Every winter snow brings snow drifts. Silent, soft snow drifts that wait for the playful spring of a puppy or child to send flakes flying. They can be a few minutes of joy until the play is worn down from exhaustion or a disaster lurking on the roads. The reality is we overlook a simple, …
Pesticides are chemicals generally used in agriculture, in order to prevent diseases, pests, weeds and other kinds of plant pathogens. The final aim of pesticides is to maintain high quality in agricultural production and yield and also improve the external appeal of fruits and vegetables. Despite sometimes not being noticed by the public, there some …
Legends from antiquity talk of two different weapons used in warfare, Greek fire and the Archimedes death ray. In fact, both of these weapons have been mentioned in some of the popular medieval fantasy books, movies, and television series, like Game of Thrones. But what exactly were these two cool-sounding ancient weapons and could they …
It’s not a surprise that the apiary field, and honey, has a pretty decent economic impact. After all, without bees to pollinate many foods, we’d be in terrible shape. That’s why when the bees started to decline, the CDC opened a dialogue between a variety of academic fields to get a full scope on what …
Born into slavery in 1864, George Washington Carver used his natural scientific curiosity and the power of education to become one of the leading agricultural scientists of his day. He advocated that southern farmers rotate their crops between cotton, which quickly depletes the soil, and peanuts, which added nitrogen to the soil. His concept of …
Before you run your next mile, think about what it might be doing to your brain. As it turns out, physical activity may be benefiting your overall cognitive ability, according to new research. A group of scientists recently reviewed data from dozens of studies on older adults. They discovered that those who exercised an average …
23andMe, the DNA-testing kit service, has announced that it will now begin telling customers about the three mutations in the breast-cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 (“Authorization for Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test on Cancer Risk,” 2018). “Being the first and only direct-to-consumer genetics company to receive FDA authorization to test for cancer risk without a prescription is …
I get it. I have purchased a lab piecemeal, and every piece we invest in here at Insanitek makes me cringe. The price tag can be more than a bit stressful. But there is a secret in science that most people don’t know: Much of what we use is often cobbled together or have a …
What does it take to be popular? A desire to be the centre of attention, sure, but also people paying attention to what you say. Not everyone wants to be popular, but it certainly helps to be able to get your research seen and heard. This, in turn, helps to get grant money or raise …
Is fat bad or good for us? What about eggs? And our precious coffee? Well, it depends. Back in the 90s, I remember my mother clearing all fats out of the house and banning eggs. She had read a study stating that they were bad for the health. Plasticy non-fat cheese, sugar-laden, non-fat yoghurt became …