This small device could save lives from drug overdoses

This small device could save lives from drug overdoses — find out how it works.

Someone lying down with side effects of opioids

Opioids are a type of pain-relieving drug that includes substances like morphine, fentanyl, heroin, and codeine. These drugs not only reduce pain but also suppress the respiratory system, making it difficult to breathe. They are often used for recreational purposes and addiction.

Every year, approximately 100,000 people around the world die from opioid overdose. The use of opioid drugs is rapidly increasing, leading to a rise in overdose incidents, especially in countries like the United States and Canada, where dangerous opioids like fentanyl are commonly used. Opioids can stop breathing, causing a drop in oxygen levels, and if not treated in time, can lead to death.

Now, scientists have discovered a new way to prevent overdose-related deaths. A team led by John Rogers from Northwestern University has developed a device that can be implanted inside the body. This device automatically releases an antidote drug in the event of an overdose.

The device functions like a small pacemaker implanted under the skin. It contains a sensor that continuously monitors oxygen levels in the blood. If the oxygen level drops too low, the device automatically injects naloxone — a medication that quickly reverses the effects of opioids. Naloxone can also be administered via injection or nasal spray.

The device is powered by a battery that can be recharged wirelessly. It measures about 1 cm in thickness, 3 cm in width, and 4 cm in length.

The device was tested on pigs and successfully detected an overdose within one minute, immediately administering naloxone. During the trials, the treatment was effective, and no long-term negative effects were observed on the pigs’ health.

The greatest benefit of this device is that it could be life-saving for individuals who live alone and suffer from an overdose. However, there are some challenges. People who use illegal drugs may not be willing to get the device implanted. Also, long-term opioid users may already have low oxygen levels, which could make timely drug administration difficult.

There are also costs involved in implanting and removing the device, and some users might try to remove it themselves.

This invention is a brilliant idea and could save the lives of those who suffer from opioid overdoses. However, there are still challenges regarding its usage and effectiveness that need to be addressed.

Innovations like this bring hope that we can reduce opioid overdose cases and save lives. If this device becomes widely available, it could be a significant step forward in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

लेजर तकतीक से केंसर का पता लगाना होगा आसान

कैंसर एक गंभीर स्वास्थ्य समस्या है, और इसके जल्दी पहचानने से उपचार की सफलता दर में सुधार हो सकता है। हाल के वर्षों में, वैज्ञानिक नई तकनीकों पर काम कर रहे हैं, जिसमें लेजर लाइट का उपयोग कैंसर का पता लगाने के लिए एक प्रमुख तकनीक बनता जा रहा है।

Elon Musk's Neuralink has successfully implanted a brain-computer interface in another person's brain

Elon Musk, known for revolutionizing the tech world with companies like Tesla and SpaceX, has once again made headlines. His company, Neuralink, has successfully implanted a brain-computer interface (BCI) into a second person. This is a major milestone that could redefine the connection between humans and machines. Neuralink is a company developing technology to establish direct communication between the brain and computers. Its goal is to create a device that can record and stimulate brain activity, allowing people to control computers and other devices using only their thoughts. Recently, Neuralink announced that they had successfully implanted their BCI device in a second person. Earlier, they had tested the device on a first individual, who was able to control a computer cursor with their mind. According to Musk, the company plans to implant eight more devices later this year. There are several potential benefits to Neuralink’s technology. It could be life-changing for ...

A blind German woman suddenly regained her vision but not the same person, a teenage boy, took over her identity

The Woman Who Could See—Only as Someone Else In the quiet towns of Germany, a woman known only by her initials—B.T.—carried a life story so extraordinary that even seasoned doctors were left speechless. Years ago, a tragic accident robbed her of something most of us take for granted: her vision. Diagnosed with cortical blindness, doctors concluded that the damage wasn't in her eyes, but deep in the visual centers of her brain. There was no cure, they said. Her world dimmed into darkness, permanently. She adapted. She learned to navigate life without sight, relying on a service dog and a deep inner resilience. But B.T.'s journey wasn’t just about blindness—it was about identity, too. Inside her lived more than ten distinct personalities, each with its own memories, habits, even languages. Some were men, some women. Some spoke English, others only German. B.T. was living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder. And then, somethi...

