While looking at Science Daily an article talking about a new Terminator caught my eye. I thought for some reason they were talking about a new movie, but instead I discovered that it was talking about a new polymer that had been invented. They call this new polymer the Terminator due to its self healing ability, just like how in the Terminators do in the movies. Although a self healing polymer has been made before this new polymer is cheaper to make and has a 97% healing efficiency in about two hours. This new development can have a major effect not only in the medical world, but also in our everyday lives. Having products that could mend themselves would be amazing, but at the same time kind of freaky. This kind of technology leaves one to wonder if one day the technology could be transferred into human DNA. Would it be possible for people who have broken a bone or even lost a limb can heal themselves?
Read the article at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130913101819.htm
After following the link in this post, I saw a side story here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608182651.htm
ReplyDeleteThis article talks about using stem cells placed onto polymer, much like the one you posted about, to regenerate cells. They're hoping to one day be able to use this sort of thing to restore damaged heart valves, spinal cords, and tendons. At first when I read your post and the story about the polymer, I didn't exactly understand how this would be applied for medical use, but after seeing the second article, I find it actually really cool and interesting. It will be interesting to follow this sort of thing to see where they go with it next.
The link doesn't work as a link should. Idk what happened.
DeleteWOW! This is very interesting. I love the fact that they named it the Terminator, but more importantly, the things that can come about due to this new polymer. It kind of scares me at the same time though, to think of the advancing technology. Great find!
ReplyDeleteWoah that sounds really cool. I wonder what particular aspects of medicine scientist will apply this polymer. Oh and how were they able to develop something like this? Did they use componenets found in the human body or is the whole thing synthetic? Still really cool story.
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