Swallow your thermometer pill

Athletes worried about heat stroke can now swallow a tiny thermometer to help them monitor their core body temperature.

The pill-sized thermometer is coated with silicon so it won’t dissolve. As it travels through the digestive system, it transmits the athlete’s temperature to a recorder outside the body. It eventually passes safely out of the digestive system after 18 to 30 hours.

Heat stroke is very dangerous for athletes, especially those training in hot weather, and can lead to brain damage, organ damage or even death. By monitoring core body temperature, experts hope to help keep athletes safe.

The thermometer pill was originally designed by NASA for astronauts and has also been used by firefighters and divers.