Science and technology

As the second most populous country in the world, India is teeming with creativity and innovation. Indeed, it was in India that the cataract surgery was first performed, and also where the concept of zero originated. With a focus on the here and now, this list highlights five out-of-the-box inventions that are posed to help citizens across the globe. This selection represents the tip of the iceberg - if you know of more modern-day inventions from India, please share them with us in the comments section below. 1. GREEN LIVING –  STREETS MADE OF PLASTIC Like many countries, India grapples with an excess of plastic waste. Chemistry professor  Rajagopalan Vasudevan  devised a way to transform common plastic litter into a substitute for bitumen — the main ingredient in asphalt used for road construction. Known as the “Plastic Man,” Vasudevan’s ingenious invention has already paved 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) of plastic thoroughfares in at least 11 Indian states. ...

Indian inventions and discoveries have been instrumental in shaping the face of the current modern world. We picked up 20 such interesting findings out of a whole bunch that will make you go, “I didn’t know that”. 1. Buttons Buttons were first used in Mohenjo-daro for ornamental purpose rather than for fastening. They were first used in the Indus Valley Civilization by 2000 BCE. 2. Chess Chess developed out of  Chaturanga , which is an ancient strategy board game developed during the  Gupta Empire  in India around the 6th century AD. Now you know why Vishwanathan Anand is such a pro,  rag rag me is tarah …    3. Prefabricated home and movable structure image source In 16th century Mughal India, during the reign of Akbar, the first prefabricated & movable structures were invented. 4.Rulers                          ...

A 34-year-old man in England ruptured his throat when he tried to stop a sneeze. This X-ray shows streaks of air at the back of the throat (black arrow), and air bubbles under the skin in the neck region (white arrow). Before you try to stifle your sniffle to avoid a loud, snotty sneeze, heed some advice from a 34-year-old man in England who ruptured his throat while trying that trick: Don't do it. The man ended up hospitalized and barely able to speak or swallow after he tried to stop  a sneeze  by holding his nose and shutting his mouth, according to a new report of his case. Performing the maneuver caused a "popping" sensation in his neck, so the man went to the emergency room, the report said. He was in considerable pain, and his neck was swollen. hen doctors examined him, they noted a crackling sound when they pressed down on the skin on both sides of his neck, and this sound extended down to his rib cage. This symptom, known as crepitus, can...

An illustration shows a contact lens with a glucose monitor, stretchable antenna and LED display. Many people with  diabetes  need to prick their finger for a drop of blood up to eight times a day to monitor their glucose levels, an uncomfortable and cumbersome task. It can all add up to tens of thousands of finger pricks over a person's lifetime. Now, South Korean researchers may have a means of measuring blood sugar without a finger prick in sight: The scientists developed a  glucose monitor embedded in a soft contact lens  that measures glucose levels in tears and transmits that information wirelessly to a handheld device… and you don't even need to cry. The device has been tested so far only on live rabbits, with no signs of discomfort. But the researchers who created the device predict that this sugar-sensing contact lens may be available commercially for people in less than five years. The device would be placed in one eye and not be used to c...

t’s Earth Day.  Realistically, every day should probably be Earth Day, because, you know, the planet we’re killing is what gives us life. But it’s not always Earth Day because, for the most part, we’re greedy and dumb and we like plastic and easy living and driving and flying. There are a few people, though, that make fixing the planet their life’s work. Here are 5 of the coolest inventions that might just help out this diseased planet we’re living on. 1.  Boyan Slat’s Oceanic Array . Boyan Slat is just a young fella. He’s a smart one, though, and he’s got an idea that, if it works, will remove a LOT of the plastic we’ve dumped into the ocean–up to 7 million tons. Basically, instead of chasing the trash around the vast expanse of sea, the forward-thinking teenager suggested we, in turn, use the five rotating currents (or gyres) to our advantage. By employing an array of floating barriers, we’ll catch and concentrate the debris, effectively enabling a much more e...

Technology and medicine have gone hand and hand for many years. Consistent advances in pharmaceuticals and the medical field have saved millions of lives and improved many others. As the years pass by and technology continues to improve, there is no telling what advances will come next. Here are the top 10 new medical technologies in 2016. 10. Naturally moving prosthetic limbs Over the past few years, prosthetic limbs have become more and more advanced. However, in the last year, a major advancement has been made. According to LiveScience.com, prosthetics are now able to be controlled by the human brain. This new discovery was made by  “connecting an artificial limb to a different part of the brain.” Technology will now allow those with artificial limbs more natural mobility and enable them to naturally control their limbs. 9. Cell-free fetal DNA testing Pregnant women sometimes need to have cells of their fetus tested for chromosomal defects such as Edwards Syndrome and ...