Important Innovations

Thorium Based Nuclear Power - Greener Electricity Source:  Thorium Powered Nuclear Reactor Global Innovation Research Thorium based nuclear reactors.  Global scientists are working on this promising greener form of nuclear energy.  Thorium is a moderately radioactive chemical.  It can be used as "fuel salt" in molten salt reactors to produce electricity.  It can't be used to produce nuclear weapons and produces much less dangerous waste than current nuclear power plants. Advantages of Thorium and Who Is Working On It The Netherlands and China are investing in this technology.  It offers the advantages of traditional reactors.  It's reliable, efficient and low carbon emissions electricity.  And that is without the big problems of radioactive waste and nuclear proliferation.  It's a promising and greener form of renewable nuclear energy. CERN The European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) believes thorium could be a radically disruptive source of cle

Breakthrough Research - Certain Genes Shrink Tumors Source:  Washington State University Photo of Tasmanian Devil Washington State University Innovative Cancer Research Scientists at Washington State University have discovered genes and genetic mutations that appear to shrink deadly cancer tumors in Tasmanian devils.  This finding could have important implications for treating cancer in humans and other mammals. Cancer Fighting Genes Leading to Drug Creation The WSU scientists say some of the genes that they believe trigger tumor regression in the devils are also in humans.  This could lead to the development of drugs that shrink and potentially decimate tumors in humans. A Species Plagued by Cancer The devils are the largest carnivorous marsupial and found only in Tasmania.  A deadly, facial tumor disease has pushed the devils to near extinction.  80% of the population is gone.  An international team of scientists, led by WSU, found some of the animals are developing gen

Communicative Cat Grooming Source:  Wataoka Industries Neko-jasuri Cat Groomer It's called a communications brush to help an owner and their pet cat better interact and communicate with each other.  It's a metal brush - a pet hair brush inspired by another industry and company focused on metal files.  This innovation comes from Japan, that is a nation of pet lovers. The company that innovated and is developing this product is Wataoka, with expertise in making metal files for 126 years. It's in the Grooves Here's how they've innovated their metal files into advanced pet grooming tools.  The pet groomer has varying grooves patterned by the grooves in a cat's tongue.  They say the grooves are great for brushing and grooming your cat.  And, the cats are so familiar with the sensation they love it because it simulates what they do for themselves. Japanese Innovation At a Global Pet Scale Nedo-jasuri means cat file.  The Japanese government is profiling th

Earth to Mars Distance:  100 Million Mile Space Journey Source NASA: InSight Enters Mars Innovator Elon Musk 70% Sure He'll Move to Mars NASA's InSight spacecraft just landed successfully on Mars.  It took a six month journey across 300 million miles.  The lander carries breakthrough equipment that will burrow deep into the Red Planet's surface.  This has never been done before.  Space X's Elon Musk believes in upcoming years he will have a 70% chance of moving to Mars. Mars a Difficult Landing InSight's landing was perfect.  But Mars isn't the best place to land.  The 3-legged spacecraft had to decelerate from 12,300 mph to zero in 6 minutes as it pierced the Martian atmosphere.  The 600 pound stationary lander has a 6 foot robotic arm that will place a mechanical mole and seismometer on the ground.  The mole hammers down to 16 feet to measure the planet's heat and the seismometer listens for any quakes.  Nothing like this has been done before on

Dogs Appear to Have Metacognitive Abilities Source:  Max Planck Institute Research from the Max Planck Institute Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History have performed some innovative research on dogs.  The scientists findings:  dogs know what they know and know what they don't know.  Dogs problem solve by actively seeking information. Canine Cunning Brains This new research strongly suggests that dogs have metacognitive abilities.  They're aware when they don't have enough information to solve a problem and actively search for what they need to know to get the desired results.  This is similar to how primates behave but it's the first time it has been documented in dogs. DogStudies Lab At the Institute's DogStudies Lab the scientists created a test in which the dogs had to find a reward - a toy or treat - behind one of two fences.  The scientists found that the dogs looked for significantly more information when they d

Brain Uses Two Clocks to Anticipate Source:  University of California Innovative Research - University of California - Berkeley It's called anticipatory timing by the brain. And it's a 2 barreled system.  One type of timing relies on memories from past experience.  A second type is based on rhythm.  They work together.  An example is putting your foot on the car's gas pedal as the light starts turning from red to green.  Berkeley neuroscientists have discovered that in music, sports, speech and other activities we calculate movements in two parts of the brain. Brain Timekeepers The neural networks supporting these timekeepers are split between 2 different parts of the brain.  The scientists discovered that timing isn't a unified process.  Their research has documented that there are 2 different ways we make temporal decisions and they are dependent on different parts of the brain. Your  Brain Actively Anticipating the Future Berkeley scientists have provi

