Epidural electrical stimulation, which delivers a continuous electrical current to the lower spinal cord, has allowed four young men who had been paralyzed for years to move their legs. All four participants were classified as suffering from chronic, motor complete spinal cord injuries and were unable to move their lower extremities prior to the implantation […]
The human body has lots of soft muscular systems that bend, twist, extend, and flex in complex ways. Robotic systems that try to emulate these biological workhorses have usually fallen well short, but a team of researchers at Harvard has developed a low-cost, programmable soft actuated material which can replicate the biological motions of the […]
Scientists from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences report that vitamin C and E supplements can interfere with cellular signaling and handicap the development of muscular endurance. Their report, published in The Journal of Physiology, hints that the blunting effect may be caused by a reduction of oxidative stress. “Our results show that vitamin C […]
When humans see the color red, their reactions become both faster and more forceful. People are mostly unaware of the color’s muscle boosting effect, but a new study suggests it could give sportspeople the edge in activities in which a brief burst of strength and speed is critical. The findings, published in the journal Emotion, […]
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – popularly known as bad cholesterol – turns out to be critical for building muscle mass, and lowering of the body’s LDL levels can cause serious health problems, say researchers at Texas A&M University in a new study. Researcher Steve Riechman said the study reveals that LDL is not the evil Darth […]
Coming hot on the heels of the news that scientists have turned stem cells into sperm, theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that researchers have extracted adult stem cells from fatty tissue (adipose) and turned them into smooth muscle cells. Smooth muscle cells are found throughout the body and make up the walls […]
Nanotechnology researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) have made chemically powered artificial muscles that are up to 100 times stronger than natural muscles. Fueled by alcohol or hydrogen, the muscles are also able to do 100 times more work per cycle than natural muscles. Dr. Ray H. Baughman, who headed up the […]
