Cotton Candy Capillaries

courtesy of cottoncandy-machines.come

Often the solutions to our problems come from the most bizarre places. This article showcases this phenomenon perfectly.

Making artificial organs has largely been limited by our ability to create networks of capillaries- the fine, tangled vessels that permeate our tissues and bring nourishment and carry away waste products.

Researchers Leon Bellan of Cornell University and Jason Spector of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital thought there might be a similarity in the structures of cotton candy and capillaries.  So they made a mold of some cotton candy, checked it with a microscope and found it had a very similar structure to capillary beds.

They are now working on using this structure to provide artificial blood supplies for implants and ultimately for artificial organs.  

THE LESSON

Keep your eyes open! 

When you’re struggling with a problem and have your senses open, you will make connections where connections seemingly don’t exist! 

That’s creativity!

That’s innovation!

And the final lesson??

Don’t ever look down at a cotton candy vendor!