When it comes to human health, the pace of discovery can feel like a roller‑coaster ride. Below are 10 recent developments that are quietly reshaping medicine, technology, and our understanding of the body.
10 Recent Developments in Action
10 Scientists Identify A New Body Part
Way back in 1879, French surgeon Paul Segond penned a paper describing a “pearly, resistant fibrous band” that ran alongside the ligaments of the human knee. That fleeting note was essentially shelved until 2013, when a team of anatomists finally uncovered the anterolateral ligament – a genuine knee ligament that plays a role in many common knee injuries. The revelation, astonishingly overdue given how frequently knees are scanned and operated on, was published online in August 2013 in the Journal of Anatomy.
The researchers examined 41 unpaired cadaveric knees and spotted the new ligament in every specimen except one, concluding that this tissue was a distinct anatomical structure with a clear‑cut architecture.
Earlier that same year, ophthalmologists reported another previously unknown human structure: a microscopic layer of the cornea christened “Dua’s Layer,” featured in the journal Ophthalmology. Both discoveries remind us that even in well‑studied parts of the body, hidden surprises still await.
9 Computer Interface
Researchers at Korea University teamed up with Germany’s Technische Universität to craft a brand‑new interface that lets users steer a lower‑limb exoskeleton simply by thinking. By decoding precise brain‑wave patterns, the system translates intention into motion. Their work appeared in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Participants don an EEG cap and focus on one of five LEDs mounted on the device. Staring at a particular light triggers the exoskeleton to move forward, turn left or right, or even sit and stand, all without any physical input beyond visual attention.
Thus far, trials have involved only healthy volunteers, but the team hopes the technology will eventually aid individuals with ALS or severe spinal‑cord injuries, offering a new avenue for communication and ambulation.
8 A Device That Moves Paralyzed Limbs With Mind Power
In 2010, swimmer Ian Burkhart suffered a catastrophic neck injury after striking a sandbar, leaving him quadriplegic. Three years later, a collaboration between Ohio State University and Battelle enabled Burkhart to become the world’s first person to bypass his damaged spinal cord and voluntarily move a limb using only his thoughts.
The breakthrough hinged on an electronic neural bypass: a pea‑sized chip implanted in the motor cortex reads his brain signals, passes them to a computer, which then retranslates the data into commands for a wearable sleeve. This sleeve delivers targeted electrical stimulation to the appropriate muscles, prompting movement in a split‑second.
Getting to this point required painstaking work – mapping the exact electrode configuration that would let Burkhart control his hand, and months of intensive therapy to revive atrophied muscles. Today, he can rotate his wrist, form a fist, and pinch his fingers together to grasp objects.
7 Bacteria That Eats Nicotine And Helps Smokers Quit
Quitting smoking remains a Herculean task; roughly 80 % of those who rely on over‑the‑counter cessation aids fall back into the habit. In 2015, scientists at the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology (Scripps Research Institute) uncovered a promising ally: an enzyme from the bacterium Pseudomonas putida that literally devours nicotine before it can reach the brain.
While the enzyme itself had been known for years, the team was the first to mass‑produce it in the lab. By breaking down nicotine in the bloodstream, the enzyme prevents the dopamine surge that fuels addiction, potentially offering a novel pharmacological route to smoking cessation.
The researchers demonstrated that the lab‑produced enzyme stays stable for over three weeks in a buffered solution (and three days in serum). Mouse trials showed no observable side effects. Their results were published in the August online edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
6 A Universal Vaccine For Influenza
Peptides—short chains of amino acids—form the basic building blocks of proteins. In 2012, researchers from the University of Southampton, the University of Oxford, and Retroscreen Virology identified a set of conserved peptides on influenza viruses that could serve as the foundation for a universal flu vaccine. Their findings appeared in Nature Medicine.
Typical flu vaccines target surface proteins that mutate rapidly, allowing the virus to escape immune detection. The newly discovered peptides reside on internal viral structures that evolve far more slowly, and they are present in every known strain—from seasonal flu to avian and swine variants—making them ideal universal targets.
