We live with two different realities when we interact with animals. We call our pets our “four-legged friends,” appreciate their personalities, love them, and sense their emotions. But for our livestock, such as pigs, cows, and goats, we see eyes devoid of emotion that stare blankly into the distance and don’t think twice when biting […]
A shifting paradigm: Insight into animal cognition Read More »
The circle of life is an intrinsic part of existence. A flower buds from a seed, blossoms, loses its petals as it begins to frost, and slowly withers away, returning to the earth to be decomposed. From here, an orchestra of events occurs with microscopic creatures breaking down what once was alive and returning it
Human composting: A new future for our dead? Read More »
As the days get shorter and the weather colder, keeping that frown upside down becomes an arduous task. While you might think you have what it takes to bear the elements through sheer willpower, your genetics and neurochemistry disagree. Studies of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in Iceland and in various regions globally show that genetics
Fishing for happiness: Omega-3 and seasonal affective disorder Read More »
Everyone enjoys the summer days when the sun shines and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Some choose to soak in the sun, many use sunscreen, and others, well, burn. Clothing, sun-avoiding behaviors, and sunblock are methods that offer sun protection, yet many individuals fail to implement any. Various scientific studies reveal data on
A heated debate: Clearing up the confusion on sunscreen and SPF Read More »
As the dreary winter winds arrive, animals previously roaming their environment during warm times are left with few options. Many animals choose to migrate, while others choose to hunker down for colder weather by hibernating. Most people understand hibernation to be a state when animals enter a deep sleep, preparing for this slumber by eating
Hibernation in rodents: How studying the phenomena may help humans Read More »
The human body is an incredibly complex network of cells and efficient pathways. This network constantly adjusts to maintain homeostasis during life changes — with pregnancy as one of the most drastic. So, what happens when a body must sustain a fetus over nine months? How can an embryo with foreign antibodies develop inside the
From foreign to familiar: The functions of the female immune system during pregnancy Read More »