TB to be spotted from space

A grant has been awarded to scientists to develop technology that is capable of detecting TB from space.

A sum of £1.34 million has been given by the Wellcome Trust to researchers at The Open University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) develop a mass spectrometer to be used on the Beagle 2 and Rosetta space missions.

The device will be capable of detecting TB, which is thought to kill two million people every year, primarily in the developing world in countries where resources are poor.

"Smear microscopy is not a very accurate way of diagnosing TB and only detects a third of all positive cases," said Dr Geraint "Taff" Morgan of The Open University.

"The thing with developing technology for space missions is that if forces you to push boundaries and think outside the box when you're looking for new solutions to challenging problems. Many of the technical challenges we have overcome in designing our space instruments are the same as we face with this issue."

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