Humans can identify each other's age by smell

Our olfactory senses, the official word for smell, are quite peculiar. They are strongly connected with our feelings, as some things smell repulsive, while other things smell rather appealing. Smell is also strongly associated with memory, as a single scent can bring back elaborate memories of an event in the past. Scientists from the Monell Center have discovered an additional fun fact about smell: it helps us discern age. It appears that human body odours tell us something about how old someone is.

Electronic device can control muscle movement

Muscles are present everywhere in the body and are needed for all movements, both voluntary and involuntary. Ultimately, muscles are under the control of the nervous system, that connects its neurons to all muscles in the body. By sending out neural signals, muscles can contract resulting in movement. There are various diseases that affect muscle function, and many of them are caused by a defect in the nervous system. To restore muscular signalling, scientists from Linköping University have developed a chip that allows for artificial muscle contraction, thereby restoring movement. And by doing that, they have created a whole new chip technology.

Robot keeps students' attention by mind-reading

Almost everyone will agree that school is not always interesting, yet education is of the utmost importance. Teachers require their students' attention, but it is impossible to be sure whether someone is actually listening, or whether his or her thoughts are drifting on to other topics. A robot, combined with a brain scanner, might be a solution: scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison created a system that detects whether a student is paying attention to the lesson, which ought to aid in memorizing what is being taught in class.

Computer system detects fake smiles

Humans have a facial expression that is known as a smile. According to the definition, it is an expression denoting pleasure, joy, happiness, or amusement. However, smiles can also be faked, or they can be an expression of anxiety; a smile then turns into a grimace. It is not always easy to distinguish between the two, especially if the person smiling is trying to hide something. A computer system developed by MIT is able to detect whether a person is smiling genuinely or tries to express his or her frustration. This helps to create computers that can assess the mood of the user, and act accordingly.

Engineers create functioning blood vessels

Creating artificial organs could in the future solve the lack of organ donors and provide increased compatibility for the patient receiving an organ. However, there are several roadblocks on the way, including the lack of vascularisation in artificial tissues. Basically, that means stuff that scientists grow in the lab does not achieve growth of blood vessels, causing a lack of nutrients and oxygen, meaning tissues cannot fully develop. To create a functional organ, a blood vessel system is necessary, which is why scientists from the University of Washington have created a synthetic system that allows for artificial development.

Single gene can make you both smaller and bigger

Genes are the foundation of biology. They basically function as a set of instructions to create a protein with specific properties and functions. Despite this simple setup, genes often collaborate with each other, as biological systems are often complex and require multiple proteins that interplay. That is why, in most cases, there is no such thing as a single gene for a specific phenotype, meaning an observable characteristic. Nevertheless, some genes have surprising effects, such as the one studied by the University of California in Los Angeles, with the unappealing name CDKN1C. An analysis pointed out that variations in this gene can make you both smaller and bigger.

New diagnostic tool can detect diseases earlier

Detecting a disease in its early stages can reduce the impact that it has on the patient, and potentially save lives. That is why tests to diagnose a disease are about as important as the cure or treatment itself. Cancer is an obvious example where early detection matters: if a tumour remains unnoticed, it gets the chance to spread to other organs, after which treatment may be futile. Scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Vigo have created a test setup with a very high sensitivity, rendering much earlier detection of diseases possible.