Ever do that high school science experiment where you mix hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and yeast and get this rapidly expanding foam that overflows whatever container you started with? I think the experiment is often called Elephant's Toothpaste.

Interesting wound care method being developed by DARPA--expanding foam to stop internal bleeding. I read about it here. Blunt force trauma or high velocity penetrating injury can cause massive internal bleeding that you can't just apply pressure to from the outside of the body.

Enter this new foam. Inject two different chemicals into the abdominal cavity that combine to turn into rapdily expanding foam that fills every nook and cranny. It then solidifies and firmly compresses everything from the inside. I assume it doesn't hinder heart function, and sounds like bad news if anyone ever injected it into your lung by mistake, but a fascinating concept.

I can envision a future system for soldiers that has sensors that can detect blast or penetrating injuries and will automatically inject this foam if, say, it detects that the soldier is unconcious or not otherwise being rendered immediate aid. Sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but these days, science fiction can become science fact quite quickly.

A civilian version is also reportdely in the works.