Important Innovations

Jupiter Hit by Massive Planet in Early Years of Our Solar System Source:  Astrobiology Center Japan - Jupiter Collision US-Chinese Astronomers' Research on Ancient Interplanetary Collision An international team of scientists have just reported that an ancient planet ten times bigger than the Earth may have crashed hard into Jupiter in the early stages of the solar system.  That cataclysmic collision may be the cause of Jupiter's less dense and more extended core, proportions different than previously thought and just discovered.  The astronomers are working on and analyzing data from the Juno probe that's been circling Jupiter for three years.  It's providing significant new information about our galaxy's largest planet, including the new discovery of the less dense and more extended core of Jupiter. US-Chinese Astronomers Collaborating Astronomers from Rice University in Texas and Sun Yat-sen University in China have just released a new theory.  They thi

Big Discovery in Space Source:  Rice University.  Image on left is color enhanced to show planet and disk First Observation of a Moon Forming Disk Around a Planet Astronomers from Rice University have scored a first.  They have documented for the first time a moon forming disk around a planet.  They did so by using the world's most powerful telescopes at ALMA Observatory in Chile.  This is important science because it has been believed by astronomers that the moons orbiting Jupiter were created by a similar disk four billion years ago.  For a news blog with more details, go to  Important Innovations Collection: Distant Big Discovery in Space : Moon Forming Disk 370 Light Years Away Source:  Rice University World First Astronomers from Rice University have just spotted a moo...

EpiWear Tech on Your Wrist Source:  Rice University Epiwear Watch to Halt Severe Allergic Reactions Innovation from Rice University Engineers The Rice University Engineering team calls this emergency medicine at hand at all times in case of a severe allergic reaction.  It's an innovative, wearable epinephrine delivery device for your wrist that the developers say works much quicker than the traditional EpiPen, that's halts allergic reactions with its epinephrine shot. Small, Foldable Watch This is a small, foldable, watch-like device with a spring activated injector that will deliver a .3 millimeter dose of epinephrine into the body when needed.  It's designed as a less obtrusive and more conventional alternative to the traditional EpiPen. Function and Style The Rice team is streamlining this prototype design to make it easier for people to keep what is life-saving medicine close at hand.  This device was personally inspired by one of the researchers who has pe

New Morphing Material Source:  Rice University Taking Complex Shapes Scientists at Rice University have created shape changing, morphing material.  The face in the photo takes shape when cooled and goes flat when heat is applied to it. The unique material they've innovated is a rubbery polymer. Nanoscale Tug of War At the nanoscale level there's a battle for control between liquid crystals and the elastomer in which they're embedded.  When cooled, the shape programmed into the crystal dominates.  When heated, the crystals relax and the material goes flat.  This innovation was just published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Soft Matter. Significant Applications This unique material is expected to have significant application for soft robots that morph into different shapes.  Also for medical devices that take preprogrammed shape at body temperature.  For more news stories on innovation go to  amazon.com/author/ekane