We are living at a time when science fiction and actual science seem merging into one. Things that we would only read in a sci-fi book a decade ago, now seem almost doable. While we may think we have come a long way in science, one way we actually did, new research horizons and technologies show we are, in fact, on the tip of a gigantic iceberg.
Mere imagining what the near future holds in store for us in terms of technological advances is utterly mind-bending. Ready for some super hot science soup? Sit back and enjoy reading about these 6 mind-blowing technologies that will completely change the world as we know it.
3D Printing Custom Body Parts
Not so long ago when 3D printing would look like pure magic. But now, not only do we print a missing auto part on the go, but entire rockets roll out of the printer in front of our very eyes. And, it still doesn’t look hi-tech enough. But 3D printing is not yet a thing of the past. Especially with stunning opportunities it can offer in the field of medicine.
3D printing is now being explored as a way to print human organs. While we can print out prosthetic limbs and exoskeletons with the press of a button, printing entire body parts requires a whole new level of precision engineering at the cellular level. Despite the challenges, researchers have been making great strides in taming the technology.
In 2019, a team of scientists from Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine announced that they have developed a mobile bioprinter that can print skin directly onto the wounds. Scientists from the institute later 3D printed a cubic vascular tissue that was able to function for up to 30 days under lab conditions. Scientists are now working on scaling up the process to create entire organs.
Another great development came from china in 2020 when Dr. Maling Gou and his colleagues at Sichuan University, 3D printed an ear inside mice. The researchers injected hydrogel and cartilage cells into the backs of mice. Then they shone near-infrared light onto them. This way, the scientists were able to print a layer-by-layer ear-like structure. Over time, cartilage cells started growing around the hydrogel and formed a human ear-like structure.
.While the technology is still far from being perfect and comes with immense challenges when it comes to printing entire body parts, scientists remain optimistic about the potential of 3D printing human organs. The technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of organ transplants, and could one day be used to create custom-made organs for individual patients.
Data Storage in The DNA: Living Hard Disks
From stone carving to animal skin, to paper, magnetic tapes, DVDs, hard drives, and flash disks _ we have really come a long way in developing techniques to store information. Just compare ENIAC, that first electronic 30 ton behemoth with a pocket-size name and occupying an entire tennis court, but could only store 20 words with your smartphone. Some serious technological leap right?
But wait.. who would have imagined a single DNA strand can put your smartphone to shame in terms of the capacity to store data? That’s exactly what bioengineers and geneticists from Harvard’s Wyss Institute have successfully demonstrated. The scientists were able to store 5.5 petabits of data — around 700 terabytes in a single gram of DNA. That’s equivalent to 11000 copies of the entire Game of Thrones series. Now that’s some astronomical storage capacity we are talking about.
In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published their discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. This breakthrough led to a better understanding of the genetic code and has since revolutionized the fields of biology and genetics. In recent years, scientists have begun to explore the potential of DNA as a storage medium for digital data.
Whereas traditional data storage media such as magnetic tapes and hard drives are susceptible to damage and data loss, DNA is incredibly durable and can retain data for thousands of years. In addition, the amount of data that can be stored on a DNA strand is orders of magnitude greater than that which can be stored on other traditional storage media.
In order to store data on a DNA strand, it must first be converted into a digital format. This can be done using a number of different methods, such as optical recognition or sequencing. Once the data is in digital form, it can be easily stored and decoded again using next-generation sequencing technology.
The use of DNA as a data storage medium is still in its infancy, and there are a number of challenges that must be overcome before it can be widely adopted. One of the biggest challenges is the cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis. In order to store a single gigabyte of data on DNA, it costs approximately $1000. However, the cost of sequencing and synthesizing DNA is expected to decrease in the future as the technology becomes more widespread.
Another challenge is the lack of standardization in the field of DNA data storage. Each laboratory has its own methods and procedures for storing data on DNA, which can make it difficult to share data between different institutions.
Despite these challenges, the potential of DNA data storage is clear, and the field is rapidly evolving. In the future, it is likely that DNA will become a standard storage medium for digital data.
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)
New developments in the brain-computer interface come with mind-blowing promises, I mean literally mind-blowing. With the technology on hand, someone can simply blow up your memory.
Remember the lines from the 1999 film ‘The Matrix’. When Neo says ”I know Kung Fu” seconds after martial art skills are directly uploaded into his brain using a jack interested into his skull. Well, that’s not movie-stuff anymore. Elon Musk’s brainchild Neurolink already successfully tested installing a chip directly into the brains of monkeys and pigs. And the results, they are staggering. The biotech company released a video of a monkey playing ”pong” on a computer taking instructions from the chip inserted into its brain.
A brain-computer interface (BCI) is not something you hear for the first time. Most BCIs use electroencephalography (EEG) to read brain signals. EEGs measure the electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes on the scalp. This activity can be used to control a computer or other device.
Some BCIs use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activity. fNIRS uses light to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. This can be used to measure the amount of activity in a specific part of the brain.
Other BCIs use magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain activity. MEG uses magnetic fields to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
Neurolink’s BCI can be used to detect the specific patterns of brain activity associated with thoughts or actions. This information can then be used to control a device or computer.
The company is also working on a BCI that can be used to help people with cerebral palsy and other movement disorders to control their limbs. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects movement and coordination.
