That‘s Cool News | A weekly breakdown of positive Science & Tech news.

Porsche’s synthetic gasoline factory comes online today in Chile | Ars Technica (01:07)

NASA Discovers Pair of Super-Earths With 1,000-Mile-Deep Oceans | SciTechDaily (08:24)

Gene therapy cures kids with rare “bubble-boy” disease in new trial | New Atlas (12:18)

Proof-of-concept drone flight delivers transplant lung to patient in Toronto | TechXplore (17:37)

Blood test detects ’toxic’ protein years before Alzheimer’s symptoms emerge |  ScienceDaily (22:55)

Experimental compound shown to block effects of multiple harmful drugs | New Atlas (01:20)

’Mars’ interior is not behaving,’ active mantle plume reveals | Live Science (06:30)

Haptic hydrogel ”skin” simulates touch in VR and AR | New Atlas (10:36)

Pill technology releases molecules by exposure to UV light | Brighter Side News (15:37)

A new water-based switch is thousands of times faster than current semiconductors | Interesting Engineering (21:04)

What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? | ZDNET (00:57)

ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an AI and research company. Launched on November 30, 2022. 

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that allows you to have human-like conversations and much more with a chatbot.It answers questions and can assist you with tasks

Open to the public

“ChatGPT is scary good. We are not far from dangerously strong AI," said nonother than Elon Musk

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated on twitter the success of their chatbot:“ChatGPT launched on wednesday. Today it crossed 1 million users!”

Altman tweeted that just 5 days after ChatGPT went online

One twitter thread that I’ve seen that shows the power of this sophisticated chatbot was posted by Ben Tossell (@bentossell)One tweet in the thread was a quote tweeting @jdjkelly post stating: “Google is done. Compare the quality of these responses (ChatGPT)”

The tweet has pictures comparing the question asked in Google Search and ChatGPT. GPT was straightforward, explained thoroughly, and had examples.

It should be noted when comparing GPT to a search engineChatGPT does not have the ability to search the internet for information and rather, uses the information it learned from training data to generate a response, which leaves room for error. 

One issue I have encountered with GPT is that the responses it generates are not always of high quality. Responses may sound plausible, but they lack practical sense or are overly verbose.

 

NASA’s TBIRD Mission Demonstrates 1.4TB Optical Downlink | Via Satellite (06:18)

NASA’s TBIRD mission recently achieved a record for optical communications in spaceThe satellite downlinked 1.4 terabytes of data over laser communications links in a single pass that lasted about five minutes.

TBIRD = TeraByte InfraRed Delivery

According to NASA, the goal of the TBIRD program was to “establish a communication link from a nanosatellite in low-Earth orbit to a ground station at burst rates up to 200 Gbps.”Built by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory 

Integrated into NASA’s Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator 3 Satellite (PTD-3)

NASA confirmed this amazing data transfer milestone on Twitter:“Our tiny TBIRD payload just achieved a major milestone! The @NASA_Technology mission downlinked a record-setting data volume of 1.4 terabytes over laser comm links in a single, ~5-minute pass. TBIRD is showing the benefits laser comm can have for missions.”

 

Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source | TechXplore (09:34)

MIT engineers have developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source.These durable, flexible solar cells are much thinner than a human hair.

Are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface.

Because they are so thin and lightweight, these solar cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces.Could be integrated onto the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea,

Adhered onto tents and tarps that are deployed in disaster recovery operations

Applied onto the wings of drones to extend their flying range. 

They are one-hundredth the weight of conventional solar panels, generate 18 times more power-per-kilogram, and are made from semiconducting inks.Uses printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing.

When they tested the device, the MIT researchers found it could generate 730 watts of power per kilogram when freestanding and about 370 watts-per-kilogram if deployed on the high-strength fabric. 18 times more power-per-kilogram than conventional solar cells.

After rolling and unrolling a fabric solar panel more than 500 times, the researchers saw that the cells still retained more than 90 percent of their initial power generation.

Jeremiah Mwaura, a co-author on the study, explains why the team is looking at the encasing method next:“Encasing these solar cells in heavy glass, as is standa

Elon Musk says he's confident Neuralink will be ready to put chips into human brains in the next 6 months | Business Insider (00:51)

Neuralink hosted an event in California this past Wednesday (Nov. 30th), and Musk expects the wireless brain chip developed by Neuralink to begin human clinical trials in six months.

