Surprising Science — March 24, 2009

Cardiac assist device

Using trans epidermal nervous stimulation by way of an elastic sleeve and computer it is possible to create a peristaltic wave in the skeletal muscles. This, along with the valves in veins would assist the heart. Seen as effective for assist after auto collision when chest damage precludes traditional CPR..or possibly PAD

Art Gale

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The idea would be a lattice of connections and sensors with discrete firing of random points. This followed by computer analysis of physical response of individual and mapping of their musculature. Finally the pre-programmed peristaltic motion would be simulated.

ANY first responder could easily apply these sleeves to each limb and click go. Not researcehd but certainly an help…perhaps enough to delay brain damage …and the hardware is so very very cheap!

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Can you have a “calling” without a caller?

If you’re an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?

Close-up image of a human iris featuring vibrant blue and yellow hues with a dark pupil in the center.

The mystery at the heart of consciousness

“Is it possible that consciousness is a much more basic phenomenon in nature and is essentially pervading everything?”

▸

10 min

—

with

Annaka Harris

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Does the CMB really “prove” the Big Bang?

Since the mid-1960s, the CMB has been identified with the Big Bang’s leftover glow. Could any alternative explanations still work?

A wasp illustration in blue on grid paper is overlaid on a close-up image of effervescent bubbles in a golden alcoholic liquid.

Health

The first known animal that’s “immune” to alcohol intoxication

Could studying the Oriental hornet lead to a treatment for people with alcohol use disorder?

Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.

Business

How AI is ushering in a creative renaissance

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Up Next

Politics & Current Affairs

Labour dispute system

I have often thought that monetary gain should not be a part of collective bargaining. When people sign on they have a wage set…. after that some COLA clause based on gov’t numbers should be enough. By eliminating the simplistic “we want more cash in our pocket” target, more important issues might get the attention they deserve.