Japanese researchers invent masks that glow when they come into contact with traces of the coronavirus

Research to find out if a person is infected with coronavirus continues to advance day after day in the world of science. In addition to the well-known PCR and antigen tests, Japanese scientists have developed masks that glow in ultraviolet light if they contain traces of coronavirus.

Several studies have shown that the results are promising. The most curious thing is that they have been made from ostrich eggs.

The Japanese researchers injected in February last year an inactive and non-threatening form of coronavirus into ostrich females and from there successfully extracted a large amount of antibodies from the eggs laid by ostriches, and developed a special filter for the inside of the mask.

When the filter is sprayed with a fluorescent dye, it glows, provided there are traces of the coronavirus and thus illuminates with ultraviolet light.

A veterinarian explained that he knew that he had been infected thanks to these masks: “I could verify that my mask works because I infected myself, and the result was, although somewhat ironic, satisfactory for me as an investigator,” he said.

“If disposable mask viruses become visible to the eye, the spread of infection can be stopped at an early stage,” explains Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, president of Kyoto Prefectural University.

The research team has already conducted experiments on 32 people infected with coronaviruses for up to 10 days and now plans to increase testing to 150 participants. In addition, they hope to get government approval to sell the masks by next year.