BREAKTHROUGH: Scientists Invent Particles That Will Let You Live Without Breathing, page 1

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Topic started on 29-6-2012 @ 06:44 PM by v1rtu0s0

This may seem like something out of a science fiction movie: researchers have designed microparticles that can be injected directly into the bloodstream to quickly oxygenate your body, even if you can't breathe anymore. It's one of the best medical breakthroughs in recent years, and one that could save millions of lives every year.

The invention, developed by a team at Boston Children's Hospital, will allow medical teams to keep patients alive and well for 15 to 30 minutes despite major respiratory failure. This is enough time for doctors and emergency personnel to act without risking a heart attack or permanent brain injuries in the patient.

The solution has already been successfully tested on animals under critical lung failure. When the doctors injected this liquid into the patient's veins, it restored oxygen in their blood to near-normal levels, granting them those precious additional minutes of life.

"We have engineered around this problem by packaging the gas into small, deformable particles," said scientist John Kheir. "They dramatically increase the surface area for gas exchange and are able to squeeze through capillaries where free gas would get stuck."

(Source)

Think of how many lives this could save in situations where someone is unable to breathe for a variety of reasons. It also seems very logical, as the purpose of our lungs is to oxygenate our blood, but this injection accomplishes that for us.

Also, it's interesting to note, the carbon dioxide build up would not be dangerous for about 30 minutes, however a lack of oxygen can be fatal is less than 5 minutes.

edit on 29-6-2012 by v1rtu0s0 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 06:52 PM by dino23uk

Really great post i think that its amazing we have used science to preserve life rather than to destroy it and i hope it doesnt take years to arrive into everyday procedures

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 06:52 PM by TechUnique

reply to post by v1rtu0s0

WOW! Just wow!
Imagine the potential uses for tech like this!

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 06:57 PM by Deaf Alien

Reminds me of that movie Abyss.

That invention got a lot of potential.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 06:59 PM by cranspace

Will Let You Live Without Breathing

Yeah Fantastic
And how long before this is weaponized
Zombies we are cursed

Cran

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 06:59 PM by v1rtu0s0

Originally posted by dino23uk
Really great post i think that its amazing we have used science to preserve life rather than to destroy it and i hope it doesnt take years to arrive into everyday procedures

This does provide a glimmer of hope that we can actually use our technology for the betterment of humanity rather than for weapons of war or profiteering.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:01 PM by v1rtu0s0

Originally posted by cranspace
Zombies we are cursed

Cran

I'm afraid you're too late on predicting zombies. That phase has already begun

www.abovetopsecret.com...

edit on 29-6-2012 by v1rtu0s0 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:19 PM by TechUnique

Originally posted by v1rtu0s0

Originally posted by dino23uk
Really great post i think that its amazing we have used science to preserve life rather than to destroy it and i hope it doesnt take years to arrive into everyday procedures

This does provide a glimmer of hope that we can actually use our technology for the betterment of humanity rather than for weapons of war or profiteering.

I'm no medical expert but I can see this helping out with some birth complications and saving some young lives?!

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:21 PM by chrismarco

reply to post by v1rtu0s0

thank god because right now my three year old has some fierce gas issues...the muggy weather is not helping with the dispersal....pppppp...uuuuuuuuuu...

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:26 PM by Dreamer99

reply to post by v1rtu0s0

Considering this tech is in its infancy, I would think that in time scientists will discover a way of making this last far longer than 30 minutes. Imagine the potential applications of something like this, especially if they could make it last indefinitely.

Astronauts, for instance, may not even need to breathe. Instead they may get a shot once or twice a day. They can bring the oxygen levels down in the shuttle, reducing the risk of fire to zero.

Divers, firefighters, and mountain climbers would carry this on them always, not to mention lifeguards, EMT's, and soldiers.

So many ways this could save so many lives. We live in an amazing time, technologically speaking.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:31 PM by yourmaker

this has advantages for space travel one could imagine...

some of the crew would presumably need to be in some sort of comatose state for a long period of suspended animation during inter-planetary travel, they wouldn't need to be hooked up to ventilators (or whatever) using precious unexpendable energy.

/only thought that came to mind

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:32 PM by cavtrooper7

Cool I'll live longer....I wasn't worried,I got diagnosed with COPD, lung capacity reduced to 30% 4 years ago.VA docs wouldn't guess but most said 15 years.
It's is a valuable safety tip.Don't be downwind when Chemical munitions go boom especially when its your side's demo work.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:42 PM by xEphon

Originally posted by Dreamer99
reply to post by v1rtu0s0

Considering this tech is in its infancy, I would think that in time scientists will discover a way of making this last far longer than 30 minutes. Imagine the potential applications of something like this, especially if they could make it last indefinitely.

Astronauts, for instance, may not even need to breathe. Instead they may get a shot once or twice a day. They can bring the oxygen levels down in the shuttle, reducing the risk of fire to zero.

Divers, firefighters, and mountain climbers would carry this on them always, not to mention lifeguards, EMT's, and soldiers.

So many ways this could save so many lives. We live in an amazing time, technologically speaking.

From what I read your body still needs to expel the buildup of CO2. Without expelling the CO2, the levels become dangerous in about 30 minutes, so, it seems like that may be the current ceiling for this particular invention.

But nonetheless, this is fantastic news and I can only imagine the feeling these inventors will have knowing that their invention is out saving lives that would have otherwise been lost.

Bravo humanity

edit on 29-6-2012 by xEphon because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 07:56 PM by Dreamer99

reply to post by xEphon

Then the problem then becomes about expelling the extra carbon dioxide from the bloodstream.

There's two ways I would imagine them doing this. First, they could come up with a type of blood filter, which doesn't sound very great. I doubt that would be feasible in the near future.

Second way could be a sister shot; perhaps time released which could bind or encapsulate the carbon and free the oxygen. This could potentially oxygenate the blood with the built up C02. Then the only problem is removing the bound carbon from the bloodstream; the molecule would have to have a way out. Theoretically, I would imagine that it isn't beyond the realm of possibility.

Hell, an hour ago I didn't think there was a way to breathe without breathing. I love how science can still catch me off guard, no matter how jaded I think I've become.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 11:17 PM by v1rtu0s0

Originally posted by Dreamer99

Second way could be a sister shot; perhaps time released which could bind or encapsulate the carbon and free the oxygen. This could potentially oxygenate the blood with the built up C02. Then the only problem is removing the bound carbon from the bloodstream; the molecule would have to have a way out. Theoretically, I would imagine that it isn't beyond the realm of possibility.

Interesting theory that makes you wonder just how long you could go without breathing. Perhaps, forever?

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 11:31 PM by Rivetlikewhoa

reply to post by Dreamer99

Couldn't you release the CO2 the same way you do now? I think the only reason there is CO2 build up is because the experiments are being done on animals that are in respiratory failure.

So you would still exhale the CO2 you just wouldn't need to inhale any new oxygen.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 11:36 PM by hadriana

Wow, this could keep Cheney alive FOREVER.
I bet he is already stockpiling it.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 11:38 PM by jonnywhite

reply to post by cavtrooper7

Don't give up. Fight as long as you can.

Let the medical people know you're there and don't let em forget.

Research. There're peolpe out there doing experiments. Find them!

Wish you all the best in your journey in this world.

reply posted on 29-6-2012 @ 11:41 PM by v1rtu0s0