Thursday, January 2, 2025

From Fiction to Fact: Mystery of Invisibility Revealed by Researchers

There's a science fiction novel by British writer HG Wells (circa 1897) called the Invisible Man where the author explores the dark side of people turning invisible.

The scientist in the novel was a rogue and his goal of being able to turn invisible had nothing to do with advancing humanity. His name was Griffin, and he intended to commit crimes without fear of being caught. But being invisible turned out to be a curse. He couldn't return to his normal state.  Because of that he developed a deep sense of isolation, and it drove him to madness and terrorism.

Fast Forward to Reality

Turns out the future of making things invisible is just around the corner! That's right. Fiction becoming fact.

Scientists today say they have solved the mystery of an insect's invisibility coat that can manipulate light. You may have never heard of Leafhoppers, but the tiny common bugs are really special. They are the only species on the planet that secrete brochosomes: rare nanoparticles with invisibility properties. Yes, that special.

For the first time, a group of scientists have created their own synthetic brochosomes. Their ultimate goal is to use them one day for invisible cloaking devices for all kinds of technologies. 

In the next few years, they could find their way into a range of commercial applications - from solar energy to pharmaceuticals - according to the lead investigator Tak Sing Wong, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at Penn State.

The beauty of synthetic brochosomes is they can be made at different sizes and thus tailored to absorb and scatter different wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. That means they are very versatile and can even form around bodies.

I can see this new technology is also destined for military uses and possibly beyond. The beyond is when they develop a way to make a human invisible with the ability to return to their normal state at the push of a button (or something along those lines). The results would more than likely be catastrophic and world changing. It's a scary thought.

Would you want to be Invisible?

The catch is you'd have to stay that way and couldn't return to your normal self. In return you could literally live off the land(s) and go anywhere in the world for free. Food and transportation. Free. The possibilities are endless. I suspect it would be paradise for a voyeur.   

As it Stands, the idea of a common insect being the catalyst for invisibility possibilities sounds crazier than HG Wells method of using chemicals in the novel.

Monday, December 30, 2024

Guess What's the Most Dangerous Animal in the World

When I started researching for this post, I had a preconceived notion that mankind was the most dangerous animal in the world. 

After all, humans dominate the land, sea, and air and can destroy the biggest animal predators on the planet with ease.

Turns out I was wrong.

The answer is a mosquito. No kidding. That's because scientists say mosquitos spread diseases that kill more people than any other creature. (Purists may argue that mosquitos are insects and not animals but their full of crap)

Mosquitos are responsible for the deaths of about 725,000 people EVERY YEAR! 

Now compare that with 50,000 human homicides every year, or snakes that account for 25,000 human deaths annually globally. It's not even close.

Mosquitos spread diseases like malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, and lymphatic filariasis throughout the world.

No one is safe from mosquitos unless they live indoors and never venture outside. Because that's not too practical most of us are mosquito bait one time or another in our lives.

Well, I suppose there's an exception to that, if you live in Antarctica, you won't encounter the deadly pest. But who wants to live there?

While humans are outwardly the most terrifying predators on the planet they still don't kill as effectively as the lowly mosquitos who go about their business infecting people with impunity every day. 

Common mosquitos are just three millimeters at their smallest. The irritating little buggers - primarily those from the genera Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex - are the primary vectors of the diseases I mentioned earlier.

According to the World Health Organization, more than half of the human population is currently at risk from mosquito-borne diseases. Apparently, the pests are attracted to our body temperatures and the CO2 we exhale. In other words, humans are going to have to contend with the tiny terrors until the end times.

Experts suggest our best tools to prevent infection lie in the use of insect repellents high in active ingredients like DEET and picaridin. Mosquitos are worse at certain times of the year depending upon the environment. Be aware of swamps because they are really heaven on earth for the blood-sucking species.

As it Stands, some words of wisdom from the Odd Couple's memorable character Felix Unger worth remembering - "Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME."

Sipping 'Tree Spirits' Sounds Scrumptious

To all you drinkers of alcoholic spirits I have a surprise for you. I just discovered a spirit that will delight your senses and give new ...