Aspirin that Bypasses Blood Brain Barrier Might Cure Cancer and Other Tech

#WeAreBack! After a long break, we’re back with the latest in science and technology news for today. Let’s start with the latest in healthcare today.

Aspirin that Bypasses Blood Brain Barrier Might Cure Cancer

One of the barriers to cancer treatment is the blood brain barrier’s ability to stop pathogens from reaching the brain. But a new type of solution presented at Brain Tumors 2016 in Poland might offer a way to breach the barrier.

Researchers from the Brain Tumor Research Centre at UK’s University of Portsmouth and Manchester-based Innovate Pharmaceuticals claim to have developed a soluble liquid aspirin, called IP1867B, that can kill glioblastoma cells (a type of brain tumor) without harming healthy brain cells.

"This is a potential game-changer for research into brain tumors and clearly shows what sustainable research is able to achieve. It is science like this that will enable us to eventually find a cure for this devastating disease which kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer," said Sue Farrington Smith, CEO of Brain Tumor Research – the charity that funded the research.

San Francisco to Ban Styrofoam Products by 2017

San Francisco’s Local Council has just voted to ban all styrofoam, or polystyrene products by 2017 – moving a step closer to its goal of becoming a waste-free city by 2020. Recently, environmentalists have been concerned about polystyrene’s impact on marine life and waterways, often leading to fish and other animals ingesting the plastic.

"The main challenge posed by Styrofoam is that it breaks into tiny little pieces, especially outside in the sun when it photodegrades. It looks more and more like food and makes them feel full, and really, they’re malnourished and they can die from that condition," said Allison Chan, the Clean Bay Campaign manager for Oakland-based Save the Bay.

Study Reveals Human Activity Causing Rapid Evolution and Speciation

A study by researchers from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at the University of Copenhagen has revealed that rapid evolution and speciation, caused by human activity, has led to a number of animals having gone extinct in the last 50 years.

"The prospect of ‘artificially’ gaining novel species through human activities is unlikely to elicit the feeling that it can offset losses of ‘natural’ species. Indeed, many people might find the prospect of an artificially biodiverse world just as daunting as an artificially impoverished one," says Joseph Bull, lead author of the study.

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