Today’s Solutions: January 16, 2025

Medicine

From advancements in the fight against malaria to new cancer treatments, to novel medical technologies, find all positive news about incredible medical breakthroughs and life-saving technology from all corners of the globe.

Baltimore Internet

Baltimore aims to expand public internet access with city-owned network

State and local governments are coming to appreciate the internet for what it is: an essential utility. With much of the workforce working from home and children going to school online, reliable internet is vital for workers in all sectors of the economy.  In the wake of successful programs Read More...

Drill Bits

Nano-drills that kill bacteria and are powered by light

The traditional approach to defeating infectious bacteria has been chemical and biological, using antibiotics to beat some life-threatening microorganisms. Evolution is relentless, however, and we’re seeing more and more bacteria develop immunities to antibiotics quicker than we can develop new Read More...

Close-up of a woman's ear and hand through a torn hole in the paper. Yellow background, copy space.

Doctors transplant 3D-printed ear made from patient’s own cells

A 20-year-old woman born with a small and malformed ear received a new 3D-printed ear made up of her cells. The ear, which was designed to perfectly match her other ear, was successfully transplanted onto her head earlier this year in a clinical trial. The company behind this impressive feat of Read More...

Electric eel

How fish evolved to generate electricity, and how it can save lives

You’ve heard of electric eels shocking their prey, but did you know they also use their electricity to communicate and recognize other fish? Eels aren’t the only electric fish in the sea. There are several other species of electric fish, and biologists have often wondered about this Read More...

California Legislature

California doubles down as a sanctuary state for abortion rights

It remains a strong possibility that Roe V. Wade will be overturned, and sanctuary states and cities are preparing themselves for an influx of women seeking abortions. California, perhaps, is the foremost among them.  The California State Legislature is considering a package of 13 bills aiming Read More...

image of doctor's torso with hands shaped as a heart

UK surgeons perform first carbon-neutral operation

Healthcare and sustainability have been at the forefront of global discussion lately. Doctors at the UK’s Solihull Hospital in the West Midlands have accomplished something that prioritizes both of these major issues: the world’s first “net-zero” surgery. To take care of patients Read More...

Close up of nurse pointing at spine bones on human skeleton to explain diagnosis.

Gene therapy could effectively treat chronic pain from spinal injuries

Gene therapy is a growing field of medicine with enormous treatment potential for many currently incurable diseases. Scientists have so far created gene therapies to tackle a range of diseases, including the leading cause of blindness, sickle cell anemia, and a range of rare genetic Read More...

British Columbia

British Columbia decriminalizes small amounts of drugs to reduce deaths

Opioid-related deaths linked to fentanyl have more than doubled in Canada over the last five years. British Columbia has been one the hardest-hit regions, with deaths spiking during the Pandemic, and has asked for federal permission to decriminalize drugs.  The government is now launching an Read More...

Man in grey t shirt isolated against yellow background smelling something stinky and disgusting.

New study sniffs out cause of parosmia, disordered smells

What’s your favorite smell? Is it the whiff of freshly ground coffee in the morning or blossoms in spring? Whatever it may be, imagine a world where this sense is distorted and sometimes disturbing. This is the reality for people living with parosmia, a disease that can turn the smell of freshly Read More...

Heart research

BU-led team aims to treat heart disease by growing new heart tissue

The heart is arguably the hardest-working and most important organ in the body. Starting the moment it’s formed in the womb the heart has to keep working for the rest of our lives. What’s more daunting is that the heart can’t repair itself. Once a ventricle or aorta is damaged, the heart just Read More...