Author: Diane Shipley
Staff Writer Diane is especially interested in high-tech medical advances, weird and interesting uses of science, new gadgets, and the intersection of tech and lifestyle. When not working, she reads the internet, listens to podcasts, watches American TV, and thinks about leaving the house.
Scientists have invented a mini MRI (and it might be going to space)
Scientists have developed and built a mini MRI, meaning people’s bone and muscle health can be determined with a quick scan, rather than making them lie down/ experience intense claustrophobia in a clanging metal tube. What’s more, it could be going into space. As New Scientist reports, Gordon Sarty and his colleagues from the University…
A lot of young adults are addicted to the internet, says survey
We all joke about being 'addicted' to checking Twitter or updating Instagram, but according to a new survey, 16% of 18- to 25-year-olds really are addicted to the internet. Marketing agency Digital Clarity questioned 1300 people in that age group and found that 16% of them spent more than 15 hours a day online, which,…
Fruit flies can sniff out drugs and bombs, scientists say
A new study has shown that fruit flies can sniff out drugs and bombs almost as well as they home in on their favourite smell, fermenting fruit. It was led by Professor Nowotny from the University of Sussex, helped by researchers from Monash University and CSIRO in Australia. They recorded how receptor neurons in fruit…
A new ovarian cancer test could save lives
Scientists have developed a new test for ovarian cancer. As the BBC reports, in future it should make it easier for doctors to recommend the right treatment. Researchers from Imperial College London and University of Leuven in Belgium worked together on the new testing protocol, using blood tests and ultrasound scans, as well as patients’…
Life-saving Ebola texting service is expanding
A text-messaging service that provides health and safety advice about Ebola is expanding in West Africa, according to the BBC. It’s basically a way to send life-saving spam, alerting charities working in the area, including the Red Cross, to all switched-on phones in a region, so they can send each one a warning text. The…
There’ll be 100 million smartwatches in use by 2019, apparently
A new report brings good news for Apple, Google, Sony, Pebble, and any other companies hoping that smartwatches will be a lucrative new revenue stream. Apparently, 100 million of us around the world will be sporting a smartwatch by 2019. We shouldn’t expect to snap up a bargain in that time, though: apparently prices aren't…
Taylor Swift’s shunning UK iTunes for her new single
Ah, Tay Tay. Is there nothing she can't do? Here's a woman who can carry a cat around the busiest city in the world one-handed, actually look good in high-waisted shorts, and oh yes, sell more than 26 million albums by the age of 24. There is one thing she won't do, however, at least…
The new Where Are You app means you’ll never lose your friends
A new app is designed to make travelling with friends and family easier and safer. Where Are You, which is free to download for both iOS and Android, uses SMS data to show where your people are. So whether you’ve lost sight of them on the motorway or can’t find the remote Cotswolds cottage they…
A new diabetes medication is activated by blue light
Scientists have created a new light-activated medication for type two diabetes. A patient takes the drug, which is a modified version of existing treatments, but it remains inactive in the body until blue LEDs attached to the patient’s skin are switched on. When they are, the drug changes shape, activating the pancreas to release a…
JustGiving hits 10 million users, becomes social platform
Fundraising website JustGiving has just signed up its 10 millionth registered user. That makes charitable donations officially more popular in the UK than Spotify, Pinterest or Airbnb and means JustGiving is one of the country’s fastest-growing technology companies. To celebrate, the site’s re-launching as a social platform, partnering with Facebook to enhance the reach of…