Driverless Rooms to Your Destinations Source:  Aprilli Design Studios Important Innovations in Transportation Here's an entrepreneurial gamble on future travel innovation.  Hotel rooms on autonomous wheels.  Driverless, self-driving vehicles that pick you up at your house or travel takeoff point and take you in your  fully equipped hotel room suite, to your destination.  It's called Autonomous Travel Suites (ATS).  It's the innovation of Aprilli Design Studio's Steve Lee of Toronto.  Lee calls it a hybrid concept combining his expertise in hotel architecture/design and futuristic technology.  The concept won this year's Radical Innovation Concept of the year, a design competition for the hospitality industry. Mobile Hotel Suites The mobile hotel suites are designed for journeys of 6 to 10 hours.  They contain essentially what you find in a hotel room.  They come in a range of sizes for solo travelers to families.  Lee envisions them being operated by &qu

On Military Duty Source:  Sikorsky S-76B Ready When Needed When US pilots go to war, the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA wants robots as their co-pilots.  These are not auto-pilots.  DARPA wants fully functional robot pilots capable of performing routine piloting tasks. Demonstration DARPA just demonstrated what the plan consists of in Virginia.  They used a S-76B helicopter, which is the civilian version of the Army's Blackhawk, to perform maneuvers.  The aircraft landed, maneuvered to avoid a vehicle, lifted-off and then hovered motionlessly for several minutes.  No human was on board.  The pilot was a robot controlled by a human pilot from a computer in another aircraft. Kit to Quickly Deploy The demonstration lasted an hour.  The Army calls it Mission Adaptive Autonomy, meaning the robot is there when the pilot needs to focus on the mission rather than the flight.  DARPA wants a kit that can quickly add a robot co-pilot to any m

Benefits Vary Among Dynamic & Static Exercises Stock Photo:  Strength Training New Research The American College of Cardiology reports that static exercise activity like strength training is good and better for your heart.  It has stronger results for reducing heart disease risk than dynamic exercise activity like cycling, running and walking. Results The results were presented at the LCC Latin America Conference 2018 in Lima, Peru. More than 4,000 American adults were tracked and analyzed on their exercise routines.  The research concludes that all types of physical activity and exercise are good for the heart.  But static activities, like aerobics and strength training, even in small amounts, proved to be the most beneficial. Your Takeaways The bottom-line from this research is that all exercise works.  Static and dynamic work separately, they work together but static exercise stands out as the most beneficial in preventing heart disease.

Bronze Age Board Game Discovered Source:  Archeologist Walter Crist  Game On Chiseled in Stone A fascinating archeological discovery.  A dot pattern chiseled into stone in a rock shelter in Azerbaijan.  Archeologist Walter Crist, who discovered it, says it shows that an ancient Near Eastern game called 58 holes or Hounds and Jackals, spread to a population of herders in Azerbaijan.  That region is 1000 to 2000 kilometers away. Roll of the Dice Hounds and Jackals was thought to exist only in Egypt, Mesopotamia and other Near Eastern regions during the Bronze Age.  Dr. Crist, of the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, says the Azerbaijan herders must have had contact with the Near Eastern world more than 1200 miles away.  The archeologist says ancient games often passed across cultures.  In this case, players are thought to have rolled the dice to move pebbles and get to the top first.  4000 years ago, someone created a new piece of innovation -  a game and a roll of t

Our Second Blog News Source Source:  NASA Universe of Exciting Innovations Wanted you to know we've added a second blogger site for innovation news briefs and perspectives.  My colleague Ed Kane is posting news on the latest and most valuable world innovations across industries. Ed is a seasoned journalist, author and relentless researcher on innovation.   Here's a link to Ed's blog   https://importantinnovationscollection.blogspot.com/2018/11/important-innovation-blogs.html Global Innovation Accelerating We know the pace of innovation is accelerating and we're committed to providing bloggers full coverage on the most important innovations.  I'll be posting on this site as always about exciting, breaking innovation news.

Research Links Life on Earth & Movement of Continents Source:  Stock Image of Continental Plates Shifting Sediments Pushing Continents This is fascinating, breakthrough geological/engineering research from the University of Texas Austin.  The UT scientists have demonstrated that sediment, which is often composed of dead organisms, may play a very key role in setting the speed of continental drift. New Innovative Research on Continental Drift This new research challenges the ideas about how continents drift and continental plates interact.  It strongly suggests interaction mechanisms between tectonic movement, climate and life on earth. Moving the Parts The study is in the journal Earth & Planetary Science Letters.  I find it fascinating and think you will too.  It describes how sediment moving under the tectonic plates regulates their movements.  This process may even play a part in the rapid rise of mountain ranges and the growth of the continental crunch.  

Important Innovations:  Collection, Vol. 1 Transportation Source:  NASA concept supersonic passenger  jet Free Resource through Monday Innovation in aviation from hypersonic jets to flying cars is accelerating at Mach speed.  My colleague Edward Kane has compiled a book on the latest in transportation innovation with a big focus on aviation.  It's called Important Innovations:  Collection, Vol. 1 Transportation and is on Amazon.  Ed showcases new travel technologies to get you to your destination including to seas and oceans. Free Ebook Wanted to make you aware that Amazon is running a free promotion on the ebook today, Sunday and Monday.  It's a valuable read and great resource that addresses many of the latest developments in travel innovation.  There's easy access to get the free book through Ed's Amazon Author's Page amazon.com/author/ekane