Tiny versions of the reflectors on sneakers and bicycle
fenders that help ensure the safety of runners and bikers at night are moving
toward another role in detecting bioterrorism threats and diagnosing everyday
infectious diseases, scientists said today.
Their report on progress in using these innovative
“retroreflectors” — the same technology that increases the night-time
visibility of traffic signs — was among almost 12,000 on the agenda of the
245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the
world’s largest scientific society. More than 14,000 scientists and others are
expected for the meeting, which continues here through Thursday.