Using a common food dye, researchers made mouse skin transparent

What if you could apply a substance on the skin, much like a moisturizing cream, and make it transparent, without harming the tissue? In a study published in Science, Stanford Engineering researchers were able to see, with the naked eye, organs within an animal’s body, by simply applying a common food dye. The process is completely reversible and appears to leave no lasting effects on animal subjects. The researchers believe this novel technique is the first harmless, non-invasive approach to achieving visibility of an animal’s living internal organs. Looking forward, this technology could make veins more visible, easing the process of venipuncture. Moreover, this innovation could potentially replace some X-rays and CT scans, assist in the early detection of skin cancer, and make laser-based tattoo removal more straightforward. 🎥: Keyi “Onyx“ Li / U.S. National Science Foundation