Inventions On The Horizon That Will Blow Your Mind
You think the world is revolutionary as it is, but then someone comes around and reveals some brand new invention that totally blows your mind. Not every invention will change your life; just check out any crowdfunding website. Every once in a while though, the new ‘sliced bread’ comes around and really makes you feel like you’re living in the future.
Mussel Glue
No, I didn’t accidentally misspell muscle. You may have heard of this odd new invention that is slowly making its way into the world of aquatic adhesives as it’s getting a lot of attention due to how revolutionary it could become.
Sea mussels, like the ones you may occasionally dine on, have a unique ability to secrete a type of glue that allows them to stick on to everything from rocks to the sides of boats, an occurrence called biofouling. What makes this really unique is the idea that this adhesive is not only strong, but is able to be created, applied, and solidified while in water. There is a bunch of science involved, but it’s basically done through the mussels secreting a type of protein that they link themselves to, generating a strong bond to whatever they please.
To make it even crazier, the glue that has been invented isn’t harvested from mussels themselves; it’s harvested from E. Coli. Yeah, the bacteria you find in contaminated food. Researchers from MIT required more than just the protein the mussels produced in order to make the adhesive into an applicable glue. Genetically engineered E. Coli produced the same protein the mussel secreted in addition to the natural proteins bacteria uses to create slime colonies (protective layers of slime created to protect bacteria from the environment it is in). In equal parts, these proteins formed a glue that is 1.5 times stronger than the natural glue produced by the mussels and can work in basic and neutral liquid environments.
What makes this invention even more incredible is the potential it holds for further advancements. In the medical field, there is a potential for this waterproof glue to be used to seal wounds without the use of stitches or bandages. When mixed with other synthetic substances, this glue even has the potential to heal wounds without leaving any scarring.
In addition to this is the possibility for the glue to be activated and deactivated through the use of electricity. While this is still only in the concept stage, this glue has shown the ability to gain and lose its stickiness by messing with the pH balance of it. This means that this miracle glue would be easier to remove than any other long lasting adhesive.
This invention is still in a relative infancy though. While it has been created, the researchers working with it are not able to make large quantities of it, and it has trouble forming adhesive bonds in acidic liquids. I don’t know why you would want to repair something in acid, but I’m sure there are reasons.
Mars Space Magnet Shield
This is the epitome of next level technology in my mind. It’s something you would see in video games or Sci-Fi movie, but now apparently we might see it orbiting Mars. If we’re still around in 2050, that is.
This Magnet Shield is a concept idea that is being considered as a way of terraforming the martian planet in order to create a sustainable atmosphere. The quick history of Mars is that it is believed to have once been a watery, possibly life-sustaining planet just like Earth. Mars, as a smaller planet, began to cool down to the extent of its molten, rotating core beginning to solidify. This led to the natural magnetic field produced by the core to weaken, leaving the planet susceptible to bombardment by solar winds, which began to blow the atmosphere away. This lack of atmosphere led to cooler climates, cooling the planet down even further causing a cycle that led to Mars as we know it. This lack of atmosphere results in an inability to maintain a general range of temperature, causing Mars to shift from 20 degrees Celsius during the day to negative 73 degrees Celsius at night.
The plan is to try and give Mars a set of atmospheric ‘training wheels’ in an attempt to regenerate the natural atmosphere. The idea is to create a huge dipole, a magnet with two polarized sides or a single, electrically charged metallic mass, in order to create an artificial magnetic field. This satellite would sustain a locked orbit between Mars and the Sun, allowing for gradual accumulation of atmosphere to take place. Whether this be through human intervention or by natural process, the planet would begin to warm up enough to melt the frozen carbon dioxide (CO2) at the poles, causing a greenhouse effect that would trap heat and a breathable atmosphere around the planet.
This is a long term solution though, as it will be 2050 before we could actually see it orbiting Mars. In addition to this is the idea that the process would take a long time, and for the desolate face of Mars to mimic the lush face of Earth would take even longer. Don’t fret though as humanity could be landing on Mars sometime in the 2030’s, as discussed here by Kianna Gnap.
CRISPR – Cas9
Yes, I had to throw this one in because this is even more Sci-Fi than the space shield. CRISPR, or the system of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a new kind of genetic engineering in which scientists can edit genomes, or in other words, edit DNA.
Originally found in bacteria and archaea (a type of single celled organism), CRISPR itself is the term for a sort of archive where bits of virus genome are saved within a cell, following the infection and recovery of a virus in said bacteria or archaea. It works as a sort of wanted poster, allowing the cell to more easily recognize when a virus attacks. This is where Cas9, or CRISPR Associated protein 9, comes in to play. Cas9 acts as the weapon within a cell using CRISPR, and after matching the genome from CRISPR with the genome of the invading cell, it goes and kills the virus by cutting up its DNA.
What makes CRISPR so important is how precise and cost effective it is. Genome editing has been around for years, but CRISPR’s precision in matching DNA sequences and its cost effectiveness means that genetic experiments now happen a lot quicker. With modifications and experimenting, researchers have found ways to insert, pause, or alter genes as well as destroy them. With time, CRISPR could lead to the ability to conquer genetic diseases and to extend life expectancies. Recent work with the Cas13 protein (which is used in the same way as Cas9) has shown the ability to cure HIV, instead of simply suppressing it as current treatments do, as well as Zika virus.
You may have been wondering, and yes, CRISPR also opens up the possibility of designing your own genetic code to make a sort of custom body. While this seems pretty sweet, the concept of ethics becomes a major concern. Being able to design children to look however you want them to, or to plant genes that lead to incredible intelligence or physique kinda throws the importance of individuality and hard work out the window. In addition to this is the idea that although CRISPR is great, it isn’t perfect and is still capable of making mistakes when cutting or inserting genes. Altering genomes also carries the concern of not knowing the effects of changing a single gene. Cutting out genes can have a ripple effect, throwing the equilibrium of our bodies into chaos. A tool as powerful as CRISPR can do just as much harm as it can good.
It is important to note that these are simply the three most interesting inventions that I’ve found in my research. I acknowledge that there are probably some other great ideas floating around that I didn’t catch, or ideas that are incredibly interesting that I’m just not that in to. If you have any more inventions you want to bring up, tell us on social media and we might do a part two of “Pretty Awesome Inventions”.
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