Broken Bones

Klutzes of the world rejoice, because itchy casts may be a thing of the past! Using a 3D printer, designer Jake Evill was able to create the Cortex — a lightweight, open cast that is built to fit. And the best part? It’s showerproof.

The Prado’s Mona Lisa.

In 2012, infrared reflectography and x-rays gave us a glimpse beneath the surface of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Researchers were not only able to uncover more details in the painting, but also figure out that the Museo del Prado’s copy of the Mona Lisa was painted by someone who most likely sat right next to Leonardo da Vinci and imitated his brushstrokes.

Coral reefs

Due to pollution and extensive damage, many of earth’s coral reefs have suffered. Luckily, divers and scientists are now able to use a special epoxy that glues new pieces of lab-grown coral to the old.

Episodes of Dr. Who

By tracking records of shipments made to Africa, BBC was able to recover 11 previously lost episodes of Dr. Who. They have since been remastered and are currently available on iTunes.

Archaic beers

Now you can actually drink like the Romans. Bimolecular archaeologists and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery took a chemical analysis of 2,700-year-old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas and recreated the ale recipe. Cheers!

Eyes

The FDA has recently approved a bionic ocular implant to aid those suffering from genetic blindness. The Argus II does not cure the defect, but by using a video camera and a pair of glasses to transmit images to the brain, it helps a patient see light and dark images.

Ancient Greek Music

After piecing together clues, deciphering notes, and using a little bit of math, musician Armand D’Angour was able to resurrect music that had been silent for thousands of years. Because of this amazing revelation, we might actually know the song of the Sirens one day.

Dinosaurs

Using an augmented reality map, visitors to the Natural History Museum were able to get up close and personal with (almost) real-life dinosaurs in 2010. By holding up handheld devices, guests were able to see all different kinds of beasts walking right in front of them.

Tupac Shakur

The world lost a great rapper when Tupac’s life was tragically cut short in 1996. Thanks to some fancy CGI and a little bit of magic (19th-century magic that is), Shakur was able to rock the Coachella stage once again in 2012.

Destroyed photographs

Years ago, when photos were worn out and tattered, we thought they’d stay that way forever. These days, a simple YouTube tutorial and some editing software can help bring them back to life.