Influenza remains a deadly respiratory illness, especially for the very young, the elderly, and those with pre‑existing conditions. Historic pandemics, such as the 1918 outbreak, may have claimed 30–50 million lives worldwide. A universal vaccine could dramatically reduce the global health burden.
5 A Possible Cure For Parkinson’s Disease
In 2014, a multinational team spanning the Max Planck Institute, University Hospital Münster, and University of Bielefeld succeeded in grafting artificial—but fully functional—human neurons into the brains of mice. These lab‑grown neurons hold promise for treating, and perhaps one day curing, Parkinson’s disease.
The scientists reprogrammed skin‑derived cells into neuronal stem cells, then coaxed them into stable nerve tissue. After six months, the transplanted neurons integrated seamlessly, exhibited normal electrical activity, and formed new synaptic connections without any adverse effects.
Because Parkinson’s disease stems from the loss of dopamine‑producing neurons, the ability to replace damaged cells could eventually halt or reverse disease progression, offering hope to millions of patients worldwide.
4 The World’s First Approved Bionic Eye
Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common inherited retinal disorder, leading to night‑vision loss, narrowed peripheral vision, and ultimately blindness. Early symptoms often include difficulty seeing in low light and a progressive loss of visual field.
In 2013, the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System earned FDA approval as the first commercially available bionic eye. The system pairs a pair of glasses equipped with a tiny camera with an implanted electrode array on the retina. Visual data captured by the camera is transformed into electrical pulses that stimulate the retinal cells, allowing the brain to perceive patterns of light.
According to the manufacturer, Argus II is currently marketed in the United States and Canada, with plans for worldwide distribution.
3 A Painkiller That Only Uses Light
Traditional pain management relies heavily on opioid drugs, which carry risks of addiction, tolerance, and severe withdrawal. In April 2015, neuroscientists at Washington University in St. Louis unveiled a radically different approach: a light‑activated opioid receptor.
By fusing a light‑sensitive protein to the opioid receptor in a test‑tube, the team showed they could trigger the same analgesic pathways as morphine, but using photons instead of chemicals. Their study appeared online in the journal Neuron.
In animal experiments, a hair‑thin LED implanted in the brain’s reward centre was switched on to stimulate dopamine release via the engineered receptors. When the mice drifted out of the illuminated zone, the light turned off and the stimulation ceased, prompting the animals to return. This proof‑of‑concept suggests a future where pain could be managed with light, minimizing side‑effects.
2 An Artificial Ribosome
A ribosome is a two‑part molecular machine that strings amino acids together to build proteins—a process known as translation. Traditionally, each subunit is assembled inside the nucleus before being exported to the cytoplasm.
In 2015, Alexander Mankin (University of Illinois) and Michael Jewett (Northwestern University) reported the creation of “Ribo‑T,” the first fully synthetic ribosome capable of operating inside E. coli cells even when native ribosomes were absent. Their breakthrough, published in the July online edition of Science, showed that the engineered ribosome could sustain bacterial life and even evolve.
Unlike natural ribosomes, whose subunits separate during protein synthesis, Ribo‑T’s subunits remain permanently linked. This novel configuration is already providing fresh insights into how ribosomes work and may pave the way for expanding the genetic code, opening new horizons in synthetic biology and drug development.
1 A Bilateral Hand Transplant
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in partnership with Penn Medicine, made history in 2015 when they performed the world’s first bilateral hand transplant on an eight‑year‑old named Zion Harvey. After a severe infection at age two left him with a double amputation and a kidney transplant, Harvey became a candidate for the groundbreaking surgery.
Following a thorough evaluation by the Shriners Hospital for Children and a coordinated effort between the two institutions, donor hands and forearms were sourced through the Gift of Life Donor Program, which serves Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. The surgical team spent ten intense hours attaching bones, blood vessels, nerves, and tendons to re‑establish function.
Post‑operatively, Harvey must adhere to a lifelong regimen of immunosuppressant medication and intensive physical therapy to regain as much dexterity as possible. As with any transplant recipient, these measures are essential to prevent rejection of the donor tissue.
Lance LeClaire is a freelance artist and writer. He covers topics ranging from science and skepticism to unexplained mysteries and historical oddities. You can find him on Facebook.