Building a Better Battery

Imagine a cellphone battery that stayed charged for more than a week and recharged in just 15 minutes. That dream battery could be closer to reality thanks to Northwestern research. A team of engineers has created an electrode for lithium-ion batteries that enables a faster charge and the ability to hold that charge up to 10 times greater than current technology.
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Artificially Enhanced Athletes

Superstar swimmers and certain comic book superheroes have something unusual in common--when they wear special suits, they gain phenomenal abilities. A first-of-its-kind study from Northwestern Medicine highlights how now-banned technical swimsuits artificially enhanced athlete performance in 2009.

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Cornea Gene Discovery Reveals Why Humans See Clearly

A transparent cornea is essential for vision, which is why the eye has evolved to nourish the cornea without blood vessels. But for millions of people around the world, diseases of the eye or trauma spur the growth of blood vessels and can cause blindness. A new Northwestern Medicine study has identified a gene that plays a major role in maintaining clarity of the cornea in humans and mice -- and could possibly be used as gene therapy to treat diseases that cause blindness.

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New Predictor of Heart Attack and Stroke

A hike in your blood pressure during middle age significantly raises the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke during your lifetime, according to Northwestern Medicine. A new study offers a new understanding on the importance of maintaining low blood pressure early in middle age to prevent heart disease later in life.

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