This video was reproduced with permission and was first published on January 10, 2017. It is a Nature Video production.
January 10, 2017
The String and Paper Centrifuge
This toy-inspired centrifuge could enable medical testing in remote locations, and costs just 20 cents to make.
Join Our Community of Science Lovers!
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
A centrifuge is a vital piece of kit for hospitals and labs across the world. But what if you could make one out of paper and string? The so-called ‘paperfuge’ is the cheapest and fastest hand-spun centrifuge ever designed — and it can reach speeds of up to 125,000 revolutions per minute. Nature Video reveals how this invention will allow basic diagnostic tests in areas without laboratory resources or electricity. The paper has been published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Read it here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-016-0009
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
