Trans fats: these are two words that have practically become synonymous with poor health. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) is out to do something about these fats, which can contribute to a wide array of negative health effects. In May, WHO announced that it intends to eliminate industrially-produced trans fats by 2023. By doing …
Under Pressure: How The Bends Affects the Human Body
Scuba diving is a great way to explore the ocean’s depths and witness all the wonders the undeseas world has to offer. But it can be dangerous, too, and we aren’t talking about man-eating sharks and killer jellyfish. In fact, this treat doesn’t come from the ocean’s water; it comes from inside your own body. …
FDA Approves Aimovig for Migraines, But Can They Really Be Prevented?
Migraines can be downright debilitating, and there is rarely anything you can do to eliminate them once they start. However, researchers have been working on developing a drug that reduces the frequency of migraines for regular sufferers. Now, their end-product has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Howard, 2018). Aimovig is now …
Zero-Emissions Vehicles: Are They Really Good for the Planet?
There is a lot talk about zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) and how they can potentially help us reduce our carbon footprints, but is this really the case? Dr. Jonathan Lesser, the author of “Short Circuit: The High Cost of Electric Vehicles,” recently wanted to figure it out (Lesser, 2018). He conducted his study to determine just …
Fossil Hunter: Mary Anning
The scientific fields of geology and paleontology owe much of their early advancements to an uneducated, impoverished, amateur fossil hunter in the early 1800s. However, much of the credit for Mary Anning’s work was not granted to her during her lifetime. The reason for this was threefold – she was from a poverty-stricken, working-class family, …
Is Tourism Bad for the Planet? One Study Says Yes
You might love to travel, but have you ever stopped to think about the impact your passion is having on the environment? As it turns out, your carbon footprint may be larger than you initially thought. This is according to a new study, which assessed emissions from travel, plus the full lifecycle of carbon in …
How Can Parents Pass on Healthy Relationship Traits to Their Children?
Depending on your relationship with your parents, you may have learned skills to maintain relationships in your own life. At least this is what a new study suggests, as conducted by researcher and graduate student Mengya Xia and her colleagues. The results indicate that depending on how warm and nurturing your relationships with your parents …
Street Turtle Rescue Squad: Do’s and Don’t’s of Helping a Little Ol’ Turtle Cross the Street
Welcome! Let me be the first to congratulate you on joining the Street Turtle Rescue Squad. The Street Turtle Rescue Squad, or STRS, is an elite team of wildlife rescue personnel completely and solely dedicated to serving the turtle population in your neighborhood. Our work is vital. Without the heroic efforts of the Street Turtle …
Tick and Mosquito-borne Illnesses Are On The Rise: What Can You Do?
Summer is the season for spending time outdoors, but unfortunately, this can put us in contact with pests that carry disease. Ticks and mosquitoes, for instance, can both transmit illness to humans, and new research shows that they are doing just that this season. Federal health officials now say that the number of people getting …
Scientist Spotlight: Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley. It’s a name that won’t mean much to the average person. And even the few that recognise his name, but don’t know his story, will snigger saying, “That’s the dude that found oxygen that he didn’t believe in.” True that. Priestley did find oxygen ─ and explored many other gasses ─ while still …