If you needed any further proof that Google is set to rule the world, the internet giant has just announced that it is working on a pill and a wearable device to detect early stage cancer, imminent heart attacks and other diseases.

Scientists at its Google X research lab are looking to develop nanoparticles - tiny magnetic particles that measure one-thousandth the width of a red blood cell - that would enter the body via a pill and then seek out and attach themselves to cells, proteins and molecules.

A magnetic wristband would then be worn to attract and count the nanoparticles, as a monitoring tool and early warning system.

The idea is that a person would be alerted to even tiny changes in their body's biochemistry early on. Early diagnosis is key to combating disease; many cancers such as pancreatic and bowel cancer only present symptoms late on, meaning they are much more difficult to treat.

There are marked differences between cancerous and healthy tissues, so Google's aim is for its system to constantly monitor the blood for traces of cancer and other diseases, allowing diagnosis long before symptoms appear.

The proposed system: nanoparticles detect symptoms of cancerous cell activity early on and pass on that information to a magnetic wristband (photos: Google/WSJ)

Google is developing a pill to detect early stage cancer and imminent heart attacks