Carbon dioxide doesn’t have to be a bad thing – in moderate doses – but our planet is simply getting too much of it. Thanks to manmade activities, we now have to think about how carbon dioxide is going to affect everything from wildlife to the longevity of our planet in its entirety. Now, scientists …
Could an Antibiotic Be the Answer to Treating PTSD?
What if antibiotics could one day be a cure for something other than a bacterial infection? More specifically, what if they could help with mental illness? This is what researchers are now looking into with one particular antibiotic that could potentially clear up some of the symptoms of PTSD. (Bach, Tzovara, & Vunder, 2017) Doxycycline is …
Nothing Like it on Earth: The Giraffe Family Tree
The graceful giraffe, with its trademark long legs and neck and uniquely patterned coat, is a beloved feature of the African savanna. Giraffes are one-of-a-kind…there’s nothing like them on earth. Or is there? The giraffe family tree is admittedly small, with most of its members long extinct, but the giraffe does have one living cousin, …
The Pros and Cons of Your Current Listening Skills
A quick Google search notes that there are over 2 million pieces on improving your listening skills. This implies that there is something seriously wrong with the status quo of a person’s average listening abilities. Why is listening important? Well, as a human, you want people to hear you, see you, and understand you. As …
Project Semicolon: A Movement for Mental Illness
On March 24, Amy Bleuel passed away at the age of 31. Bleuel was the founder of Project Semicolon, a movement designed to help those who are struggling with mental health conditions. She founded the group in 2013 after her father took his own life. In an interview with People magazine in 2015, she explained …
Study: Trauma Impacts Developing Brains Differently
PTSD is a condition that can affect people from all walks of life, but new research suggests that depending on when an individual experienced traumatic stress and his or her gender, symptoms may differ. (Bostan, 2017) Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Early Life Stress and Pediatric Anxiety Program recently came together …
The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee is an Endangered Species…Again
The rusty patched bumble bee is once again making headlines, and it’s for the same reason as before – its endangered species status. (“Rusty patched bumble bee recommended for endangered list,” n.d.) But let’s back up for a moment and take a look at why the bee is endangered, as well as the reasons behind the …
Pyrophile plants
We often think of fire as the ultimate destructive force but for pyrophile trees, fire is necessary to reproduce. Although several pyrophile plants – plants that have adapted to tolerate fire – exist worldwide, some species of trees have taken this relationship a step further. They have adapted to harness the power of fire to …
What Are the Real Risks Surrounding Compound Drug Pharmacies?
On March 16, a federal prosecutor attempted to sway jurors in a case against Barry Cadden, the man behind the New England Compounding Center. Cadden, 50, was responsible for operating the center, which was linked to a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012. (Raymond, 2017) His company sold contaminated drugs to customers, resulting in 64 fatalities. …
Great Barrier Reef Sees Extreme Bleaching and Extensive Damage
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most stunning underwater marvels, but depending on the pace of global warming, it may not be here for us to witness in the future. According to a new report published in Nature, the resilience of the reef is quickly dropping. (Hughes et al., 2017) This comes after …