When you get out and exercise, how much are you benefiting from the physical activity if you’re in a smog-ridden area? As it turns out, not very much, according to the most recent research compiled by scientists from Duke University and Imperial College London (Sinharay et al., 2017). To learn more about how exercise can …
Author: Prentice, the Science Platypus
Prentice is the mascot of Insanitek.
Why a platypus? Well, why not? It's unusual, somewhat crazy, and evolution pretty much smashed a bunch of concepts together and said, "Try that."
Osage Oranges: Don’t Judge a Tree by its Fruit
Drive down a country road in the fall in most parts of the United States, and you will surely see, from time to time, some large, round, greenish-yellow, knobby balls lying on the side of the road. They are called Osage oranges, but don’t expect to squeeze them into tangy, citrus-y juice – they aren’t …
FDA Issues Warning on Processed Bones for Dogs: Which Treats are Safe?
During the holidays, it isn’t uncommon for pet owners to sneak their dogs a few bites to eat under the table. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now says it’s the food dogs are supposed to eat that may actually be causing problems. As it turns out, bone treats – store-bought pet treats …
Could Marriage Help Ward Off Dementia? Some Scientists Think So
If you’ve been lucky enough to walk down the aisle with your soulmate, you already know some of the obvious benefits of companionship. Now, scientists believe that marriage may also be beneficial for your health – think of it as a new way to ward off dementia. Recently, a group of researchers looked through medical …
An Ancient Botanical Mystery
In antiquity, there lived a plant called silphium that had powerful culinary and medicinal uses … including the most effective birth control ever known. Although highly sought after, the plant refused to be cultivated by man, and was eventually harvested into extinction, so the ancient writings tell us. All that is left is textual evidence …
How Will Your City Be Impacted by Sea Level Rise and Climate Change?
What will happen when Greenland’s Petermann glacier finally begins melting at a rapid rate? What about portions of Antarctica? The natural assumption is that sea levels will begin to rise, but now, scientists believe that there are strong variances in how cities will be affected. Researchers Eric Larour, Erik Ivins and Surendra Adhikari recently came …
How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety During the Holidays
The holiday season is a joyous occasion for many, but not everyone is quick to get into the spirit. In fact, depression and anxiety can become prominent during this time of the year, particularly as friends and family come together. “Holidays can be a time when the things that trigger depression–grief, disputes, transitions–are in abundance,” …
Study: More Teen Girls are Inflicting Self-Harm, But Why?
What would you do if you found out a young female in your life was contemplating suicide? New research suggests that incidents of self-harm are rising among young girls and women. Recently, a letter published by the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at the rates of suicide among young adults (Mercado, Holland, Leemis, …
What We Can Learn from a Salamander: The Quest for Human Regeneration
We humans arrogantly tout our superiority over other creatures in the animal kingdom, but in many ways, less complex animals are more advanced than we are. Take the salamander, for instance. While we humans have the ability to create the World Wide Web, space travel, and microwave popcorn, these decidedly less advanced animals can regrow …
Could Alcohol Consumption Cause Cancer? One Study Says Yes
Should we be reconsidering the one or two glasses of wine we have over dinner? According to a new study, the answer is yes. As it turns out, alcohol is a contributing factor to many health complications, and new research suggests that it may be specifically linked to cancer. Researchers from the American Society of …