After the event on Twitter stating:“We are now confident that the Neuralink device is ready for humans, so timing is a function of working through the FDA approval process”

Neuralink has in recent years been conducting tests on animals as it seeks approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin clinical trials in people.At the event, they demonstrated the brain-computer interface technology by showing a video of a monkey apparently fitted with a Neuralink brain chip, "telepathically typing."

Neuralink's brain chip, which is around the size of a coin, has tiny wires embedded with electrodes that aim to monitor brain activity and electrically stimulate the brain. Goal to help treat a variety of conditions, such as neurological disorders, paralysis, and other conditions that affect the nervous system. 

Little skeptical of the 6 months timeline:Musk said in a 2019 presentation he was aiming to receive regulatory approval by the end of 2020. 

Then said at a conference in late 2021 that he hoped to start human trials this year (2022).

Elon does believe the progress will continue to more rapidly than before:“The progress at first, particularly as it applies to humans, will seem perhaps agonizingly slow, but we are doing all of the things to bring it to scale in parallel … So, in theory, progress should be exponential."

 

GM’s Cruise pursuing permit to test its custom-built ‘Origin’ robotaxi in San Francisco | TechCrunch (08:01)

Cruise, GM’s self-driving technology subsidiary, has started the regulatory process to test its next-generation “Origin” robotaxi on public roads in San Francisco.

The company applied for a permit with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test its custom-built driverless vehicle on public roads. Already charging the public for rides in its autonomous Chevy Bolt EVs

The driverless Origin, the product of a multiyear collaboration with parent company GM and investor Honda that is designed for a ridesharing serviceHas no steering wheel or pedals and is designed to travel at highway speeds.

The Origin doesn’t meet a handful of federal motor vehicle safety standards (known as FMVSS) because it lacks certain parts like a steering wheel that are currently required in human-driven vehicles.Filed for temporary exemption 

Cruise has previously said it expects to begin production of the Origin in 2023, a date that gives some guidance on when the automaker expects to have an exemption and other permits that would allow it to ramp from testing to commercial operations.

 

Government Scientists ‘Approaching What is Required for Fusion’ in Breakthrough Energy Research | Vice (12:05)

Researchers have confirmed that magnetic fields can enhance the energy output of their experiments, reports a new study. Suggest that magnets may play a key role in the development of this futuristic form of power

Sort of knew the importance of magnets already since they are used to contain and control the plasma in a nuclear fusion reactor, preventing it from touching the walls of the and cooling down.

National Ignition Facility (NIF) scientists have reported that the magnetic fields can boost the temperature of the fusion “hot spot” in experiments by 40 percent and more than triple its energy output.“temperature approaching what is required for fusion ignition”

Remember, in a fusion reaction, hydrogen atoms are combined to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy. Can only take place at extremely high temperatures, on the order of millions of degrees Celsius. 

The hot spots in the NIF’s fusion experiments are created by shooting nearly 200 lasers at a tiny pellet of fuel made of

Researchers are building robots that can build themselves | Tech Crunch (00:52)

MIT researchers are working on a project to develop robots that effectively self-assemble.Team admits this technology is “years away”

Work so far has shown positive results

At the system’s center are voxels, which carry power and data that can be shared between pieces.

The pieces form the foundation of the robot by grabbing and attaching additional voxels before moving across the grid for further assembly.Currently working on building stronger connectors to keep the voxels together.

States in their paper:“Our approach challenges the convention that larger constructions need larger machines to build them, and could be applied in areas that today either require substantial capital investments for fixed infrastructure or are altogether unfeasible.”

The team suggests that using the robots to determine the optimal build could save on a lot of time spent prototyping.“While there has been increasing interest in 3-D-printed houses, today those require printing machinery as large or larger than the house being built. Again, the potential for such structures to instead be assembled by swarms of tiny robots could provide benefits. And the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is also interested in the work for the possibility of building structures for coastal protection against erosion and sea level rise.”

 

A game-changing new hybrid EV battery recharges in only 72 seconds | Interesting Engineering (06:03)

Swiss startup Morand, has developed new battery technology that could see electric vehicle (EV) batteries charge in less time than it takes to fill an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle at a gas station.  Called eTechnology

The new technology, which can charge electric cars in only 72 seconds, is a hybrid system that uses technology from traditional batteries and ultracapacitors.ULTRACAPACITORS deliver quick bursts of energy during peak power demands, then quickly store energy and capture excess power that is otherwise lost.

