Bill Gates is far more than a nerdy computer guy. Not only is he one of the more generous techies out there, but he's on a mission to improve your sex life. That is, if you use condoms.
Last year, the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation challenged entrepreneurs to create a better condom, choosing 11 finalists from the hopefuls. Now, they have awarded the University of Wollongong a sweet $100,000 to develop the newest revolution in safe sex: the tough hydrogel condom. Peace out, latex!
Tough hydrogel, mostly made of water, is held together by water-insoluble polymers—which gives it that Saran Wrap-y look. In the past, it's been used in tissue engineering. As they say in the video, the water helps the condom self-lubricate, and many are heraling this as a particularly skin-like option with a more natural feel.
So what could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, it seems that tough hydrogel is too brittle to stretch effectively, which means more well-endowed men may have little luck using these condoms. Then again, the project isn't over yet, so we may see an improved version shortly. And if this one doesn't pan out, there's always the promise of the Galactic Cap.
Image: CAREFUL! You're going to tear the tough hydrogel! Courtesy of, ThinkStock