Science fiction movies often tell tales of future discoveries that make us wish we were already there … – but in fact, the future is here, and we are surrounded by technological developments that prove time and again that there is no limit to what humanity can achieve and do. Scientists from all over the world work day and night to improve our lives, and they are slowly achieving positive results that can certainly change the whole world. Want to know exactly what these results are and how your life will change in the near future? Learn about the 10 most recent scientific discoveries in various fields.
1. An electronic device that helps the disabled walk again
A group of neurophysiologists from the United States and Russia did what seemed impossible until today – they gave a person who is paralyzed from the waist down the possibility of walking again! They did this with the help of electronic equipment intended for a completely different purpose – to reduce pain – but it turned out that the technology allowed people, paralyzed from the waist down, to move their lower extremities, even if the nerve damage in the area was very serious. According to neurophysiologists, the process of rehabilitation took 44 weeks, and as of writing, the person on whom the experiment was conducted can already stand on his own and walk on the treadmill.
2. The first full-color x-ray
Scientists from New Zealand have created the world’s first 3-D full-color X-ray using a device based on the original X-ray machine. The new device uses particle detection technology called Medipix, which was also used in the large particle accelerator on the Swiss-French border used to find the Higgs boson, whose existence was only theoretical until 2012. MediPix technology works like a subatomic camera that provides high contrast images. Color x-rays clearly show differences between muscles, bones, and cartilages, as well as size and location of cancerous tumors.
3. A vest that warns of a heart attack a few days in advance
This smart vest looks like a simple vest, but inside there are sensors and electrodes that do ECG, blood pressure and pulse tests 24 hours a day without the need for a doctor. The information derived from the tests is sent directly to one’s smartphone using an app. According to the inventor of the vest, there is even the possibility of predicting heart attacks two days in advance by identifying abnormal cardiac activity. The vest has already been tested on volunteers and has shown good results, and we can expect it to be available for purchase in the next few years.
4. Eye drops that remove the need for glasses
This development comes from Israel, and these days researchers at Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Bar Ilan University are working on eye drops that can fix the cornea of the eye. This means that using these eye drops on a daily basis can permanently remove the need for glasses, and the product has already been tested and shown great results. The drops are effective for both nearsightedness and farsightedness, and according to one researcher, David Smadja, they can even prevent cataracts and make our vision better than it naturally is.
5. First flying cab
At first glance, Aerocar EHang 184 looks like a drone, but it is much more than that. This is a flying vehicle that can drive 2 people up to 15 kilometers away at a speed of 130 kilometers per hour, but this isn’t the most surprising thing. This flying vehicle doesn’t require a pilot because it is completely autonomous and has already been successfully tested in China. According to the developers of the flying vehicle, all passengers have to do is set their destination and off they’ll go.
