hours to cool antiprotons. To get the data they needed, they would have to conduct 1000 measurement cycles, which would take 3 years which was prohibitively long.

The new breakthrough reduces the cooling time over 99% to just eight minutes, enabling the BASE team to conduct 1000 measurement cycles and obtain precise results within a month. The drastic improvement in cooling efficiency is attributed to a combination of factors, enhancing the study of antimatter and potentially unlocking new insights into the universe.

Dr. Luo Qingquan has pioneered a groundbreaking approach in telesurgery by using a control center to operate robotic tools and remove a lung tumor from a patient located 3,000 miles away. Dr. Luo, stationed at Shanghai Chest Hospital on China’s Pacific Coast, guided the surgery for a patient at a hospital in Kashgar, Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

This innovative procedure was made possible by the Chinese-made 5G Medbot, which enabled Dr. Luo to apply his precision and decades of experience across three time zones in real-time. This advancement marks a new era in telesurgery, potentially transforming healthcare access in rural areas where the shortage of expert medical professionals previously meant limited or no treatment options.

Shanghai Chest Hospital, renowned as the first facility in China to offer robot-assisted surgeries and the leader in such procedures nationwide, demonstrates the potential of this technology.

Globally, the scarcity of specialist surgeons significantly hampers medical progress, especially in low- and middle-income countries. With only about 1.1 million surgeons worldwide and half as many anesthesiologists, even high-income nations face shortages. According to a Lancet review, low- and middle-income countries have only 0.7 specialist surgeons per 100,000 people, compared to 5.5 in high-income countries. Consequently, 48% of the global population relies on just 20% of the world’s surgical workforce.