Kidney, check. Lungs, check.
(Credit: Etsy/CraftyHedgehog)Not all of us were cut out for the graphic task of dissecting frogs--and that's one reason we ended up majoring in liberal arts.
It's watching you...
(Credit: Etsy/CraftyHedgehog)Maybe if we could have skipped the organ prodding and learned anatomy through this far less slimy knitted frog dissection kit, we would have ended up as doctors (of course, then we wouldn't be working at CNET, which would be really sad).
We spotted "Knitting in Biology 101" on crafts site Etsy. Its creator, CraftyHedgehog, hand-knit the frog from a silk/wool blend, with its little innards needle-felted by hand out of 100 percent wool. Trust me, you've never seen a cuter spleen!
The amusing little amphibian comes pinned into an actual aluminum dissection tray filled with black wax (never used, the Vermont-based artist assures us).
True, you won't get to touch the muscle fibers or elastic tongue or whiff the formaldehyde. But Kermit isn't glued down, which means you can take him (her?) out and cuddle him (her?). Bonus!
Froggy goes for $95, plus $10 shipping.
Structure of a cell.
(Credit: mtandao-afrika.net)I just can't wrap my head around this development--not because it's so big, but because it's so tiny.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a "nanoneedle" with a diameter of approximately 50 nanometers--about half the size of previously reported nanoneedles.
To put this in perspective, it turns out that the thinnest human head hair is about 10,000 times thicker than this new needle. Obviously, the majority of us won't find any use for a needle of this size. However, this is a breakthrough device with applications for biophysical research.
The nanoneedle is designed to penetrate the membrane of a living cell for the targeted delivery of one or more molecules into the cytoplasm or the nucleus. In addition, it can be used as an electrochemical probe and as an optical biosensor.
... Read more
(Credit:
U.S. Army)
A $28-million military research project could pay off for you at the Laundromat.
Researchers have developed a water-repellant coating using a polymer film (polyglycidyl methacrylate) mixed with silver nanoparticles that, when fixed to common clothing and soaked in a chemical solution, allows them to repel bacteria.
"The coating doesn't actually clean itself," said Dr. Phil Brown of Clemson University. "You will still need some water to rinse away dirt and stains, but cleaning will be quicker and less frequent."
That works for us, but how about socks? Originally developed to protect troops from biological warfare agents, the coating could be available in everything from hospital scrubs to lawn furniture in about five years. The treatment may prove eco-friendly as well by reducing detergent and water consumption in current laundry practices.
And meanwhile? Well, a certain faction here at Crave has hinted that a product called Under-Ease, a charcoal filtered, anti-flatulence underwear, might be a good start. The company motto: "Wear them for the ones you love."
(Credit:
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum)
The invasion of the robots is heading into the sea.
Just a few days ago, we witnessed an underwater robot lumberjack that bore an unsettling resemblance to Spongebob Squarepants. Now the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is showcasing a bionic lobster that is joining the denizens of the deep, mimicking its living counterparts for research purposes in coastal waters.
As Ubergizmo points out, the Crustastun may have finally met its match.
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