Researchers developed a small gadget for water sterilization

Naturally, the contaminated water is able to be sterilized by sunlight through the UV rays that kill bacteria within 48 hours to complete the process. However, a tiny gadget being developed by the researchers from Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory utilizes a wider spectrum of sunlight to speed up the sterilization process.

Researchers from Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory developed a small gadget for water sterilization. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dSUtp)

"Our device looks like a little rectangular black glass," explains lead researcher Chong Liu of Stanford University. "We just dropped it into the water and put everything under the Sun, and the Sun did all the work."

The Sun's rays are moving electrons in the device using a molybdenum disulfide that is capable of creating a reaction in the water. Hydrogen peroxide and other disinfectants evolving from this reaction, which is able to work to clean the bacteria in the water.

"It really works. Our concern is to find ways to overcome the problem of pollution so that people can live better," said Liu. This technology is able to compete in the market, because molybdenum disulfide is very cheap to produce. Thus the process of sterilizing water with this tool will be more efficient and cheaper.  

Although promising, but this method does not eliminate chemical pollutants researcher and has only been tested on three strains of bacteria were mixed with less than one ounce of water in a laboratory. The next step is to test the device in real-world stew contaminants. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCOPE]

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Radinn, an electric wakeboard use waterproof jet system

For those of you who love water sports must be familiar with wakeboarding. However, to do this sport activity is definitely needed tools such as motor boat to pull, or heavy water flow.

Seeing this, two Swedish businessmen named Alexander Lind and Philip Werner break the chains of dependency in playing wakeboarding with the new electric wakeboard named Radinn. By using Radinn allows the users to perform many attractions without having to be pulled by the motor board.

Radinn electric wakeboard lets riders get rid of the boat. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dD6t4)

As reported by the NewAtlas on Monday, August 1, 2016, is currently in a prototype stage, the electric wakeboard Raddin has a modern design. Its body is made of carbon fiber, which is equipped with a waterproof jet system and powered by lithium batteries.

The batteries are located on the waterproof compartment, and easily removed for charging. Users get the extra batteries, they can be added easily. Across the board, including the batteries have a weighs only about 29 kg.

The elecric wakeboard Radinn capable of traveling at speeds up to 25 knots or 46 km/h, although the final version for the commercial purposed has a higher speed. As for the batteries life, should be able to defend well for 45 to 60 minutes in normal use or mix speeds. But if it's full speed could only last 20 to 30 minutes.

The manufacturer will give Radinn's official price is worth €15,000 or about Rp.217 million. While the delivery period will be made start from this year.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RADINN | NEWATLAS]

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Hybrid polymers for the artificial skins and neural

Good news for the burn victims or smooth and durable skin lover. A new innovation from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has successfully developed artificial skin and nerves are normal physiological functioning.

MIT research team, not only successfully developed the artificial skin, but also ensures that artificial tissues function like a normal skin, in which there are blood vessels and nerves. This innovation is expected to help burn victims, or anyone who needs a new skin tissues.

Engineers at MIT have devised a method to bind two stretchy materials: gelatin-like polymer materials called hydrogels, and elastomers, which are impervious to water and can thus seal in the hydrogel’s water. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dBbmi)

This innovation begins with the success of developing a method to bind the gelatin (hydrogel) with an elastic polymer material (elastomer). Both are basic materials to make artificial skin cells, neural tissues, and long lasting contact lenses.

To note, if we make jelly (hydrogel), within a certain period, it will evaporate, leaving the shrinking masses, harden and shrivel, with a form that is not attractive. The same applies to the hydrogel. Due mostly made of water, the hydrogel will expand when it absorbs water and shrinks when it dries and wrinkles.

Now, MIT researchers find ways to prevent the effects of dehydration of the hydrogel. They use a special technique that can cause us to be able to make the long lasting contact lenses, elastic microfluidic devices, flexible bio-electronic devices, and even artificial skin.

The team leader named Xuanhe Zhao of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of MIT devised a method for binding hydrogel and elastic polymer (elastomer) such as rubber and waterproof silicone. They found, among the hydrogel with a thin elastomer layers provided retaining water trap which makes hydrogel remains moist, flexible, and powerful. The results are published in the journal Nature Communications on July 2016.

Imitating Human Skin

Zhao said the team was inspired by the design of the human skin, which has bonded the outer epidermis and dermis layers protect. Epidermal layer acts as a shield that protects the dermis, nerves, capillaries, as well as the muscles and organs of the drying effect.

