MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology has created a nanoscale biological coating that, when applied to surgical sponges, can quickly stop blood loss.  The coating is made of two layers-one of the blood clotting protein thrombin, and the other of tannic acid.  (Tannic acid’s blood clotting property is why grandma said to bite down on a tea bag after wisdom teeth extractions). Obviously, this is important in trauma cases, military or civilian.   MORE