Testing for diseases in developing countries may become a lot easier and cheaper thanks to a new invention called the “paperfuge”. Using a piece of paper, some twine and plastic, an assistant professor at Stanford created a simple centrifuge that can spin rapidly to separate the different components of a liquid by density. If you want to test for diseases like Malaria or HIV, that liquid is blood. During lab testing, the paper centrifuge was able to find malaria parasites within 15 minutes of spinning. The little device costs a mere 20 cents and could help save many lives in developing countries around the world.
This 20 cent device can help developing countries detect diseases
More of Today's Solutions
A Dutch startup is making concrete that grows its own moss
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most building materials are designed to resist the elements, to stay sealed and unchanged for as long as ...
Read MoreThe surprising history of pumpkins: from ancient staple to autumn icon
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Pumpkin spice lattes, jack-o’-lanterns, and Thanksgiving pies: pumpkins are the unofficial mascots of fall. But behind their seasonal ...
Read MoreRotterdam becomes home to the world’s largest floating office
While Rotterdam is typically known for hosting Europe’s biggest port, the second largest Dutch city is also famous as a forerunning innovator in climate ...
Read MoreThere are special regions for singing in the brain
Music is a magical thing. There are many proven benefits to the power of music, from its synchronizing power to create bonds with the ...
Read More
