As a remedy for all the bad news out there, let us prescribe a small dose of feel-good science. Each issue, we\u2019ll give you a rundown of the latest breakthroughs that aim to solve humanity\u2019s biggest problems. From smart contact lenses to venom-inspired medicines, here you\u2019ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future\u2026<\/p>\n\n
Years to go: 25-20<\/span><\/h4>\n\n
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The world\u2019s first true smart contact lens has been tested on its first human. The prototype Mojo Lens overlays a digital microLED display onto everyday vision and is powered by a tiny battery.<\/p>\n\n
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Sick of standing in front of the departures screen at the airport, searching for your flight information? Technology being trialled in Detroit Metro Airport uses facial recognition to show personalised travel information onscreen for up to 100 passengers at the same time. The screen relies on a new kind of pixel that can project light of different colours in different directions. This means it can provide separate images to people viewing the same screen from distinct angles.<\/p>\n\n
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An implantable device could replace addictive pain-relieving drugs. It wraps around nerves to block pain signals to the brain, then dissolves naturally once its job is done. Testing in animals could be taking place in the next few years, but clinical use is a way off yet.<\/p>\n\n
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Years to go: 20-10<\/span><\/h4>\n\n
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A heart attack treatment containing deadly spider venom has received investment, meaning the drug can move to clinical trials in the next couple of years. The drug uses a molecule found in the venom of the K\u2019gari funnel web spider. It blocks the signals that cause the death of heart cells and could ultimately reduce the amount of permanent damage.<\/p>\n\n
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Silicone breast implants have been used since the 1960s, but they can come with problems and health risks. Now entering human trials is a 3D-printed \u2018cage\u2019 in the shape of a bra cup that is inserted into the breast to stimulate the body to grow fat tissue. The cage then breaks down over time. The treatment is targeted towards those wanting reconstruction following mastectomy.<\/p>\n\n
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Years to go: 10-0<\/span><\/h4>\n\n
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Bacteria that feed on sugar can produce a compound that is explosive enough to be used as jet fuel. If scientists can scale up production, the compound, named jawsamycin, could be used as an alternative to oil before the end of the decade.<\/p>\n\n
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Would you like some wine with your circuit board, sir? Artificial intelligence has been given the gift of taste, as researchers have developed an AI-assisted electronic tongue capable of sensing chemical compositions. The tech has already been put on the crewless Mayflower Autonomous Ship, to monitor ocean chemistry on a journey across the Atlantic.<\/p>\n\n
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Construction has started on a new plant in Iceland that will take carbon dioxide from the air and inject it into the ground. In 12 to 18 months, the plant should be able remove 36,000 tonnes of CO2<\/sub> each year \u2013 roughly the amount emitted by 13,300 UK households heating their homes annually.<\/p>\n\n
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A \u2018sand battery\u2019 in Finland is the world\u2019s first device to store power as heat within sand particles. Excess electricity from solar or wind power plants warms the sand to 500\u00b0C, which can be stored for months. The heat can later be discharged to heat water for homes, offices and a nearby swimming pool.<\/p>\n\n
As a remedy for all the bad news out there, let us prescribe a small dose of feel-good science. Each issue, we\u2019ll give you a rundown of the latest breakthroughs that aim to solve humanity\u2019s biggest problems. From smart contact lenses to venom-inspired medicines, here you\u2019ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future\u2026 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":15385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"30","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"30","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_30-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_30-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"Summer-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"Summer-2022","purple_external_id":"Summer-2022-30-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"Summer-2022-30-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000089656||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000089656||","purple_android_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue380","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue380","purple_ios_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue380","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue380","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"0f422ad1-c939-476d-9f82-a410052ad4c3","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-07-26T12:00:42Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"d4ff8203-0ea3-4582-a701-f4fa901162d6","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-07-27T10:11:22Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A1P-CAw6jRYKnAfT6kBFi1g","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[25],"tags":[15],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview.jpg",1229,900,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview-300x220.jpg",300,220,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview-768x562.jpg",768,562,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview-1024x750.jpg",800,586,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview.jpg",1229,900,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/07\/parallel_reality_hero_preview.jpg",1229,900,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"As a remedy for all the bad news out there, let us prescribe a small dose of feel-good science. Each issue, we\u2019ll give you a rundown of the latest breakthroughs that aim to solve humanity\u2019s biggest problems. From smart contact lenses to venom-inspired medicines, here you\u2019ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future\u2026…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15153"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15153"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15877,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15153\/revisions\/15877"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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