Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Innovation / Health & Medicine

Cataract of the human eye

This Chemical Compound Could Melt Away Cataracts

Eye drops made from “compound 29” have been shown to reduce cataracts in mice. Researchers hope the same will hold true for humans.

Doo Yeon Kim, left, and Rudolph Tanzi

American Ingenuity Awards

The Two Brains at the Forefront of the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

Rudolph Tanzi and Doo Yeon Kim have invented a revolutionary new tool to study the mysteries of the disease and counter the coming epidemic of dementia

A sugar mold with the University of Michigan logo

A Disaster in the Kitchen Leads to a Breakthrough in the Lab

After a failed attempt at making cotton candy, biomedical engineer Chris Moraes thought to use sugar to mold silicone and study human cells

This 3D printed tooth could kill germs in your mouth

These 3D Printed Teeth Fight Bacteria

Researchers in the Netherlands are making dental implants that kill microbes that settle on them

Burn Calories Just By Wearing This New Sports Gear

Here’s an idea: A New York University medical student is integrating resistance bands into clothing

The app uses facial expression-tracking technology.

Can an App Help Detect Autism?

Duke University researchers are using facial expression-tracking technology to screen for autism spectrum disorders

College Students are Living Rent-Free in a Cleveland Retirement Home

Research shows that the unique arrangement could have health benefits for the elderly

The algorithm could be useful for pilots flying in turbulence.

This “Psychic Robot” Can Read Your Mind

Researchers have created an algorithm that understands what movement you meant to make, even if you’re interrupted

Scientists Are Working on a Pill That Just Might Replace Exercise

The idea is to create a drug that mimics the molecular changes exercise causes in the body. But it’s no small challenge

The Rise of DIY Genetic Testing

Some people are skipping the doctor’s office and using the internet to order and interpret their own DNA tests

The sensors can be printed on temporary tattoo-like material, which sticks on the skin for a week.

Tiny, Tattoo-Like Wearables Could Monitor Your Health

University of Texas engineers devise a relatively inexpensive way to make disposable patches that track patients’ vital signs

Heart Valves at the National Museum of American History

Innovative Spirit Health Care

A Man With a Lot of Heart Valves Donates His Unusual Collection

Minneapolis entrepreneur Manny Villafana says his collection at the American History Museum is filled with stories of both failure and success

Each level explores a different kind of psychological trauma.

The Innovative Spirit

Can a Video Game Teach You to Manage Stress?

“Nevermind,” a video game controlled by a player’s heart rate, aims to help people deal with trauma

Rampant miscommunication in medicine due to language barriers compromises patient safety and quality of care while widening existing health disparities.

The Innovative Spirit

Millions of Americans Are Getting Lost in Translation During Hospital Visits

Miscommunication due to language barriers is a growing health care issue, and technologies to aid interpretation are racing to keep up

A University of Michigan biomedical engineering research fellow shows off several of the scaffolds.

The Innovative Spirit

These “Sponges” Can Soak Up Cancer Cells

Implants designed to detect early metastasis can also trap cancer cells

Age of Humans

The Age of Humans: Living in the Anthropocene

A special look at the ways humans are transforming the planet and the projects that may shape a more sustainable future

Jaundice is usually treated with short-wave blue light.

The Innovative Spirit

These Plastic Canopies Could Save Thousands of Babies

Researchers have developed sunlight-filtering canopies as a low-tech treatment for jaundice in newborns

The implant has a sternum and four ribs.

The Innovative Spirit

We Can Now 3D Print Ribs

The first-ever 3D printed titanium chest implant was a success

Mayapple plant

Innovative Spirit Health Care

Scientists Manipulate Common Plants to Produce Cancer Drugs

Stanford researchers have figured out how to transfer a rare plant’s chemical “assembly line” into a cheap, common lab plant

The Innovative Spirit

Six Ways Schools Are Using Neuroscience to Help Kids Learn

Schools around the world are incorporating neuroscience research into the school day, to help kids with dyslexia and to teach complex math skills

Page 28 of 38