From charged polymers to life-saving innovations
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 15-Apr-2026 21:16 ET (16-Apr-2026 01:16 GMT/UTC)
Whether natural or synthetic, polymers — large molecules made up of repeating units called monomers — exhibit complex structures and properties that make them useful in a wide range of applications. In their soft, nearly liquid biogel form, polymers viewed through an optical microscope resemble a bowl of tangled soft noodles. In that state, they tend to coacervate, or combine, with other polymers — when those polymers carry opposite electrostatic charges.
A new report proposes a range of initiatives to substantially reduce the harm caused by firearm violence in the United States over the next 15 years. The report, to be published Nov. 3 in the journal JAMA, proposes a range of initiatives. These include using artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to detect concealed weapons, and expanding programs that address poverty, social distrust and other factors behind violence in American communities. Since 2000, more than 800,000 Americans have been killed and more than 2 million injured by firearms. The report summarizes discussions of 60 experts in public health, criminology, sociology, social work, public policy and other fields. “We really tried to step back and think about what innovations are needed to address the firearm problem in a new way — realizing we live in a country with a Second Amendment and somewhere around 400 million firearms in private hands,” said Dr. Frederick P. Rivara, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He chaired the summit.
Soft, air-powered exoskeleton eases muscle fatigue, reduces injuries and boosts workplace safety