BBC Knowledge Asia Edition - December 2014

THE LATEST INTELLIGENCE

Update



Regular flyers who suffer from jet lag

after long-haul flights will no doubt

have wished their body clock was as

easy to reset as a wristwatch. Now,

scientists have identified a master

gene, LHX1, responsible for regulating

sleep cycles. The discovery may

lead to treatments to help night-shift

workers or jet-lagged travellers adjust

to time differences more quickly.

Cure jet lag

with a gene

Food allergies could become a thing of

the past thanks to a common class of gut

bacteria. Researchers at the University

of Chicago have found that a group of

bacteria called Clostridia reduced the

allergic response to peanut allergens when

tested in mice. Another major group of

bacteria, Bacteroides, did not have the

same effect suggesting that Clostridia have

a unique role against food allergens.

Gut microbes fight allergies

A sight for

four eyes

Say goodbye to glasses. Scientists

at UC Berkeley are creating vision-

correcting displays for smartphones

and computers. The technology uses

algorithms and a printed pinhole

screen sandwiched between two layers

of clear plastic to adjust the picture

according to the user’s vision. The

displays could even help people with

more complex visual problems that

cannot be corrected by spectacles.

Soon, homes and offices may be

powered by their windows. A team at

Michigan State University has created a

transparent solar cell that could be used

in buildings. It could also be used to

power smartphones and other electronic

devices, replacing traditional screens.

The system uses small organic molecules

to absorb specific wavelengths of sunlight.

The material can be tuned to pick up just

the ultraviolet and near infrared light and so

appears transparent to the human eye.

Solar cells go transparent

10

As anyone who has fumbled with

sticking plasters and bandages will

know, treating wounds in awkward

areas such as fingers and toes can

be frustrating. However, it is essential

that the wound is kept away from

bacteria while it heals. A team at Tokai

University has solved this problem

by creating biodegradable cling film

that can keep wounds clean and

protected for

up to six days.

The technology

could be used

as dressings

and also for

coatings

on medical

devices.

Cling film

for wounds

The see-through

solar cell that

could mean your

windows are

generating power

Simulated views of what a visually impaired person

would see with and without a correcting display

Bacteria could be the

new weapon in the

fight against allergies

The plaster of

the future

PHOTO: YIMU ZHAO, UC BERKELEY, JOSEPH WANG, THINKSTOCK X

, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, HARVARD’S WYSS INSTITUTE,

YOSUKE OKAMURA, DREAMSTIME

DISCOVERIES

THAT WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE