Materials

The human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is associated with infection in 37 million people worldwide. Its contraction can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which may result in significant losses of life quality and mortality in many cases. An HIV-positive status is an insidious condition for this reason, and for its historical resistance to medical treatment.

Graphene could be the material of the future. It has already demonstrated promise in a wide range of beneficial applications, from energy storage to water purification.

Graphene is a nanostructure for carbon atoms that arranges them into two-dimensional sheets in a regular hexagonal pattern. Due to its molecular, electrochemical and physical properties, it could have an essential role to play in the future of technology.

How does your phone flip into landscape mode or come alive when you pick it up? It has a gyroscope, which is a particular type of sensor that lets electronic devices know which way is 'up!'

As of February 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that approximately 5.5 million people are bitten by snakes each year, and about 2.7 million contracts a deadly disease called snakebite envenoming. This is an issue in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Asia takes the top spot as far as envenoming goes, with 2 million affected annually, most of these individuals are from low- to middle-income countries where healthcare resources are limited.

Kirigami is a form of art in which paper is deformed and bent into the desired shape. Originating in Japan, it is similar to origami, with the exception that cutting is also permitted in this discipline.

There are very few pure elements that have magnetic properties. This limits the options for those in the areas of engineering, manufacturing, and electronics. It may also put pressure on the reserves of those elements known to have magnetism (or ferromagnetism, as it is technically termed) – i.e., iron, nickel, and cobalt. However, a new paper in Nature Communications has claimed that element ruthenium exhibited these desirable properties in a new experimental conformation.

Internal bleeding should be taken seriously, and not just because it could indicate signs of severe trauma. This form of hemorrhage, which occurs in blood vessels far away from the skin (e.g., between internal organs) can deprive tissues affected of nutrients and oxygen, thus, increasing the risk of adverse events such as ischemia or necrosis.

Storm Emma, which occurred in early 2018 in the UK, may have stressed the importance of heat conservation for the many people affected by it. Modern dwellings can be insulated by incorporating thin sheets of aerogel or Styrofoam into building shells during construction. However, these materials are synthetic and can represent environmental damage in their manufacture or disposal.

If scientists from the future were to be asked about the significant discoveries of the 2010s, the term 'time crystal' would probably be at the top of that list. Time crystals are solid compounds in which some atoms have been observed to "tick" regularly when exposed to electromagnetic fields. The definition may sound a little underwhelming. However, it is the first example of atoms behaving in this manner.

A team of Scottish scientists has developed a type of laser that is thin enough to be integrated into contact lenses. However, those hoping to emulate their favorite Marvel character with super-ocular powers could be disappointed! The type of light the putative 'laser contacts' was designed to emit is more likely to turn someone into an authorized individual with easily-scanned credentials rather than an artificial X-man.

Coloring one's hair is a regular personal care routine for many people. It is often used as an avenue to self-expression or as a way to stand out from the crowd. However, the actual process of coloring is not usually a favorite chore. Most commercial hair dyes have the disadvantage of being potentially irritating, damaging to property or surfaces and smelling to a horrific degree. Even newer formulations contain chemicals that could be toxic to the environment at their disposal.