One of the steps in my 30-year plan looks to be only about 10 years off from commercial development.

( Umerikan Tranzlayqun )

The DoD has announced that they are budgeting $250M (at $50M/year) toward regenerative medical research; specifically, regrowing skin, muscles, tendons, noses, fingers, and eventually other organs and whole limbs. They've already successfully regrown blood vessels, livers, bladders, muscle tissue, and an ear.

Links: "Rearming America" [slate.com ( Read more... )

The 1,116 unique proteins found in human saliva glands have now been mapped.

( Umerikan Tranzlayqun )

Recent studies have shown that, at least in a specific type of worm, lowering insulin levels in the blood to a specific amount resulted in doubling their lifespan. Since your pancreas (if it's healthy) responds to carbohydrates in the blood stream by producing more insulin, it stands to reason that you'll live longer if you eat a reduced-carb diet ( Read more... )

Researchers have defined the conditions under which normal adult cells can be reverted to an embryonic stem cell state.

What this means for non-geeks:   In the near future, using this process, doctors will be able to take healthy cells from your body, convert them to embryonic stem cells, grow them, and then change their environment to trigger ( Read more... )

An interesting set of results on the effects of a specific molecule in red wine, and its effects on lifespan. Summary: Resveratol stimulates the gene SIRT1 in a way similar to how a low-calorie diet stimulates it. Diabetics in the test group showed a significant drop in blood sugar versus the control group. They're working on stimulating the ( Read more... )

Forbes has an article that describes a new, alternate approach to fighting anti-bacterial-resistant bacteria that's having some success.

Summary:

• Many bacteria appear to issue chemical signals for others to gather, and then wait to reach a critical level before attacking in overwhelming force. Breaking up that signal, with chemical counters that ( Read more... )

Toshiba has just announced a new Micro Nuclear Reactor that puts off 200kw for about 40 years, at a cost of about $0.05/kwh (much cheaper than most people pay). It's self-contained and automated, and using the latest tech (can't melt down, no control rods, no waste output to be contaminated, etc). I calculate, at their figures, that it runs about ( Read more... )

An interesting paper on the current state of warp drive technology.

( Umerikan Tranzlayqun )

A new method has been discovered for evaluating an area for geothermal viability. Specifically: The Helium3 to Helium4 ratio. Seems Helium3 is far more common in the mantle, and Helium4 is far more common in the crust, and in checking surface wells near a spot where the crust is thinner, the ratio is significantly higher. Plus, it's a cheap and ( Read more... )