Here’s a nice piece of applied physics research that will excite a significant minority of the population – specifically those who dread going to the dentist. Personally, I have never had any issues with drills (needles are a different story), but I know lots of people who do.
The proposed method uses cold plasmas to kill off bacteria-infected dentin that would otherwise have to be drilled out before a filling applied. A bit like microwaving the tooth. It’s in the reasonably early stages of the commercialization process, but maybe you will see it at your dentist in a few years’ time.
Read for yourself on the physicsworld site at http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/41506
Now, what would be really exciting is if they could develop a method for taking blood samples without sticking sharp metal objects into one’s veins. I would invest in that one.