A motion detector for alien life

Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, or EPFL, have developed an extremely sensitive yet simple motion detector that can be built easily by adapting already-existing technology. The cantilever-based system has proven accurate for detecting bacteria, yeast, and even cancer cells, and is considered for the rapid testing of drugs and even the detection of extraterrestrial life. The work is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
This time-lapse video shows the growth of an osteoblast cell on the surface of the cantilever detector.
Credit: EPFL via PNAS. More information: www.eurekalert....