The startup says that, during testing, a prototype of its eTechnology solution was able to recharge at up to 900 A/360 kW:80 percent in just 72 seconds, 

98 percent in 120 seconds, and 

100 percent in 2.5 minutes. 

The company also states that Geo Technology performed independent testing.

Morand says it has tested its eTechnology prototype over more than 50,000 cycles and claims the technology shows potential for retaining power over far more charge/discharge cycles than a traditional lithium-ion battery.

The company is looking to bring the technology to market, no word on the exact date.It will likely be more expensive than lithium-ion battery technology, to begin with.

Morand aims to scale production to lower the cost of its potentially game-changing hybrid technology.

 

Amazon makes a new push into health care | The Economist (13:05)

Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, highlighted a big opportunity for the company moving forwards.Health care

Many tech firms are already diving into this health marketApple tracks wellbeing through the iPhone

Microsoft offers cloud-computing services to health firms

Alphabet sells wearable devices and is pumping money into biotech research

Amazon is taking a different route with Amazon Clinic, an online service operating in 32 states that offers virtual health care for over 20 conditions from acne to allergies.Described as a virtual storefront that connects users with third-party health providers.

The launch follows the $3.9bn takeover, announced in July, of One Medical, a primary care provider that offers telehealth services online and runs bricks-and-mortar clinics

Neil Linsday, formerly responsible for Prime,  has said health care “is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention”.

This is the latest move the complement previous moves Amazon has made into this space:2021: Amazon Web Services launched specific cloud services for health care

2020: Launched Halo band, w

"Polytherapeutic" tinnitus treatment app delivers impressive results | New Atlas (00:49)

Tinnitus is when you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears. 

5% of people experience tinnitus at some point in their lives

A team of researchers at the University of Auckland has found it's new smartphone app treatment is getting strong results

This polytherapeutic “combines goal-based counseling with personalized passive and active game-based sound therapy." 

It has tailored the digital tools in the app to the user's own experience of tinnitus.

The primary measurement of effectiveness was the Tinnitus Functional Index, a standard scale used to quantify a person's experience of tinnitus

A 13 point change is regarded as a clinically meaningful difference.

It is a survey so take this with a grain of salt

The group using the polytherapeutic reported an average improvement of 16.36 points after six weeks, and 17.83 points after 12 weeks

55% of participants experiencing a clinically meaningful improvement after six weeks

65% at 12 weeks.

The Auckland team is working on obtaining regulatory approval for the polytherapeutic app, and hope to have it clinically available within six months or so.

Rare Elephant Twins are Born in 'Historic Moment’ at Syracuse Zoo | Today (05:54)

Twin Asian elephant calves were born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York, in what the zoo is calling a “miracle.”

Born on Oct. 24

Ten hours after Mali’s (Mama Elephant obviously) first male calf was born, weighing in at 220 pounds, a second male calf arrived, weighing 237 pounds. 

The zoo commented on this improbability and rarity:

“To date, there has never been a recorded case of surviving elephant twins in the United States …  The few successful twin births have only taken place in their range countries in Asia and Africa and nowhere else in the world.”

Additionally, less than 1% of elephant births worldwide are twins

When twins do occur, the calves are often stillborn or do not survive long after birth.

Engineers designed a new nanoscale 3D printing material that can be printed at a speed of 100 mm/s | Interesting Engineering (09:43)

A new nanoscale 3D printing material developed by Stanford University engineers may provide superior structural protection for satellites, drones, and microelectronics

An improved lightweight, a protective lattice that can absorb twice as much energy as previous materials of a similar density

Nanoscale 3D printing material creates structures that are a fraction of the width of a human hair.

Enabling the printing at very small scales.

The engineers added metal nanoclusters (tiny groupings of atoms) to their printing medium to create a superior 3D printing material.

Effective in kicking off the reaction to harden the material 

Produced a substance that was a mixture of the metal and the polymer printing medium.

The printing process was accelerated by the nanoclusters.

They were able to print at a speed of 100 millimeters per second using the nanoclusters and proteins.

Roughly 100 times faster than what had previously been possible with nanoscale protein printing.

The engineers are in some ways imitating what nature has already mastered.

For instance, the mix of a hard exterior, nanoscale porosity, and trace amounts of soft substance gives bone its durability.

