Artificial Blood!
 

Source!

This marks the medical entrance of synthetic blood. A girl was on the end of her rope, doctor asked her mother's permission to use a non-FDA approved substance. End result is that it saved her life.

What does it do? It can chug along Oxygen ~50 times better than our own blood in our bodies. It severely reduces the speed and havoc caused by brain damage as a result.

It has quite an extensive article for you to browse.

Once again -- ain't science cool? Totally reminds me of the blood that Bishop had in aliens >_> ROBO-BLOOD.

I don't think this stuff completly replaces blood though... IE you can't drain all the red stuff and replace it with the synth stuff - it'll cause a heart attack.

But you can use the synth stuff to replace lost blood - or help the body transport oxygen through the circulatory system by adding the synth stuff, because it holds more oxygen. The synth stuff doesn't transport hormones, or the other essential components of normal blood.

No offense but I'd rather use the blood my own body creates or blood created by someone else and donated than use fake blood. Atleast untill it's been tested and proven alot.

I mean, it's great and all but it just sounds a bit risky.

This is definitely sweet news, hopefully someday it can help to reduce the blood shortage problem (cause not enough people donate, their blood isn't usuable for some reason, and/or blood has a short shelf life).

This kind of reminds me of that bandage the military was developing which used your own blood to form a clot so that the bleeding would stop almost instantly. It wasn't supposed to be ready until like 2025, but they used it in Iraq and it seemed to work well (the main downside is the cost, a bandage costs like $100, and it's one time use only, but with time, I'm sure it'll come down so that hospitals and first responders can carry those around).

Yeah, it does amaze me sometimes to think how advanced we've gotten technology-wise within such a short span of time, such as the internal combustion engine which made travel easier/faster, the computer (I used to remember how awesome having a typewriter was, then I discovered Microsoft Word hehe), and the internet.

Now, about those mechs and FTL (faster than light) spaceships...(I know, they're far into the future if it's even realistically possible, but we can always dream :D)

Wow! That is wicked. Amazing what they might be able to do with it in the near future. This is great scientific news and will definitely help hospitals in the future with accidents and injuries.

Have any of you guys read the book Mount Dragon by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child? Artifical blood creates some kind of mania, as far as I remember.

But I think it's a great peice of news. I can't remember how many times I've heard that the hospitals need blood, so if this works like a charm, it's all good.

I think that this is great news! Not enough people are donating blood these days, this could be the solution!

this stuff has been in the making for a while. I remember first reading about it last year. I think it will be great for battle fields, and for when you can't keep donated blood cool

I agree with you there, but in an emergency situation where there may not be any blood available for you, would you take the artificial stuff?

I know I would.

if it has been tested and it really works with no side-effects it would really be great. but if its still not a perfect blood-replacement thing then i wouldnt go with it yet

This stuff isn't even really being viewed as a blood replacement. This is simply a highly efficient oxygen carrier. Blood performs many more functions, including transport of nutrients, wastes, thermal energy, clotting factors, and immuno-agents. As mentioned in the article, this synthetic being applied as an oxygen therapy rather than blood replacement. It ensures that oxygen can be delivered to areas of the body that red blood cells can no longer go due to swelling or clotting. In the case of a traumatic brain injury, where swelling pinches off tiny blood vessels and starves the tissue of oxygen, it can make the difference between recovery and permanent brain damage.

:iamwithstupid:
ElectricSheep basically summed it all up for those who aren't paying attention.

And hell yeah I'd take the synthetic stuff if it would save my life. Forget side-effects, unless it's like, AIDS or something. I want to liiiiiive!

Also Sheep, your sig kinda creeps me out, is that a cat? And if so, WTF is it licking?! Its own self? That's some high-definition shizzit right there.

You know, fuck what it ACTUALLY is. I like fantasizing about being ROBO-KURADO. That shit would rock, man. Imagine getting punched in the gob hard enough to start bleeding and it comes out all white and shit. Show stopper right there.

This is fucking awesome news and it needs to replace blood NOW.

yes but if your life is on the edge, and there are no donors available, wont you use it??
i think its a good think to have something to relay in the worst scenarios.

Well done ElectricSheep, you have just saved the scientist's integrity by clarifying what was said in the article. I just want to highlight that there are possible side effects in the use of Oxycyte as mentioned in the last page of the article, for example, the swelling of the liver and the decrease of platelet count. That said, Oxycyte is far from being a blood substitute in the general, multipurpose sense - it only substitutes blood on the surgeon's table - one tiny, albeit life-saving specific function it was designed to serve. Misunderstood truths are often more dangerous than truth that has not been understood, so don't go around spreading myths yet eh! :eyebrow:

Yeah, people...read the article. Like, just the first page even.

This stuff is totally NOT intended for everyday use, in place of good 'ol human blood. It transports oxygen better only in the sense that the 'tiny particles' of Oxycyte that carry oxygen are smaller than the corresponding blood cells, and can therefore pass through veins more easily, allowing oxygen to sensitive organs following traumatic incidents.


But man. WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE. This is pretty awesome.