Why does Elon Musk want to develop human civilization on other planets?

Elon Musk has repeatedly emphasized that either humanity must establish civilization on other planets, or one day, a catastrophic event will occur on Earth that will bring an end to life. A comet could destroy everything in an instant—our civilization, science, and all that has taken thousands of years to develop—and then, after millions of years, everything would have to start again from zero. Musk believes this prediction can be made based on history, as massive comets have collided with Earth in the past and wiped out life multiple times. In a recent post, Musk once again reiterated his belief that if we want to preserve our existence, we must become a spacefaring civilization. A spacefaring civilization means that humans should not remain confined to Earth but should also promote life on other planets. Musk says, “Either we become a spacefaring civilization, or we die.” According to him, life-destroying events on Earth—like a comet collision or the sun’s expansion—are bound to...

Deepfake technology is a major threat not only for artists but also for scientists and doctors.

Recently, deepfake technology has introduced a new dimension to cybercrime, and its victims are not just politicians and celebrities, but also scientists and experts. Deepfake is a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to manipulate a person's face, voice, and expressions so realistically that it becomes difficult to tell the difference between real and fake. Dr. Kgomotso Mathabe, a urologist from South Africa, faced such an incident in January 2024 — a nightmare for any professional. A colleague informed her that a video featuring her was going viral on social media, in which she appeared to be promoting a fake erectile dysfunction drug. The video looked so convincing that even her family and friends questioned her about it. In reality, it was a deepfake video. Her face and voice were digitally created, and the goal wasn’t just to promote a fake product, but also to defraud people who might share their banking information while trying to buy the drug. Similar incidents ...

The shingles vaccine also reduces the risk of dementia.

Herpes (shingles) infection typically begins with red rashes on the skin that can affect different parts of the body. A recent study has revealed that vaccination against shingles may reduce the risk of dementia. Shingles is a painful rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus—the same virus that causes chickenpox, which remains dormant in the body for life. As a person ages, the likelihood of developing shingles increases. Therefore, it is recommended that people over the age of 50 receive the shingles vaccine. The study found that the newer shingles vaccine, Shingrix, available since 2017, is more effective at reducing the risk of dementia than the older vaccine Zostavax. Individuals who received the Shingrix vaccine were found to have a 17% lower risk of developing dementia over the next six years. This reduction was particularly notable in women. Shingrix is a recombinant vaccine, meaning it uses a small part of the virus to stimulate an immune response. The find...

The Hidden Cost of Space Exploration: What Astronauts Really Face With Mental Health, Hallucination and Weak Bones Body in Zero Gravity

It was a clear day in 2021 when four civilians boarded a SpaceX capsule for the Inspiration4 mission, orbiting Earth for three days. They weren’t astronauts in the traditional sense – no years of military training or NASA credentials. Just ordinary people given an extraordinary opportunity. What many didn't realize was that their journey wasn't just about reaching space – it was also about understanding what space does to the human body and mind. For decades, astronauts have returned from space feeling... different. Their bones weaker, their vision blurry, their moods unsettled. But what exactly happens inside the human body during spaceflight remained a mystery – until now. Scientists around the world recently came together to build the largest-ever database of astronaut health data, called the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA). It includes thousands of samples: blood, tissue, and cellular data collected from missions to the International Space Station and from private spac...

Cobra Snakebite First Aid: Can Heparin Help Prevent Severe Damage?

Every year, thousands of people suffer severe injuries from cobra bites, often resulting in limb amputations. A recent study has revealed that a common blood-thinning medication called heparin may help reduce these serious consequences. Snakebites cause around 138,000 deaths globally each year, most commonly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Beyond fatalities, over 400,000 survivors face complications such as tissue death, often requiring amputation. Scientists at the University of Sydney, led by Tian Du, found that cobra venom targets a molecule called heparan sulfate on the surface of human cells. Heparin, which is naturally produced by certain immune cells and is widely used in medicine, can block this harmful interaction. In laboratory tests involving venom from the red spitting cobra (Naja pallida) and black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis), researchers found that adding heparin to human skin and blood cells significantly reduced cell death. Similar protective resu...

Whispering India

Search This Blog

Science Can't Help With Climate Change But Spirituality Can