Hybrid hydrogel polymer-elastomer designed as bonding epidermis and dermis of the skin naturally. In fact, this hybrid is stronger and elastic as to be used for a variety of interests. Zhao and his team developed a hydrogel-elastomer design models. In addition, the researchers explored a wide range of applications for hybrid materials, including skin, blood vessels, and artificial neural.

"We hope this study will pave the way for the manufacture of synthetic skin, blood vessels and artificial neural tissues so that it can create bionic robot capable of operating as an intelligent living beings who have skin, organ maun biological tissues in general," said Zhao. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MIT NEWS | INSIGHT]

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Humans can detect the signs of death?

One interesting thing when someone will die is the behavior as if they know will leave this world. Start of saying goodbye, trying to resolve all the problems with people, or giving away the most valuable treasure in the relatives, etc.

Some may argue, this is a pure coincidence, while others believe humans have the ability to know when the death comes. Which one will you follow? Up to you. It is only natural to try to understand the death of someone we love or make sense of what happens in those final moments. Scientists know when someone dies, the body immediately begins to break down.

Illustration of death. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1d88l4)

Okay ... let us consider a research from Wisman Arnaud of the University of Kent's School of Psychology in Canterbury, England, and Ilan Shira from the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas, United States.

Their research found that the animal and human response to the putrescine chemical aroma. For information, when a person dies, his body will be destroyed. Body crushed produce the odors called putrescine.

Putrescine are chemical compounds that are released when the body is decomposed. Putrescine is toxic, and people are very familiar with this stench. Studies conducted by Wisman and Shira found that the animals and humans may not be so different in terms of detecting of the putrescine chemical aroma.

The ability to detect the chemistry scent of rotten is part of the means of survival of all species. And human knows the threat of death through this odor. Putrescine also has a secondary function as a warning signal. Humans have two reactions, conscious and unconscious, when smell this scent.

An experiment using putrescine, ammonite, and the water was conducted to study human reactions. When performed experiments involving putrescine, a reaction volunteers are away. It was the same response with the trial regarding the run or fight reaction.

When animals feel they are in danger, then the response appears there are only two: fight or flee from the threat. The study revealed the human had the same reaction.

"We do not know why we like (or dislike) the smell of someone, and we usually do not realize how scents affect emotions, preferences, and attitudes," says Wiseman and Shira, as quoted from Lifebuzz. "It's hard to imagine that the aroma turns scary," comments this two leading researchers.

This scent makes people more aware and alert to their surroundings. People tend to avoid confrontation, whether it be verbal or physical. For most people, they choose to abstain until the fight is the only the option to left. During the study, people do not realize they have a negative reaction to the scent. "People do not know about putrescine and unconsciously associate it with the death or fear," says Wisman and Shira. 

What do you think? In my opinion, whatever it is, life and death is not our who decide, but only Almighty God has.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LIFEBUZZ]

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This motorcycle not make your wallet burst out

Look at its figure as a classic American style big bike, likely to make a lot of people fooled. A company in the UK named Full Size Kits create a different view of the image of a big motor bike. Where the big motor bikes were always synonymous with a big budget, immediately turned into a saving impression.

Route '66' Classic, the world's first full size plastic motorcycle model kit by Full Size Kits. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cq4L6)

How not to make you be good at saving? The figure of the big motor bike is actually a 'toy' which is made with the high detail that is very similar to its original shape and size. It is made using plastic material through the vacuum processes, no less than 180 components to put them up to become like the original motorcycle.

Of course this big motor bike is not equipped with the machine, so not to make your wallet burst out, because no longer need to take the maintenance and operational costs.

Full Size Kits currently only sells one model American style big bike - 'Route 66 Classic'. The selling price alone reached US $810 or equivalent Rp.10.5 millions.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of two-wheeled monster and stay alive with the true safety riding. God will forgive Your sins.... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FULL SIZE KITS]

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An upgraded Google Glass could helped Autism patients

Like many people with autism, Julian Brown has difficulty reading the emotions on people's faces. Face detection software of Google Autism Glass gave him relief. "It helps me read the emotions of people," said Julian.

The facial recognition software was developed at Stanford University and runs on Google Glass, a computerised headset with a front-facing camera and a tiny display just above the right eye..

Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions in people's faces, one of the biggest challenges for people with the neurological disorder. Now the 10-year-old San Jose boy is getting help from 'autism glass.' (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ckVJK)

The main researcher Autism Glass, Dennis Wall said the device helps read facial expressions. "If they can read other people's faces, they become more able to deal with people and have more confidence in the community," said Dennis.

