Daily Innovation News

June 25^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇺🇸 US researchers create a 3D printer that combines plastic, metal, and chips to make layered devices

Scientists at the University of Missouri have developed a groundbreaking 3D printer that uses lasers to combine various materials, creating complex, multi-functional devices. This innovative machine, employing the Freeform Multi-material Assembly Process, can construct items like circuit boards and electronic-embedded fabrics with a single device, reducing production time and costs. Potential applications range from wearable health trackers to environmental sensors, marking a significant advancement in 3D printing technology. The study was published in Nature Communications.

⚡️ Energy

🇩🇪 🇬🇧 German-British team extracts battery-grade lithium from geothermal water

A German-British collaboration has successfully extracted battery-grade lithium from geothermal water, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional extraction methods. Using proprietary techniques, EnBW and LevertonHELM produced lithium carbonate with a purity of over 99.5 percent. This method, developed at the Bruchsal geothermal power plant, could reduce environmental impact and Europe's reliance on foreign lithium sources, enhancing the region's electromobility and energy storage capabilities.

🚀 Space

🇨🇳 China’s historic far side of the moon mission brings rock samples back to Earth

China's Chang’e-6 mission has successfully returned with the first-ever rock samples collected from the moon's far side. After a 53-day journey, the mission landed on the ancient South Pole-Aitken basin, gathering two kilograms of lunar material. This significant achievement, completed with a precise re-entry and landing, aims to unlock secrets about the Moon’s formation and the early Solar System. China’s successful mission sets the stage for future explorations, including plans to search for water ice near the lunar south pole.

💊 Healthcare

🇦🇺 Australian and New Zealand researchers develop slow-release ketamine tablet to treat depression

Researchers from Australia and New Zealand have developed an oral, slow-release ketamine tablet that significantly reduces depression symptoms, providing a more convenient alternative to current treatments. In clinical trials, the tablet, taken twice a week, showed a substantial decrease in depressive symptoms without requiring medical supervision. This innovation challenges existing theories on ketamine’s antidepressant effects and offers a potentially safer and more accessible treatment option. The study was published in Nature Medicine.

🇬🇧 UK trials world's first epilepsy implant, reduces seizures by 80%

In a groundbreaking medical trial, a UK team has implanted the world's first epilepsy device in a young boy's skull, reducing his daytime seizures by 80%. This neurostimulator, part of the CADET project, delivers electrical pulses to disrupt abnormal brain signals, significantly improving the quality of life for 13-year-old Oran Knowlson, who suffers from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The implant, recharged via wireless headphones, represents a significant advance in treatment for severe epilepsy.

🇬🇧 UK scientists develop a method to track drugs in the bloodstream using finger sweat with 96% accuracy

Researchers from the University of Surrey have developed a method to detect drugs in the bloodstream using fingerprint sweat, achieving 96% accuracy. This non-invasive technique, which can be performed without special handling or transportation requirements, simplifies monitoring drug adherence for conditions like tuberculosis. The study, which showed the method's effectiveness within 1-6 hours of drug ingestion, suggests a promising alternative to traditional blood tests. The findings were published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

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