Name: Could a tattoo help you stay healthy?
Uploaded: 2019-05-14T14:54:15Z
Duration: 10 min 48 s
Description: Can we make tattoos both beautiful and functional? Nanotechnologist Carson Bruns shares his work creating high-tech tattoos that react to their environment -- like color-changing ink that can tell you when you're getting a sunburn -- and shows exciting ways they can deliver real-time information about our health.

> "Normal human body temperature is about 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, and if you fall outside of that range, you need to seek medical attention right away."

Correction: The most common cause of a fever is [infection](https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw198785). Because a fever is the body's natural response to fight off an infection, it does [not always require immediate medical attention](https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/when-give-kids-medicine-coughs-and-colds). For an adult, a fever is not usually a cause for concern unless it reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit. For infants, however, any fever may be a cause for concern.

Can we make tattoos both beautiful and functional? Nanotechnologist Carson Bruns shares his work creating high-tech tattoos that react to their environment -- like color-changing ink that can tell you when you're getting a sunburn -- and shows exciting ways they can deliver real-time information about our health.

Could a tattoo help you stay healthy?

Tattoos have existed for over 5,000 years, as seen on Ötzi the Iceman, whose preserved skin bears 61 black tattoos predating the Egyptian pyramids. Today, tattoos are not just art or identity—they can become functional tools using nanotechnology. Color-changing inks can signal sunburn risk or body temperature shifts, turning skin into a real-time health monitor. This leap promises a future where tattoos are beautiful and life-enhancing.