Research chemists at Northwestern University’s Institute for Sustainability and Energy have engineered cup-shaped molecules from corn that can grab and neutralize carcinogens in our water supply. Very low concentrations of the carcinogens can significantly increase the risk of cancer. For example, just a few drops of the carcinogens, containing millions of potentially cancer-causing molecules, in a volume of water found in an Olympic-sized swimming pool can cause trouble. The molecular catcher’s mitts are equally small: Millions of them can fit into a space the size of a sugar-cube. Filters equipped with the breakthrough material remove the carcinogens from water more effectively than commonly used activated carbon filters, and the filters can be reused after a simple washing step that takes place at room temperature. The researchers have started a company, CycloPure, to commercialize this material for home and institutional use. Now that’s a use of corn that nobody saw coming. This innovation is another example of the extraordinary ingenuity of Chicago-area scientists who are developing technologies that matter. Click here to learn more about this exciting research and startup.
Northwestern Chemists Develop New Methods to Remove Toxins from Drinking Water
As a part of our ongoing initiative to introduce students to STEM professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds, Horizon Therapeutics and The Chicago Council on Science and Technology visited Perspectives Math and Science Academy to talk to students about college and entering STEM fields. Watch the interview here and check for a new video each month. Learn more about our partners Horizon Therapeutics: https://www.horizonpharma.com Perspectives Math and Science Academy: https://pcsedu.org/pcs-our-campuses/perspectives-iit-math-science-academy/
Slowed reaction time. Reduced ability to make decisions. Impaired coordination. Memory loss. Difficulty in problem-solving. These are some of the symptoms listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describing people who drive under the influence of marijuana. And right now, it is very difficult for law enforcement officials to determine when these drivers are sharing the road with you—and may be responsible for causing an accident.
Every invention and every new piece of technology begins as a bright idea. But to go from mere inspiration to an actual device or real-world solution requires more than just a stroke of insight. Budding entrepreneurs need access to tools, capital, mentors, and expertise as they attempt to bring a product to the marketplace. Continue reading “Argonne’s Demo Day Provides Opportunity For Entrepreneurs To Showcase New Innovations”
Tiny but mighty, the kidneys are small, but powerful chemical factories that remove waste, balance your body’s fluids, and keep your blood pressure in check. Despite being as essential to keeping us alive and healthy, kidney health often isn’t discussed with the same urgency as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us, from making our cities smarter to paving the way for faster drug discovery. As part of the burgeoning effort to connect different key players in AI, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory recently hosted the InnovationXLab℠ Summit on AI to raise the profile of the labs’ work in AIand forge new partnerships between industry and the national laboratories.