Where to go from here? Wendy Gu, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and a corresponding author on the paper stated:

“Since the nanoclusters are able to polymerize these different classes of chemicals, we may be able to use them to print multiple materials in one structure … That’s one thing we’d like to aim for.”

Researchers develop a new method for analyzing rock glaciers | Phys.org (15:20)

Scientists at the University of Arizona developed a new method to determine rock glaciers' ice thickness and the ratio of ice to debris, allowing for more precise measuremen

Show Notes:

First human patients receive transfusions of lab-grown blood cells | New Atlas (01:01) 

For the first time ever, human patients have received transfusions of blood cells that were grown from stem cells in a lab

 Revolutionize blood transfusions

Blood donations are life saving, but the demand outweighs the supply

But only 13.6 million units of whole blood and red blood cells are collected in the U.S. in a year.

According to the Red Cross, only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly.

Nearly 16 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.

Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S. 

An attractive alternative would be large-scale production of red blood cells in labs, which can be tuned to have whichever blood type is needed. 

The new clinical trial, named RESTORE, is designed to test the safety of transfusions of these manufactured blood cells, as well as how long they last in the body.

Lab-grown blood  is all made “fresh,” so it should all reliably last up to 120 days.

For people with conditions that require regular blood transfusions, such as sickle cell, the longer lifespan of the cells should help give them longer gaps between transfusions. 

The RESTORE trial will involve at least 10 participants receiving “mini” transfusions of blood, containing just 5 to 10 ml (one to two teaspoons) of red blood cells.

So far, two participants have received transfusions of lab-grown blood cells as part of the trial, with the scientists reporting that they have shown no untoward side effects.

While this is a major milestone towards that goal, there’s still much more work to do before blood transfusions are regularly lab-grown

This clear window coating could cool buildings without using energy | Electrek (06:41)

Scientists have used advanced computing tech and AI to design a clear window coating that could lower the temperature inside buildings.

Saving a whole lot of cooling energy.

Cooling accounts for about 15% of global energy consumption, and it’s only going to get hotter, especially in more tropical climates.

The sun’s ultraviolet and near-infrared light are the parts of the solar spectrum that pass through window glass to heat an enclosed room.

Why a car gets hot sitting in the sun.

If you block that light energy the amount of cooling needed would be reduced

According to their new paper, researchers from University of Notre Dame in Indiana and Kyung Hee University in Seoul, successfully designed a clear window coating, or “transparent radiative cooler” (TRC).

According to the report, 

“[The team] optimized the type, order, and combination of layers using an iterative approach guided by machine learning and quantum computing, which stores data using subatomic particles”

Using this quantum method allowed the team to carry out the optimization process faster. Which eventually, “produced a coating design that, when fabricated, beat the performance of conventionally designed TRCs in addition to one of the best commercial heat-reduction glasses on the market.”

Through heat simulations of the TRC as a potential window material for a standard office with two windows they were able to figure out roughly the heat savings.

31.1% of the cooling energy consumption when conventional windows are used.

The average annual energy saving over the surveyed U.S. cities is 50 MJ/m2

In cities with hot, dry weather the TRC can potentially save around 86.3 MJ/m2 per year.

There’s no indication of commercial scaling in the study, but the researchers write that the film “can be potentially scaled up for practical applications because their fabrication can be achieved using state-of-the-art deposition techniques.”

Experimental breast cancer vaccine passes first human trials   | New Atlas (12:19)

I don’t like using the term vaccine for these types of treatments. It is more of cell/protein therapy so I’ll put that out t

Show Notes:

Honda aims for a solid-state-powered EV by the end of the decade | Ars Technica (00:53)

Honda is working on what it believes will be the breakthrough that brings solid-state batteries to the market. 

Working solo on this technology

  Shinji Aoyama, Honda's global leader of electrification, told Ars Technica:

“In the springtime of 2024, we will start a pilot line (for manufacturing). Then if we can be successful, we believe we can launch a vehicle with a solid-state battery in the latter part of the 2020s. 2029, 2028."

CEO and president Toshihiro Mibe added that the automaker hasn't decided which vehicle will be the first to be outfitted with a solid-state battery.

Solid State batteries might be potentially cheaper, safer, charge quicker, and hold more energy per pound, but they also don't have much of a life span.

