Using a protein found in a squid called the opalescent inshore squid, scientists recently found a way to change the refractive index of human kidney cells to resemble that of their environment. They’re not quite invisible, but they do become nearly completely transparent when those cells are mixed with a salt solution. Jeff and Anthony discuss what transparent skin might be like and whether they would want it. Then, the blood of horseshoe crabs is used to test for bacterial contamination, thus saving countless lives each year during medical procedures. The only trouble is, we have to catch a quarter of a million horseshoe crabs each year to do this, and then we have to drain their blood. Anthony and Jeff discuss the plight of the valuable horseshoe crab, and where they stand on the use of its blood.
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Today’s stories were sent in by Mark Nuhfer https://www.inverse.com/science/transparent-human-cells
And https://inhabitat.com/every-year-250000-horseshoe-crabs-donate-their-blue-blood-to-save-humans/
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