I’m downsizing for a move next week and had a buyer bail after I took the table apart. As soon as I put it back together another person will want to buy it. So naturally, I’m eating at my desk in protest. Your move, FB marketplace.

-Steve

Join The Convo for weekly briefings on the coolest STEM news!

Necrorgans

Dead pig organs can come back to life functionality. Researchers using OrganEx restored partial function to pig organs an hour after death.

• OrganEx = machine and fluid

• Machine: acts as a heartbeat

• Fluid: blood substitute containing anti-clotting drugs that mix w/pig's blood

Results showed OrganEx reliably revived molecular and cellular processes in several vital organs. Extending organ's post-death window could save countless lives on donor lists. Plus, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that they didn’t call it “Organ+”.

Oink +

Make-a-Mouse

Scientists in Israel created fully synthetic mouse embryos. And they did it without a womb, sperm, or egg cells. 

• Stem cells developed in a bioreactor instead of a uterus

• Embryos followed normal development for 8.5 days

• Brains, intestines, and hearts began forming

These embryos started failing after 8.5 days (~40% of mouse gestation) in need of a more supportive environment. Scientists hope to expand on this breakthrough to “print” organs for human transplant. Finally, I may have a spleen again!

These petri dishes should be called “mouse pads”

Blowhole Energy

Simulating a whale’s blowhole is apparently great for harvesting wave energy. Wave Swell Energy’s UniWave 200 has been testing this idea off the coast of Tasmania.

• Waves push water into a special chamber, forcing air out

• As water recedes, air is sucked back through an electicity-generating turbine

• Converts 45-50% of wave energy into electricity

UniWave 200 provided 12 months of reliable energy. This proof of concept paves the way for larger installations that can double as erosion protection if built into seawalls. Can’t help but think a name like  “Beluga 2000” would get more PR though.

Using waves for energy is whaley smart

Clickables 

• Watch a pistol shrimp pew-pew in slo-mo

• Flying car market is heating up

• Ah yes, crustaceans, bees of the seas 

• Webb found a pink Cartwheel in space

• Heart tattoos could monitor your health

st3v on site

Lab-Grown Mouses 

Technically "mouse" is already plural (Manually-Operated User-Selection Equipment), but "mouses" is more fun.

Thank you for reading!

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