I came across an article this week that was both interesting and inspiring — a roundup from Tech Insider of the most exciting innovations of 2015.
Those of us in media and tech circles so often get obsessed with gadgets that are undeniably cool, but don’t exactly reach the entire world. There’s an enormous universe of innovation happening beyond streaming apps and ad tech and this piece did a great job of reminding me of that!
The editors identified some fascinating stuff. It was hard to pick only a few, but my faves included:
Algae-Based Gel Stops Bleeding
VetiGel, an algae-based gel that can stop bleeding in just 12 seconds, is set to start shipping to veterinarians this fall. After further testing, humans may get it, too. Created by biotech company Suneris, the gel quickly seals wounds and stops traumatic bleeding, the leading cause of preventable death in trauma victims.
Thirsty Concrete Drinks Water
Earlier this year, British materials company Tarmac unveiled a seemingly magical solution to flooding: a porous concrete that absorbs 880 gallons of water a minute, potentially saving vulnerable regions from roads overrun by water.
Speaking of Water, Check This Out
Who could forget the image of Bill Gates drinking poop water? It was a cold January morning, and Gates was demoing the Omni Processor, a new Gates Foundation-funded water purifier made by Janicki Bioenergy. The machine turns human feces into drinkable water and valuable energy.
Rhino Horns Built in a Petrie Dish
This year, biotech startup Pembient figured out how to create real rhinos horn in a lab — an innovation that could disrupt the deadly practice of poaching, which has endangered the global population of black rhinos.
Sunglasses That Let the Colorblind See Color
Some colorblind people have been able to see colors for the first time thanks to EnChroma’s sunglasses. Sales of the sunglasses jumped from only several hundred units in the two years they’ve been on sale to more than 12,000 in 2015.
Be sure to check out the full list over at Tech Insider.