EON

A Phaser To Stun Worms?

Beam us up! A Canadian researcher has been able to duplicate the effects of the phaser that Captain Kirk used on Star Trek. This device will not be available as a weapon. It is being tested and developed to help advance medical treatments.

At this point, the Canadian research team has only tested the phaser on worms. The worms were injected with a light sensitive material called dithienylethene. When an ultra violet light was aimed at the worms, the dithienylethene, turned blue, and they became paralyzed. They remained paralyzed even after the light was removed from the worms. Exposing the worms to a different kind of light released them from the paralysis. Some of the paralysis was so severe, it killed some of the worms.

The researchers know they have not made any giant leap for mankind, but hope to find a way to incorporate their findings into life saving medical procedures. They may be able to turn this minor discovery into a major cancer treatment device. The research was recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.