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Shedding some light on cancer. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
A smart laser that emits short pulses of light may let doctors quickly determine whether or not a mole is skin cancer—without the need for painful biopsies and lab tests. The technique is called stimulated Raman scattering and it’s described in the journal Nature Photonics. The researchers say that in addition to diagnosing skin cancer, the device could help study how drugs and tissues interact, and detect hazardous materials from a distance.
In other technology news, Swiss and Colombian researchers have developed a device that can find and detonate land mines from 20 meters away, by emitting short electromagnetic pulses. In many countries, hidden land mines pose an enormous threat to civilians living nearby. This device could help find and clear them faster than other techniques. I’m Bob Hirshon for AAAS, the Science Society.
