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We've all marveled at the day-glo life-forms in Avatar — but bioluminescence could save your life soon. Researchers have been able to inject brain tumor cells with a firefly gene, so they can identify the types of cells that spread. More »
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So here's one thing you probably didn't know about Peter Parker: All that spider venom in his bloodstream not only makes him super-powerful, but also keeps Mary Jane satisfied through the night. Yes, you read that right - new research is showing that spider venom could be used to treat impotence. That's not the end of the story, either; radioactive scorpion venom can also be used as a cancer treatment. You may have heard that chocolate-covered bugs are crunchy and delicious, but it turns out that arthropods have even more to offer us. More »
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Currently, you can take your own temperature, determine the percentage of fat in your body, and even monitor the glucose levels in your blood with handheld devices. In the future, however, you'll have the power to do a lot more. New biosensor technology from the University of Leeds makes it possible to test for a variety of diseases in under 15 minutes, and research team leaders Dr. Paul Millner and Dr. Tim Gibson say their sensing device will be the size of a cell phone. Pretty soon you'll be able to tell who all the hypochondriacs are in your life; they'll be walking down the street with their eyes glued to their gadgets, constantly punching in biomarker settings for possible ailments. More »
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