Spice of nanotech found

A study has found a method that could replace nearly all of the toxic chemicals required to make gold nanoparticles, writes Sify.com.

The missing ingredient can be found in nearly every kitchen's spice cabinet - cinnamon. Gold nanoparticles, tiny pieces of gold so small that they can't be seen by the naked eye, are used in electronics, healthcare products and as pharmaceuticals to fight cancer.

Despite their positive uses, the process to make the nanoparticles requires dangerous and extremely toxic chemicals. While the nanotechnology industry is expected to produce large quantities of nanoparticles in the near future, researchers have been worried about the environmental impact of the global nanotechnological revolution.

Scientists are trying to teach robots to read so that they can understand road signs and shop names, says the Deccan Chronicle.

It is hoped that the fledgling technology can be used in rescue operations and work out where they are going inside buildings from signs, the Daily Mail reports. The early prototype version has been fitted with a dictionary and spellchecker so it can interpret text which is not clearly written.

Ingmar Posner, roboticist at the University of Oxford, said a machine that can read will be a significant step forward. "By reading a label on a closed door you can sometimes get a good idea of what can be found behind it," he told New Scientist.

In the not-so-distant future, researchers believe they will be able to genetically modify stem cells to create a 'vaccine', so to speak, to treat a large number of musculoskeletal and other disorders in both humans and horses, states TheHorse.com.

An Italian research group has made recent strides in further understanding the potential of using stem cells derived from fat (adipose) tissue in this capacity.

Previous studies in horses have found beneficial effects of stem cell therapy on tendon healing and joint disease. Researchers have also studied embryonic stem cells, the report says.