A lot has happened in the STEM world this last week. Check out the Top 5 things to get caught up on
Lauren Yang | News Editor
Featured image Creative Commons image from Kevin Gill on Flickr.
A new needleless adhesive pad may soon join the traditional needle-administered vaccines as another method of injecting medication into a patient.
Creative Commons photo from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Image Library on Wikimedia
1. Needleless Vaccines
Katarzyna Sawicka developed an adhesive vaccine patch that, when applied to the skin, delivers medication without a needle or a refrigerator to cool the solution. Sawicka uses a highly water absorbent material called poly-vinylpyrrolidone, that will allow large molecules to pass through the skin when applied. This patch, called the ImmunoMatrix, has the potential to save lives because it enables vaccines to be administered without sterile needles or a refrigerator to cool the medication.
Creative Commons image from Lit Motors C-1 on Flickr
2. Two Wheeled Car
Daniel Kim, founder of Lit Motors, recently announced his company’s self-balancing, two-wheeled car called C-1. The car, with its lightweight structure, aims to cut down fuel emissions and reduce gas usage. This mechanism resembles a motorcycle except it has an exterior that protects the driver from outside elements. Another feature is the ability for this car to balance itself, which it achieves from two gyros located under the seat.
This is an artist’s rendition of a solar sail traversing space.
Creative Commons photo from Andrzej Mirecki on Wikimedia
3. Bill Nye the Spaceship Guy
Bill Nye announced his plans to construct a solar-powered spacecraft called LightSail. The goal behind LightSail is to provide everyday people a low-cost way of launching spacecrafts into orbit. To achieve affordability, LightSail harnesses solar power as a mode of transportation. Nye’s project is being funded on Kickstarter and has already reached its goal of $200,000 goal.
Creative Commons photo from Meutia Chaerani on Wikimedia
4. Delicious Bugs
Entomophagy, or the process of eating insects, has been rapidly gaining popularity. A wide variety of insects are eaten, including crickets, beetles, caterpillars, ants, mealworms, and bees. Predictions have been made that insects will someday make their way into mainstream food because they are a great source of protein. Currently, there are numerous companies, such as SixFoods and Critter Bitters, that are creating products like chips and crackers in the insect food industry. If these companies are successful, we may be seeing more and more of insect-based foods.
Creative Commons photo from Mark Warren on Wikimedia
5. Aeromobil Crash
On May 8, a flying car crashed in Slovakia while on a test flight. Although the pilot emerged without injury, the aeromobil prototype was broken badly. This flying car, designed by Štefan Klein and Juraj Vaculík, aims to provide consumers with a unique way of transportation. Their mechanism is able to fly because it has retractable wings and a carbon and steel body frame, making it very lightweight and efficient.