Jena Daniels, clinical research coordinator at The Wall Lab, right, smiles for Julian Brown to try and recognise emotional expressions during a Guess the Emotion exercise. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ckVJK)

If the camera on the device detects emotion that indicates happiness or sadness, Julian saw the word "happy" or "sad" or emoji display on the screen.

Kirsten Brown, Julian's mother said, "Google Glass has helped our son to interact more with the family. Now he is more talkative. And when chatting, he frequently paused to get information about our emotions." Google Autism Glass is still in the early stages of the trial. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTISM GLASS PROJECT | DAILY MAIL]

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You won't believe, the origin of future superfood candidates

You already know with these animals. Cockroaches, one of the animals who have a penchant for wandering around in dirty places. So that automatically makes us regard her as a grubby animal.

The tiny and nimble animals, also can make us run away when they start to fly. But now, think twice before killing cockroaches that you find at home. Because, a team of scientists at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine India have recently discovered that the cockroaches milk probably be one of the superfoods for us in the future.

The cockroach is one of the hardiest creatures on the planet; it can live for a month without food. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cj32y)

As we all knew, most cockroaches indeed breed by laying eggs. But the species of cockroaches Diploptera punctate be the exception. This species is the only cockroaches that reproduce by means of delivery.

D. punctate has a milk containing solid crystalline protein to breastfeed her child. "Initially, we do not believe this is a protein crystals," said Subramanian Ramaswamy, one of the researchers involved in the study. However, further studies of these crystals using X-rays revealed just the opposite.

Crystal cockroach milk. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cj32y)

From these experiments, it was revealed that the cockroaches milk include the most nutritious substances and loaded with calories throughout the planet. Crystals in milk contained fat, sugar, amino acids and other nutrients are four times more nutrients than cow's milk. Thus, cockroaches milk has a great potency to be food for human population that continued grow on Earth.

"This is a complete food," says Ramaswamy referring to the crystal cockroach. In the parent sac, embryo sipping liquids. Then the protein turns into solid crystals in their stomachs.

"Nothing is wasted. Their mouths open while the back is closed," said Ramaswamy when describing embryonic cockroaches. In the mother's pouch, the baby cockroaches rely on the nutrient concentrates to grow in the speed of aliens.

Because these animals do not have nipples, cockroaches milk can not be milked like a cow's milk, but will be processed into a kind of yeast. In addition, the brand "cockroaches" certainly not good in terms of business.

"I do not think people would like it if we tell them, 'We extract the crystals from cockroaches milk and process it became food'," says Ramaswamy.

In addition, further research is needed and a series of tests to determine whether the cockroaches milk safe for human consumption in the long term. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CNN]

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Belgian scientists create an urine converter machine into drinking water

A group of scientists at University of Ghent in Belgium say they have created a solar-powered machine able to converts urine into drinking water and fertilizer. This technique is said to be applied in rural areas and developing countries.

Although there are other options for processing the waste water, the system applied at the University of Ghent using a special membrane, which is said to be energy efficient and can be used in areas that have no electricity supply.

Two Belgian scientists, Marjolein Vanoppen and Sebastiaan Derese (right) shows how to use solar-powered machine to turn urine into drinking water and fertilizer on the campus of the University of Ghent, Belgium, July 26, 2016. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cfYod)

"We can get fertilizer and drinking water from urine by using a solar powered simple process," said Sebastiaan Derese, a researcher from the University of Ghent. The urine is collected in a large tank, heated in a solar-powered boiler before being passed to the membrane to get water and separating substances such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Belgian scientist Sebastiaan Derese drinks water from a machine that turns urine into drinkable water and fertilizer using solar energy, at the University of Ghent, Belgium, July 26, 2016. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cfZfs)

With #peeforscience hashtag, the researcher team recently installed those machines at music festivals and theater that lasted 10 days in Ghent, and got 1,000 liters of urine from the visitors.

Furthermore Derese said, that the target is to install more larger machines in sports stadiums or airports, and also took it to remote places in the developing countries where fertilizer and drinking water is less available.

As with previous projects involving those researcher team, the water obtained from the festival in the city will be used to create one of the most desirable Belgian products, ie beer. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | #PEEFORSCIENCE | REUTERS]

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'Glow in The Dark' cement will change the Construction World globally

Concrete never be a material that can amplifies the building because the function only enhance the building alone. However, the conditions would change immediately after a Mexican scientist named Jose Carlos Rubio Avalos find the 'Glow in The Dark' cement.

