Lifeboat Foundation

Researchers in the Netherlands have developed an incredibly accurate nanosensor which can detect metastatic cancer cells from just a single drop of blood in a major breakthrough for early detection and treatment of the disease.

PhD students Dilu Mathew from University of Twente and Pepijn Beekman from Wageningen University pooled their resources and developed a tiny system to detect tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (tdEVs), a particular type of cancer biomarker.

Their nanosensor is so sensitive it can detect cancer biomarkers on a broad spectrum of concentrations from 10 particles per microliter to 1 million particles per microliter, thanks to its incredibly small and delicate electrodes, shaped like two combs facing each other, with a gap of just 120 nanometers between them.

Our friends at Foresight Institute and 100 Plus Capital have started regular longevity salons to coordinate the growing longevity enthusiasm and onboard new investors into the space. You are invited to kick off this series with aperitifs and hors d’oeuvre to discuss the current innovations that have been fueling the recent optimism in the field:

Longevity Investment Take-Off: What’s Different This Time, What’s Missing?

As a friend of Lifespan.io, you are welcome to use the code lifespan.io for a 50% discount on the ticket price.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US have uncovered the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of most viruses which plague mankind, and could soon develop a universal vaccine.

Vaccine research, development and testing takes a long time, as the ongoing coronavirus outbreak has shown, but that is because researchers devote their time, attention and resources to targeting specific viruses one-by-one. But now scientists at MGH have located what may prove to be a game-changing breakthrough for humanity which could strengthen our bodies and make them impervious to most viruses.

A new AI prototype could transform how earthquake aftermaths are managed, by predicting the safest routes that families can take to find their loved ones.

The idea first emerged in the ImpactHub Istanbul, a social innovation centre in a city where a future earthquake is all but inevitable.

The last time a devastating earthquake had struck Turkey was in 1999, around 150–200 kilometers from the capital. Official records put the death toll at 18,373 people.

We’re about to get 20 terabyte hard drives, but the path looks clear to scale up to 80TB.

The World Health Organization has recently declared the China coronavirus a global health emergency. ¹ What’s worse is that cases of the coronavirus have jumped tenfold. The death toll is 304 and rising. ²

It would be an understatement to say that there is a growing sense of panic. The best advice I’ve heard is to stay calm and take pratical measures to protect yourself.

Today’s super-rich are putting record sums into tackling the world’s most pressing problems. But how altruistic is this golden age of charitable giving?

Today’s super-wealthy are richer than ever. And they’re giving away their billions like never before. Philanthropists are putting record sums into tackling the world’s most pressing problems. And unlike the mega-donors of the past today’s philanthropists want to see the results in their lifetimes. But how altruistic is this new golden age of giving? Have these mega-donors become too powerful?

Continue reading “Charity: how effective is giving? | The Economist” »

Scientists imagined some innovative technologies that could enhance a future mission to Uranus or Neptune.

Uber-flying-car-2020.

Uber aims to prove once again its intention to stay at the crest of innovation with the latest updates of its flying car concept, which it plans to launch by 2020.

Continue reading “This awesome Uber flying car concept may become reality by 2020” »