Author: Diane Shipley
Staff Writer Diane is especially interested in high-tech medical advances, weird and interesting uses of science, new gadgets, and the intersection of tech and lifestyle. When not working, she reads the internet, listens to podcasts, watches American TV, and thinks about leaving the house.
These new lenses can change from glasses to sunglasses in seconds
Transitional lenses were hailed as a breakthrough for glasses wearers when they first hit the market: you don’t need separate sunglasses or those weird, ‘80s-Dad clip-on shades anymore! Except they don’t always work as well as promised: enter a dark room when it’s bright outside and you’ll be spending a few minutes stumbling around, unable…
Is online advice actually useful, or just an ego trip? #HealthandFitnessWeek
A decade ago, almost everyone I knew on the internet had a blog. Now everywhere I look, I see a new advice column, vlog, or podcast popping up. Half the people I know want to start a new one; the other half is addicted to some self-appointed expert’s words of wisdom. Even award-winning novelist Haruki…
7 ‘bad’ things that can actually be good for you #HealthandFitnessWeek
Every day brings a new health study about something else we need to avoid if we want to live to 90, and they're frequently things we used to think were OK: jogging, red meat, even VITAMINS, for goodness' sake. And who knows what else we'll be warned off in future, or whether people who eschew…
Could pregnancy-monitoring clothes be the future of wearables?
A fashion student at Cornell University in the U.S has been awarded one of four $30,000 Geoffrey Beene national scholarships for her tech-enhanced maternity clothes concept, “B” Maternity Wearables. The awards honour promising designers and entrepreneurs and are decided each year in New York by a panel of fashion insiders. According to New Scientist, after…
This new material can ‘bend’ elastic waves
Engineers from the University of Missouri have developed a new material that can control the direction of elastic waves. These include sound waves and shockwaves and travel on or through a material without changing it. In the past, scientists have tried (and failed) to manipulate these waves using rubber or metal. The team at Missouri,…
Twitter can predict rates of heart disease
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have found that they can use Twitter to accurately predict rates of heart disease in specific areas. Coronary heart disease (where arteries become clogged with fatty plaque, making it harder for blood to move around the body) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Risk factors include stress, a…
A new nanowire mesh will heat our clothes instead of our homes
We all know that central heating is inefficient. In fact, according to Co Exist, it’s responsible for a third of climate change emissions worldwide. Even if you’re sitting in a cosy house or office right now, that’s enough to send a chill down your spine. But a new invention by scientists at Stanford University could…
IVF can be successful even after sterilisation, study shows
We usually think of IVF as being for people who are struggling to have children, not people who’ve decided they don’t want kids (or think they’ve had enough). But a new Australian study has found that women who’ve been sterilised and then undergo IVF have a similar chance of success as women who are having…
Closing your eyes can improve memory
If you’re struggling to remember something, especially a stressful event, you’ll probably have more success if you’re not visually stimulated. That’s according to new research from the University of Surrey which found that people who witnessed crimes were able to remember the incidents more accurately and in more detail when they closed their eyes. Dr…
Our phones could help us make decisions in future
Computer scientists from MIT have developed software that could help us make decisions by predicting the probability of success of different options. Brian Williams, from the university’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, says he and his colleagues wanted to make ‘a better Siri’. So rather than just retrieve information, it can help you make…