Cement is a major component forming the concrete will be able to beautify the city landscape at night from Shanghai to Seoul. Cement is made of energy-efficient material that can absorb the sunlight and begins to emit the light when the night comes.

A small piece of cement with large potential. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cQ4Tn)

"This cement can be applied in the use of exterior and interior of the building," said Rubio Avalos who is also a researcher at the University Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo, Mexico.

As we all knew, cements are the millions of dollars industry and in 2014 ago, the global consumption of these materials exceeded 4.3 billion tons. Now, the discovery of Rubio Avalos believed to be able to change the existing cement industry. He also received many requests related his inventions, ranging from government, the business community, to the non-governmental organization (NGO).

Glowing in the dark bike path. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1cQ4Tn)

Various requests that would be used for the manufacture of home applications, bike paths, highways, interior, and even a swimming pool. For examples, one NGO named Doctor Without Borders wants to apply the glow in the dark cement in a public bathroom frequently in trouble with the lighting system and also in order to make women feel safe when entering a public restroom.

The cement manufacturing process begins by mixing the powder with water and once solidified gel, the cement sign in the form of crystalline flake. The flakes are part of the cement that is not necessary. Rubio Avalos then find a way to change the microstructure of cement which makes the flakes do not appear.

As a result, the cement without the crystalline flakes can absorb solar energy and emits the light when the night comes. According to him, the light-emitting product from the cement could last for 100 years and shines for 12 hours at night.

"Some people then say that this is a completely new material," he said.

The color produced far is merely a ​​blue sea and green light, but Rubio Avalos is trying to make the cement with the color of red, white, and purple. Now, he is also trying to build a factory capable of producing cement is expected within three to five months. However, all it will cost big money.

"If we want commercialized and met all the demand from Europe, America, Africa, and Asia so we need around US. $5-6 million," he said further. The high cost of funds due to the complex structure owned by the cement and according to Rubio Avalos, his invention is five times more expensive than ordinary cement manufacture.

Nevertheless, the overall structure should not use this cement. Rubio Avalos said they just simply coated out layers only. However, it did not cover the high cost of the use of cement.

"Every single square meter which may be 3 millimeters thick would cost about US. $60 to $70 (Rp.780,000 - Rp.910,000)," said Rubio Avalos. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CNN]

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Guess what the color is, Green or Blue?

In 2015, the world's netizen split in two since an 'outfit' with a doubted colors causing the opposite opinion. At that time, there are those who say that the clothes are black or blue with gold or white combinations. A year later, there's an Adidas jacket invited a similar furore. Some people call the color combination of blue and white, while others call it the green-gold, black and brown, and green-brown.

Back in 2015, the infamous 'dress' divided internet users, who simply could not agree over whether it was black and blue or gold and white - with even Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift joining in on the debate. One year later, the Adidas jacket (right) did the same. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1bVplb)

Now, as quoted by the Daily Mail on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, appears a color that is expected to generate the frustrated of netizens. Again, it is evident that the perception of color is different in each person.

Is this colour blue or green? When asked to name the colour above, 64% of respondents said that it was green, with 32% believing it to be blue. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1bVplb)

Optical Express conducted the survey for the British public about simple task to explain tinge of blue and green as part of research on our perception of color. When asked about the color in question, 64 percent answering that it is a green color. On the other hand, about 32 percent say that the color is blue.

Guessing colored view is one of the many that can be done during a routine test in our eyes. May be there the color-blind condition was not detected, depending on severity. The conditions of the eye known as protanomali, deuteranomali, and tritanomali, started from simply not convenient until pretty dangerous so often inhibits someone to continue on a specific career.

However, when asked to name the same colour adjacent to two distinctly blue images, many changed their minds - with 90% then stating that it was green. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1bVplb)

Light from the outside enters the human eye and landed on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. That light is then converted into electrical signals that propagate from the visual nerve to the visual cortex in the brain. The brain makes a distinctive interpretation of this electrical signals.

So do not be surprised if a lot of answering then replace their opinion when looking at the color in question when flanked by two kinds of blue. As it turned out, we looked at the color of an object based on a comparison to the surroundings, not on the color observed itself.

Guessing colored view is one of the many that can be done during a routine test in our eyes. May be there the color-blind condition was not detected, depending on severity. The conditions of the eye known as protanomali, deuteranomali, and tritanomali range from simply not convenient until pretty dangerous so often inhibits someone to continue on a specific career.