Recent researches have opened new doors to doing unimaginable science in the field. While it may take a while when we will be able to upload and download a brain to and from a computer, the technology may already help people with paralysis, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Reversing The Long-due Aging Process
Aging is a natural process that everyone goes through, but scientists are now learning how to slow it down or better completely reverse it. There are many different scientific studies that are being conducted on aging, and each study is showing different results. However, the majority of the studies seem to suggest that it is possible to reverse the aging process.
Scientists are still working to find a cure for aging, but there have been some promising developments in the field. In recent years, scientists have developed a new type of stem cell called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These cells have the ability to turn into any type of cell in the body.
Scientists are now using iPS cells to study the aging process. They hope that by understanding how aging works, they will be able to develop ways to reverse it. So far, they have been able to use iPS cells to create cells that are similar to those found in older people. This research could lead to the development of new treatments for aging.
One study that was conducted in 2016 showed that it is possible to reverse aging by using a drug called rapamycin. Rapamycin is a drug that is used to treat cancer and prevent organ rejection after a transplant. The study showed that when rapamycin was given to elderly mice, their muscles and brains became younger. The mice also became more active and had improved cognitive function.
Another study that was conducted in 2016 showed that it is possible to reverse aging by using a gene therapy called telomerase. Telomerase is a gene that is responsible for the maintenance of telomeres. Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. The study showed that when telomerase was activated in elderly mice, their telomeres became longer and their cells began to divide more rapidly. This resulted in the mice becoming younger both physically and mentally.
There are also many studies that are being conducted on the use of stem cells to reverse aging. One study that was conducted in 2016 showed that when stem cells were injected into elderly mice, their muscles and brains became younger. The mice also became more active and had improved cognitive function.
So far, the majority of the scientific studies on reversing aging have been conducted on mice. However, there are a few studies that have been conducted on humans. One study that was conducted in 2016 showed that when human cells were treated with telomerase, their telomeres became longer and their cells began to divide more rapidly. This resulted in humans becoming younger both physically and mentally.
While the studies that have been conducted so far are very promising, more research is needed to determine whether or not reversing the aging process is truly possible. However, the fact that so many different studies are showing similar results suggests that it is possible.
Scientists are making progress in the fight against aging, and there are many treatments that show promise for reversing the aging process. As we learn more about aging, we will likely develop even more effective ways to fight it.
Cryonics: Hibernate to Make a Fresh Comeback
If you think anti-aging technology is a far-fetched hope for your generation, science has other options in store, if you have a bulky pocket. You can go into a long winter hibernation only to make a fresh comeback in the far future. That’s exactly what startups like Alcor have been offering for a while now.
The cryonic company has already treated and preserved over 189, what they call patients, and otherwise dead bodies so far. If you are on a low budget, you can even get a ‘only-head’ subscription for a few thousand dollars to preserve your head. But if you want to make a flash comeback with your entire body, well the cost may go up to several hundred thousand dollars.
Cryonics is the practice of preserving a human or animal brain or body by freezing it in liquid nitrogen. The hope is that future technology will be able to resurrect the patient and cure any diseases that caused their death.
Cryonics first came to public attention in the 1970s, when a company called Alcor began freezing people after they died. However, the technology has not progressed as much as hoped and there is still no way to revive a frozen brain. As a result, the majority of people who have been cryonically preserved are still dead.
In recent years, there has been some progress in the field of cryonics. Researchers have managed to revive some small animals after they were frozen, and there is hope that the technology could be used to revive human patients in the future.
Despite the progress, cryonics is still a controversial topic. Some people believe that it is unethical to freeze people after they die and that it is a waste of money to invest in cryonics technology. Others believe that cryonics offers hope for the future and that it is worth the investment.
As technology advances, the debate over cryonics is likely to continue.
So, what do you think? Is the future we are destined for amazing? Some will, in fact, say it’s both mind-blowing and terrifying.
Nuclear Fusion: A Star Powering Your House
Whether it’s the lightsaber from Star Wars, Jonathan Storm from Fantastic Four, Thor’s hammer from the avengers, or Flux Capacitor from ‘Back to the Future, we have always fantasized about having access to infinite sources of energy. The good news is, we may just be around the corner of making a real breakthrough.
Fusion technology is the process of combining two or more objects into a single entity. In the context of physics, fusion is the process of merging atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. This is achieved by heating the nuclei to very high temperatures so that they overcome their natural repulsion and fuse together.
The process of nuclear fusion has been studied for many years, and scientists have been working on ways to achieve controlled fusion for power generation. The biggest challenge is to create a fusion reaction that is self-sustaining, and this has not yet been achieved. However, there have been some significant advances in fusion technology in recent years, and there is optimism that fusion may eventually be used to generate clean, sustainable energy.
One of the most promising fusion technologies is the tokamak reactor. This is a device that uses a powerful magnetic field to contain the fusion reaction. The tokamak reactor has been in development for many years, and there are now several operational reactors in different parts of the world. The tokamak reactor is considered to be the most promising approach to controlled fusion, and there is considerable research being carried out to improve its performance.
Another promising fusion technology is the laser-based approach. This involves using powerful lasers to heat the atomic nuclei to fusion temperatures. This approach has been successfully demonstrated in the laboratory, and there are now a number of research projects underway to develop a practical laser-based fusion reactor.
There is still some way to go before fusion technology can be used to generate commercial power, but the progress that has been made in recent years is very promising. With continued investment in research and development, it is likely that fusion will eventually become a viable source of clean energy.