Research Roundup: Tony Stark and Harry Potter Beware

By Jake LaBombarbe (UWIRE)

Many colleges are known for the contributions to health and science. This year, it seems that research teams are spending as much time on making science fiction into reality as they are making breakthroughs in health. Schools such as Harvard, U. Texas, and U. Kansas have remained grounded with stem cells, HIV, and birth control for men. The researchers at schools including U. Utah and UC Berkeley are working on a functional ‘Iron Man’ and a ‘Cloak of Invisibility.’ Regardless of the scope of the research, these scientists all have the same goal: a better tomorrow. Here are top research stories from UWIRE affiliates.

Invisibility cloak moves from fantasy to potential reality at UC Berkeley

Whispers of a potential invisibility cloak are floating among the labs of University of California Berkeley researchers, and contrary to notions of fact and fantasy, these are not the ravings of mad scientists. Scientists have already engineered remarkable composite materials known as “metamaterials” capable of reversing the natural direction of visible and near-infrared light.
Full Story from The Daily Californian

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U. Utah researchers develop Iron Man-like suit

When “Iron Man” comic book hero Tony Stark was kidnapped by terrorists and forced to build a weapon of mass destruction, he instead created a mechanical suit that gave him incomparable strength and the ability to fly.

Now University of Utah researchers have built a suit that will protect soldiers in combat by giving them increased strength and endurance.
Full Story from The Daily Utah Chronicle

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U. Illinois scientist creates first mixed-reality state

University of Illinois physicists have blurred the lines of reality by creating the first mixed-reality state, which could give rise to a range of applications, including the control of cancer cells.

Full Story from The Daily Illini

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Harvard, Columbia researchers make stem cell breakthrough

Scientists from Harvard and Columbia created the first patient-specific stem cell line from humans afflicted with a genetic disease, a key step in the push to create therapies for a wide variety of illnesses by replacing diseased tissue with tissue generated by stem cells.
Ful Story from the Harvard Crimson

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U. Texas researchers discover weakness in HIV virus that may enable vaccine

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have discovered a quirk in the constantly evolving HIV virus that they say will help them to develop an effective vaccine for the prevention of the virus in the next 10 years.
Full Story from the Daily Texan

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U. Kansas researchers working on birth control for men

Right here at the University of Kansas, researchers are working to provide another option when it comes to contraceptives. Listen up, fellas. This one’s for you.
Full Story from the University Daily Kansan

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Iowa State involved in most powerful supercomputing project in the world

Iowa State University researchers are participating in a project that will culminate in one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world.
Full Story from Iowa State Daily