Researchers from Rice University created a new laser powered way to diagnose malaria infection. They developed a method that doesn't require blood samples or chemical tests. The laser will listen for the sounds of the malaria parasite chomping down on your blood cells.

When malaria chows down on red blood cells, it produces hemozion. It is a substance that isn't found in the blood stream of non-infected patients. The researchers developed a laser that heats the hemozoin crystals without affecting other components in the blood.

The heated hemozoin makes tiny nanobubbles, which the device listens for the sound of bubbles popping.

Fast diagnosing methods are needed in countries where malaria runs rampant and is difficult to draw a blood sample. The standard test takes 15 minutes, costs $1 each, and it's ruined in hot climates if it's not stored properly.

The laser method takes 20 seconds per patient.

According to research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the test was able to detect malaria in mice when only one red blood cell in a million was infected, without false positives.

[Rice University via Cnet]