As we talked about last week

Dendrites are tiny crystal spikes that form in the lithium metal anodes of solid-state batteries over time. 

Honda is trying to solve the issue where the dendrites bore through the electrolyte over time and cause a short circuit during charging, reducing the battery's life span.

Honda's solution is to sandwich the solid electrolyte with a polymer fabric keeping the dendrites from forming without sacrificing the battery's capabilities.

They will roll press the elements instead of stamping, which Honda believes should give the company greater control over the thickness of each battery.

The automaker is still in the early stages of testing these batteries at its facility. 

They have to work quickly if they want to be ready for the pilot manufacturing of solid-state batteries in the spring of 2024.

Bruvi Launches Breakthrough Single-Serve Coffee System  | Business Insider (06:19)

Bruvi is a startup which recently launched its breakthrough brewing system today, just in time for the holiday season. 

U.S. coffee drinkers use more than 17 million single-serve pods annually, the vast majority of which end up in landfills, where they take around 500 years to decompose.

Only about 9% of plastic is recycled and small coffee pods are even more challenging to recycle.

Bruvi‘s B-pods is taking a novel approach to bio-degradable coffee pods by assuming they end up at the landfill.

And designing them to disintegrate when they do.

B-Pods are bio-enzyme infused capsules designed to substantially break down in a landfill more rapidly than untreated plastics through an organic process that leaves no microplastics behind. 

Bruvi co-founder Mel Elias, in an interview with TechCrunch, talks on the pods:

“We are convinced here at Bruvi that we have found a very viable alternative, other than recycling, to address the problem of plastic waste by using bio enzyme technology … For consumers who are under the perception that single-serve pod coffee systems are bad for the environment, our aspiration at Bruvi is to ultimately turn this perception on its head and demonstrate that if you really care about the environment but still want to drink specialty coffee, Bruvi is your choice.”

He continues talking on the bio-enzyme portion of their product:

“This is the first time enzyme-infused plastic has been applied to a polypropylene coffee capsule, so this has already been an expensive endeavor for us as a startup … Adding the bio-enzyme admittedly does add a significant enough increase to the actual cost of our pods that would be a disincentive to most. Our social impact mission demands this course of action and so do the consumers we are trying to reach. Simply put, we couldn’t afford not to implement this solution.”

Elias ends off with what his hopes are for the company and their mission:

“Our immediate hope is that the large waste management companies that own or manage the majority of the active landfills in the U.S. today will be more incentivized, and supported by policy and regulation to increase the number of landfill gas to energy projects th

Show Notes:

The future of solid-state batteries could be 3D-printed | The Verge (01:11)

Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere: in your phone, car, camera, and more.

One major flaw: safety. 

Lithium-ion batteries have a tendency to catch fire, especially when damaged or at high temperatures. 

Solid-state batteries replace a flammable liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries with a more stable solid one. 

Potential solutions for many problems of liquid Li-ion batteries, such as flammability, limited voltage, unstable solid-electrolyte interphase formation, poor cycling performance and strength.

Additionally providing more power, faster charging, and a longer lifespan.

California-based startup Sakuú, and it’s taking on an even bigger task: 3D-printing these next-gen batteries. 

Claims that 3D printing allows it to fit more battery layers in the same amount of space, boosting the capacity of its batteries compared to those made by traditional manufacturing. 

Dave Pederson, vice president of marketing and business development at battery technology company Sakuu, explains that has validated its 3D printing processes and materials, and is currently formatting them for a production environment.  

“We've proven all of the steps in the lab, and now we're in the process of connecting them in an automated fashion,” 

In theory, 3D printed batteries could take on more customized shapes, which could change how batteries are integrated into product design.

Sakuu is bullish on this technology, this past August they opened a state-of-the-art multi-faceted engineering hub for its battery platform printing initiatives in Silicon Valley.

79,000 square feet 

A floating wind platform has been installed in Spain 50 meters into the water | Interesting Engineering (07:15)

A floating wind platform has been successfully installed at the PLOCAN test site in the Canary Islands of Spain.

X1 Wind, the firm behind the platform.

Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN)

Connected the fully-functional floating wind prototype to the mooring system and dynamic cable pre-installed last June.

The benefit of offshore floating wind turbines is they can take advantage of the strong winds blowing in the deeper areas, which improves energy efficiency.

Can manufacture and then tow them out into deeper waters.

