Scientists are making condoms out of cow tendons

Safe sex is great, but you know what could make
it even better? If condoms were made out of cow
bodyparts. Back in March, the Gates Foundation, owned by
uber-rich Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, announced a competition to build the next
generation of condoms. Because current latex varieties can dull sensation, Gates encouraged
entrepreneurs to create a condom that
“significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in
order to improve uptake and regular use.” The winners of the contest were announced today, and the Gates Foundation will be disbursing $1 million total for the development
of the winning ideas. Many scientists are seeking
to preserve sensation by creating condoms made
out of other materials like polyethylene
and polyurethane polymer. The most fascinating idea, however, comes from
a San Diego-based medical technologies
company that is using its $100,000 grant to
develop condoms made out of collagen extracted
from cow tendons. “A lot people are trying to get stronger and
thinner material—that was always my focus,”
grant winner Mark McGlothlin told The New Republic. “But the texture of collagen is very much like the mucous membrane: The feel of it,
the heat transfer of it, and to the touch, it feels
very much like skin.” Sounds great, but whatever happened to that