So, if there is any doubt about the perception of color, it helps people immediately went to the ophthalmologists. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILY MAIL]

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Rare photographs, a Fish trapped inside the Jellyfish

A photograph captured a rare phenomenon, the fish that swim in jellyfish has become a hot issue on social media recently. And until now, the photos taken in the waters of eastern Australia that has been viewed more than two million times.

The unique photo successfully taken by a photographer Tim Samuel while swimming with a friend Franny Plumridge in the waters near the tourist resort of Byron Bay, last December. The tiny fish trapped in the body of jellyfish that are larger than its body. Facial expressions of the fish visible from the outside, because the body of jellyfish translucent. The fish looks scared and panic.

Tim Samuel was free diving in the waters off Byron Bay, near the Queensland-New South Wales border, when he noticed a jellyfish bobbing past with a fish trapped inside it. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1b4P84)

"It was trapped inside the jellyfish but it controls the movement of the jellyfish," Samuel said in his posting on Instagram. 

After his picture re-repost by an account alias @discoverocean on Monday, June 6, 2016, Samuel admitted that he got a lot of phone calls.

"When @franny.plumridge and I found it, we realized that we found something special, but we do not know if this turned out to be a rare phenomenon," he wrote.

He posted the first image in December which depicted his friend Franny Plumridge (pictured) swimming behind the unlikely duo. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1b4P84)

"I was really surprised by the many highlights from around the world," said Samuel.

Some netizens also give their own opinions. Some suspect the fish is stung by thejellyfish, while others highlight the tail still outside the body of the jellyfish, so that it can control the movement of the jellyfish.

William Gladstone, a marine life experts agree that this is indeed a rare phenomenon. Academics from the University of Technology in Sydney, told the Sydney Morning Herald, said that he had ever seen the trevally fish hiding in the jellyfish, but have never seen anything like Samuel's photo shoots. Samuel photos has been viewed 2.3 million times on the photo sharing sites, Imgur.

Samuel thought of trying to help the fish out of the body of the jellyfish. However, he decided to let nature find their own way. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILY MAIL]

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This man can survive without a heart for over a year

Stan Larkin managed to survive without human heart in his body for more than a year, before he received a donor heart. The 25-year-old men 'wear' artificial heart in a backpack during 24/7 for 555 days.

Stan Larkin with the Freedom® portable driver installed on his body. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1aypuP)

The artificial heart pump blood throughout the body and make Stan alive. The success of this procedure showed that the artificial heart devices can be used to maintain other patients with heart failure in total during their wait for a donor heart.

It started when Stan became the first patient in Michigan that uses artificial heart devices in 2014. Stan and his brother, Dominique diagnosed as teenagers with familial cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition that can lead to heart failure without any warning. This condition is one of the main causes of death in athletes.

After years of waiting for a donor heart and never can be, Stan and his brother eventually have to be willing to lose their hearts and replaced by an artificial heart device known as 'SynCardia.'

"Conditions are both very severe and when we first take care of them in intensive care units (ICU)," said Jonathan Haft, a surgeon in University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center who handles transplants for Stan and Dominique.

Team doctors want both received the heart transplants, "But we were not sure we had enough time. Conditions unique anatomy on both  the commonly used technology was useless," he continued.

Devices such as implantable defibrillators can help the patients with partial heart failure, but can not help patients of heart failure in total.

Dominique just need to use the technology for heart failure in total for several weeks before finally getting a heart transplant. But Stan had to wait until more than a year. Instead of remain in the hospital, he was fitted with the Freedom® portable driver so he could go home in the meantime.

At that time, how many things he could do with that device. The portable device is shaped backpack weighs of 6 kg which is connected to the vascular system of the patient, to continue to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body.

As quoted of Science Alert, using a portable device was not easy, Stan complained not being able to hold his daughters or give them piggy back rides. But he managed to continue playing basketball! The real surprise for the doctors who treated him.

"The device was not designed to be used while playing basketball," says Haft. He then continued, "Stan pushed the envelope with this technology. He really thrived on the device."

Finally, Stan received a donor heart on May 9, 2016, and has now fully recovered. He shares his story, which he described as "emotional rollercoaster" with an emphasis on increasing awareness about 5.7 million Americans are living with heart failure and the need for heart donors.

"You're heroes to all of us," David J. Pinsky, director of the Frankel Cardiovascular Centre, said of Stan and Dominique. "The fact that you take your story public and allow us to teach others makes a difference. You'll make a difference for a lot of patients. You'll make a difference to the doctors of the future. We thank you for allowing us to share your story and your bravery in sharing it."  *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE ALERT]

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