Bandage Powder
An onlooker might have thought that Florida detective Danny Johnson was pouring salt in the wound of an elderly man he found at the scene of a reported shooting. In fact, he was pouring QuikClot, a mineral clotting agent that its maker, Z-Medica of Wallingford, Connecticut, claims has saved 150 lives so far. QuikClot can stop serious bleeding in two minutes, five times faster than bandaging. That's why every soldier in Afghanistan and Iraq carries the powder, or so New Scientist reports. If you're short on body armor, QuikClot is probably the next best thing.
There's just one problem: The powder releases heat when it absorbs water, so much in fact that it can lead to second degree burns. Z-Medica is trying to reformulate the powder to make it less dangerous. If the company can figure out a way to make it edible, it could literally be used as Shake & Bake — place roadkill in bag, add QuikClot, shake, and serve while still hot.
