Canadian scientists have invented a phaser that can cause paralysis… in worms. It’s is kinda ironic given that Star Trek: The Motion Picture paralyzed a lot of worms too.
Researchers have now found a way to paralyse tiny worms when they expose them to ultraviolet light.
Even when the ultraviolet light was turned off the animals stayed stunned.
However, if they were subsequently exposed to a different form of light they recovered again and were able to move.
The researchers claim that this is the first time that such an effect has been demonstrated in an animal.
Although some of the worms died, most of them lived through the process.
The effect is caused by using a molecule which changes its shape when exposed to ultraviolet light.
The scientists, from Simon Fraser University in Canada, fed the molecule to the worms and then tested what happened when they exposed them to the light.
The team behind the study claim that the phaser could someday be used as a treatment for medical conditions, but admit that they are as yet unsure what they would be.
The findings are published in Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Maybe they’re scary tiny worms — the kind that crawl into Chekov’s brain and make him do traitorous things.
h/t: JJ
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Know what bugs me about Trek? Any time some clever new gadget comes along, the Trekies claim Trek invented it. Virtual Reality? Yeah, that was the holodeck (Ignoring the fact that it wasn’t, and that they didn’t actually do a VR episode until well after VR was passe). Biometric scanning for hospital beds? Ok, I’ll give ‘em that one. Computers? They claim to have invented ‘em. Voice interfaces? They claim to have invented ‘em. Cellphones? They love to pretend that Communicators were a prediction of cellphones. No, not true. We never once saw a civilian with one on any planet they went to. Communicators were intended as the Starfleet version of the walkie talkie, which had been around for what, twenty years by then? Thirty? So, basically, this is just gonna’ start another round of long, annoying, self-congratulatory revival-meeting-styled yammering from the mouthbreathers about how Trek predicted everything in the future.
On the bright side, now we can stun them and take their wallets and watches. On the down side, their wallets and watches will be all sweaty and smelly and disgusting.
We got linked by The Corner… everyone be on their best behavior.
I likes to breathe from my mouth – it’s more gooder. Republiblot, would yous post a picture of yisself so I can sees how purty you are?
Are you any relation to Cletus Vernon Johnson III?
Clearly, Star Trek didn’t invent anything, or even the idea of anything. But what it did do is present a cohesive vision of people apparently comfortable and fully integrated with technologies that did not exist.
It’s one thing to watch a show with a piece of fantasy technology…it’s another to watch a show about how the technology has changed society and people’s reactions to it. While Star Trek didn’t invent anything, it has inspired a lot of people to try to create the vision that it presented, and that’s a good thing.
BTW, this worm-stunning thing is nothing like a phaser…
Chris… that’s what I thought. Seems like one of these scientists knows how to get some publicity. Freeze a worm — compare it to monster entertainment show’s gadgetry — win more grant money! Whatever I can do to further science.
The worms knew something bad was about to happen when the scientist made them all wear tiny, red shirts.
Is Kirk giving Spock some kind of Vulcan T*tty-Twister in this photo?