COMMON FOOD DYE LETS SCIENTISTS SEE THROUGH SKIN

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

Stanford University researchers have discovered a yellow dye that transforms opaque tissue into a transparent window, allowing them to see the inner workings of living animals. Applied to the abdomen of a mouse, the dye allowed scientists to see its liver, small intestine, bladder, and other organs down to the resolution of microns. Rinsing off the dye with water reverses the process. The technology could have many applications, including assisting in the early detection and treatment of cancers. A picture of the transparent mouse abdomen is available in the article.