Snorkeling Mask

April 28, 2020

Dear Reader, This week, we have another article about innovation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the need for ventilators increases, some hospitals are instead trying out a less invasive breathing aid made from a snorkeling mask. For another story of how this swim gear can be repurposed, check out the archive tale of how a teenage chemist snatched up a similar mask to protect himself from an experiment gone wrong. In other coronavirus-related news, the gene editing technique called CRISPR could accelerate our ability to test for infections. And for something completely different, read about some centimeter-scale shapeshifting robots or a new method for close examination of tumors.

Sophie Bushwick, Associate Editor, Technology @sophiebushwick

Medical & Biotech Snorkeling Mask Apparatus Might Help COVID-19 Patients Avoid Intubation The jury-rigged breathing aid, invented to deal with ventilator shortages, is now being tested as a kinder, gentler alternative to a tube in the trachea By Emily Willingham