Tomorrow in Brief
Anti-Malarial Fashion Statement
bodysuit offers an attractive weapon in the fight
against malaria.
Specially treated mosquito nets may be effective at combating malarial infections, but their protection is limited because they are primarily used over beds as users sleep. Now, fashion designers have come to the rescue with wearable protection.
At Cornell University, Matilda Ceesay—a fashion major from Gambia—and Frederick Ochanda—a post-doctoral fiber scientist from Kenya—have developed a colorful hooded bodysuit that takes the mosquito net concept to the next level.
The key to the anti-malarial garment is binding the mosquito-repelling chemicals to the mesh fabric at the nanolevel, so the fabric can hold three times more insecticide than normal nets.
Source: Cornell University, www.cornell.edu.
Disease Detection: Waiting to Exhale
on, technician demonstrates breathalyzer device that
promises to detect signs of disease.
disease in this illustration of the Single Breath
Disease Diagnostics Breathalyzer.
Instead of instructing us to breathe deeply and say “ah,” future doctors may simply have us exhale into diagnostic breathalyzers.
The Single Breath Disease Diagnostics Breathalyzer is being developed by a team of scientists at Stony Brook University in New York, led by materials scientist Perena Gouma. The device uses sensor chips coated with nanowires to detect chemical compounds that may indicate the presence of diseases or infectious microbes.
While the first such “medical breathalyzers” will be specific to one type of disease (for instance, to monitor diabetes), future handheld devices will allow individual users to self-monitor and detect diseases ranging from lung cancer to anthrax exposure.
Source: National Science Foundation, www.nsf.gov.
Trucking Down eHighway
when it recognizes available power.
A scheme to electrify trucks and the highways they travel could help significantly reduce emissions. Siemens’ eHighway of the Future project, undergoing tests in Germany, involves hybrid diesel–electric trucks that are equipped to connect to overhead wires. The built-in software would recognize when the overhead electricity is available, then switch power mode to electric.
“When most people think of vehicle emissions, they assume cars do most of the damage, but it’s actually commercial trucks that are largely to blame,” says Daryl Dulaney, CEO, Siemens Infrastructure & Cities, United States. “Freight transportation on U.S. roadways is expected to double by 2050, while global oil resources continue to deplete. And by 2030, carbon-dioxide emissions are forecasted to jump 30% due to freight transport alone.”
Source: Siemens Corporation, www.industry.siemens.com.
Nutritional Information Overload
Americans would rather work on their income taxes than try to unravel the mysteries of healthy eating.
Official nutritional guidelines seem to change as frequently as the tax laws, so it’s little wonder that so many people find it frustrating to make appropriate nutritional choices. While 58% of Americans surveyed said they give a lot of thought to what they consume, only 20% describe their diets as healthful, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation.
Information overload may be part of the problem: Consumers are more likely to simply look at the expiration date rather than the more-complex nutrition facts panel when making a food or beverage purchase, according to the survey.
Source: International Food Information Council Foundation, www.foodinsight.org.
Slumdogs for Millionaires?
Slum tours are a controversial twist on the trend toward alternative vacations like ecotourism, “voluntourism,” and educational or research tours. While some may view the fascination of the tourist class with global poverty as morally questionable, others see potential benefits.
A research project by Fabian Frenzel of the University of Leicester School of Management will focus on the growth of tourism in slums and favelas in South Africa, Brazil, India, and other cities. He notes that favelas in Rio de Janeiro have become nearly as popular among tourists as sights like Sugar Loaf and the statue of Christ the Redeemer.
“The big question is whether slum tourism is merely some cynical form of entertainment for the rich or a practice that can help tackle the global inequalities and injustices we live with,” says Frenzel, who recently co-edited a book on the subject, Slum Tourism: Power, Poverty, and Ethics (Routledge, 2012).
Source: University of Leicester, www.le.ac.uk.