Nanohealing substance stops bleeding in seconds, vampires protest

We may already have spray-on bandages, but Arch Therapeutics has developed a nanostructured substance that they say stops bleeding almost instantly. Originally developed at MIT, the material is awaiting FDA approval and could make its way into operating rooms soon. The liquid is made up of amino acids that form peptides and cluster into long fibers when exposed to salty environments, like, say, a whole bunch of blood. The material isn't terribly new -- it was originally discovered in the 90s, but only recently during an experiment did researchers realize that it would be great for blood control. Shortly thereafter, people saw dollar signs and Arch Therapeutics was founded.

[Kizorblade @ May 12th 2008 9:41AM]

Major win for the human race.

[Chuckles McGee @ May 12th 2008 11:23AM]

No more tampons!

[silverblackvoid @ May 12th 2008 12:40PM]

chuckles, i think u r a girl!

[TIB @ May 12th 2008 9:42AM]

I wonder if a small injection of the stuff would be lethal?

[Valgas @ May 12th 2008 9:45AM]

I was thinking the same thing. If it gets into your bloodstream.... *Poof* .. right? Insta heart attack or embolism or something.

[Kizorblade @ May 12th 2008 9:50AM]

Well, I'd guess it'd just clot up that part

Unless if you're injecting it into the heart, but that's err...

You trust your doctor right?

[453 @ May 12th 2008 9:59AM]

"The liquid is made up of amino acids"

Amino acids are one of the building blocks of cells. At a guess if you injected someone with it you'd need a *huge* amount of it to cause problems, otherwise your cells would happily munch away at them.

The cells in a wound are probably too busy dying to do much of that. Dunno really, although I take it they've thought of all this. You'd hope so anyway.

[sirsilencedogood @ May 12th 2008 10:11AM]

And if you inject any air into yourself you die instantly too... Wow. This discussion was unnecessary.

[bwl @ May 12th 2008 1:35PM]

i don't think it works like ice-9

[IT-Accountant @ May 12th 2008 9:57AM]

This is pretty awesome.

[ivanotter @ May 12th 2008 10:15AM]

This is some epic stuff. Ok maybe not EPIC epic, but anything like this i definitely approve of. Though I have to admit, it's funny because we already thought of a lethal application to it here. What nerds we are ^_^

[Derek @ May 12th 2008 10:21AM]

I'm a pelvic surgeon.

I want this. Like now.

[Captain Drew @ May 13th 2008 12:13AM]

And brother, we WANT you to have it.
Like now.

[Che @ May 12th 2008 10:30AM]

Can I buy some to use on the damn razor cuts I get almost every day?

[Kaminix @ May 12th 2008 10:41AM]

It would probably be cheaper to just learn to shave you know. ^^

[Plawa @ May 12th 2008 11:04AM]

Just stop cutting yourself.

damn emo kids...

[welchb @ May 12th 2008 11:18AM]

http://www.onthefly.com/product/art-of-shaving-alum-block/10475

You'll never need another one. Like until you die. heh.

[Che @ May 12th 2008 7:53PM]

Yeah. I used to have a styptic pencil and it kind of worked OK. Not great. I'd like something better. For those of you who think I don't no how to shave, I rated you up for being funny, but when your beard grows in, you may have the problem too. If not, you have rhinocerous hide for skin on your face. I don't.

[Timmy @ May 12th 2008 10:46AM]

Use it like Stop-Flat tire puncture repair, inject some in to your blood stream and when you get a cut it will stop your "leak" from the inside, then you got 50 miles to get to the "repair"shop.

[terrylam @ May 12th 2008 11:02AM]

Well for military applications this would be a huge boon. Getting closer to those added health booster you come across in Quake or Doom.

[BMEdin @ May 12th 2008 11:50AM]

Too bad they aren't publicly traded.

[Kurian @ May 12th 2008 11:53AM]

Instant? Does this restore 50HP or 100HP?

[KC @ May 12th 2008 6:18PM]

actually that reminds me of those magical Antibiotic Gel in Trauma Center that heals instantly on contact with small wounds...

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 12th 2008 7:01PM]

takes off all damage counters, but costs two energy cards

[Rainier @ May 12th 2008 12:27PM]

Blood-duh! Blood-duh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fVDGu82FeQ

[Matt @ May 12th 2008 12:48PM]

I love this headline I just wish they had put up a picture of a sad vampire next to it.

[xtrmcheeze @ May 12th 2008 12:56PM]

Uhh, styptic pencil anyone? I've been using these for years for shaving, they stop bleeding in a few seconds too! Though they hurt like hell...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styptic

[AlphaTeam @ May 12th 2008 1:13PM]

Will this hurt like the spray on bandages; I don't mind the hurting, but as long as it does hurt as much as betadine I'm fine.

[xeones @ May 12th 2008 1:34PM]

this will be awesome to shoot up my nose when i get a nosebleed.

[3waygeek @ May 12th 2008 1:37PM]

I could have used this over the weekend. I had a massive nosebleed Friday afternoon & Saturday morning, losing a pint or two of blood. Spent most of Saturday in the ER -- I had passed out so they did a CT scan & gave me an IV.

I'm on Plavix & aspirin following an angioplasty in March -- blood thinners & nosebleeds don't mix.

[Pat @ May 12th 2008 2:47PM]

Self-mutilators, rejoice.

[Tyson @ May 12th 2008 2:53PM]

Get that to battle fields like asap, how man lives you you save.

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 12th 2008 6:53PM]

we we save many man lives (sorry couldn't resist)

[Tyson @ May 12th 2008 7:40PM]

True, thats what I get for posting after being awake for 2 days while in bed.

[Mikey81 @ May 12th 2008 4:04PM]

Military uses, pah. I need this for my shaving kit!

[thedesolate1 @ May 12th 2008 5:29PM]

Okay now where the hell are my self-regenerating limbs at??

[Che @ May 12th 2008 7:54PM]

Umm. I meant "know".

[Wwhat @ May 13th 2008 9:26AM]

Might have made more sense to make it react with iron rather than salt.
But I guess they went with how it came out.

[Sma @ May 13th 2008 9:56AM]

Side effect may include pale skin, changes in your voice, abnormal agility and strength, and the irresistible urge to suck the life out of humans with your hand.

[Ely Perez @ May 13th 2008 1:43PM]

There is a new product on the market called KytoStat that is great for external wounds. KytoStat is as easy to use as a regular bandaid. Just apply it to the wound and it stops the bleeding. You don’t even need to wipe the blood away. In fact, the blood allows the chitosan in KytoStat to seal the wound. For more information, visit www.kytostat.com.

[rank1 @ May 22nd 2008 11:09PM]

google nanotechnology and asbestos and see what comes up....
concerning stuff.