The new wind platform has been fitted with a Vestas V29 turbine and stationed at a 50 meter water depth in a downwind configuration.

225 kW turbine

Enable the firm to provide platforms for the 15MW scale turbines and beyond and to deploy them at very deep sites.

 X1 Wind CEO and Co-Founder Alex Raventos explains the importance of this milestone:

“This is a key milestone for our company and for the floating wind sector in general being able to install a floating wind platform using a TLP mooring system and requiring only small vessels. This reduces not only the costs but also the impact on the seabed. Data obtained from the X30 will contribute to de-risk the technology, improve the design, and obtain the certification of our commercial-scale platforms in preparation for upcoming tenders in Spain and other countries worldwide.”

After its installation is completed, the new project will be tested in fully operational conditions until March 2023 while continuing to feed the electricity it generates to PLOCAN’s smartgrid.

Scientists Astonished by Strange Material That Can Be Made Like Plastic but Conducts Like Metal | SciTechDaily (12:13)

University of Chicago scientists have discovered a way to create a material that can be made like a plastic, but conducts electricity more like a metal.

goes against all of the rules we know about conductivity—to a scientist

According to John Anderson, an associate professor of chemistry, “this opens up the design of a whole new class of materials that conduct electricity, are easy to shape, and are very robust in everyday conditions.”

If you’re making any kind

Show Notes

Radioactive implant wipes tumors in unprecedented pre-clinical success | New Atlas (00:52)

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, with tumor cells of this type highly evasive and loaded with mutations that make them resistant to many drugs.

 3.2 percent of all cancers, yet is the third leading cause of cancer-related death

Engineers at Duke University have developed a novel delivery system for cancer treatment and demonstrated its potential against one of the disease’s most troublesome forms

A radioactive implant completely eliminated tumors in the majority of the rodents

The team wanted to figure out a way to implant into the tumor without causing damage to the surrounding tissue.

Created one from more biocompatible materials (instead of titanium)  that wouldn’t post the same risks to the human body.

Synthetic chains of amino acids known as elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), which form a stable gel-like material in the warmer environment of the body.

This substance was injected into tumors in various mouse models of pancreatic cancer along with a radioactive element called iodine-131.

ELP entombs the iodine-131 and prevents it from leaking into the body.

Allows it to emit beta radiation that penetrates into the surrounding tumor.

Once the radiation is spent, the ELP biogel safely degrades into harmless amino acids.

The treatment was tested in combination with a common chemotherapy drug called paclitaxel.

Across all the models tested, the scientists report a 100% response rate to the treatment. 

In three quarters of the models, the dual treatment completely eliminated the tumors 80% of the time.

The scientists deployed the novel treatment against pancreatic cancer because they wanted to explore its potential against one of the trickiest forms of the disease, but believe these results bode well for its wider application.

Study author Jeff Schaal, explains the significance of their finding:

“We did a deep dive through over 1,100 treatments across preclinical models and never found results where the tumors shrank away and disappeared like ours did … When the rest of the literature is saying that what we're seeing doesn't happen, that's when we knew we had something extremely interesting."

In a first, scientists grow fully mature hair follicles in cultures | Interesting Engineering (07:12)

According to a press release, researchers from Japan generated hair follicles in cultures while working on the processes of hair follicle growth and hair pigmentation. 

Could contribute to the development of different applications such as hair loss treatment, animal testing and drug screenings.

Scientists have been trying to understand the essential mechanisms of hair follicle development through animal models for a long while.

Hair follicle morphogenesis wasn’t something that could be reproduced in a culture dish until now.

Morphogenesis is the process when the outer layer of skin and the connective tissue interacts while the embryo develops.

Researchers built hair follicle organoids by controlling the structure generated from the two types of embryonic cells tapping into a low concentration of extracellular matrices.

Extracellular matrix is a network that supplies structure for cells and tissue in the body.

These matrices change the spacing between the two types of embryonic cells from a dumbbell-shape to core-shell configuration. 

Fully mature hair follicles with approximately 3 millimeter (mm)-long hair shafts were produced by the hair follicle organoids on the 23rd day of being cultured.

Researchers included a melanocyte-stimulating drug that helps produce hair color pigmentation in the culture medium. 

The findings could help understand how physiological and pathological processes develop in relation to other organ systems as well. 

Junji Fukuda, a professor with the faculty of engineering at Yokohama National University, speaks on nex