The placebo effect is a phenomenon observed in many experiments, most often medical. This peculiar occurrence is when patients are given a control treatment, such as a sugar pill rather than the true medication being tested, yet have considerable positive gains in their condition. In other words, patients’ conditions are improving despite not receiving any […]
Mind over medicine: The placebo effect Read More »
If you want to improve your academic level, take a music class! Studies have shown that taking music lessons can improve your academic ability. There is only one catch: you need to start your lessons … 18 years ago. Children who take music lessons have improved academic ability in the future at the college level.
Music moves the brain Read More »
In 2020 alone, 13.4 million premature babies were born. In 2019, over 900,000 children died due to preterm-related conditions and complications. Premature is defined as being born earlier than 28 weeks of gestation, or 70% of the way through full-term. As it stands, premature birth is the leading cause of death in children under five
How lambs are saving future generations Read More »
Death is often associated with negativity and darkness. However when it comes to the human body, death is a common, daily process. Our cells constantly die and duplicate, replenishing and maintaining the health of our body. Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, is a method for cells to replace old, faulty cells with younger,
To die or not to die Read More »
It is widely believed that one is completely disconnected from the outside world during sleep, unreactive to anything happening around them. New research, however, reveals that this may be far from the truth; in a recent study, researchers led by Delphine Oudiette, Isabelle Arnulf, and Lionel Naccache at the Paris Brain Institute found that during
Subconscious communication: Windows of awareness discovered during sleep Read More »
The human genome is a vast library of over 3 billion base pairs, yet advancements in whole-genome sequencing reveal only 2% are protein-coding. This startling finding has prompted one of the most pressing missions of contemporary biology: to fully understand the role of the remaining 98% of the genome. Accomplishing this mission requires next-generation sequencing
Hidden within us: The dark matter of the human genome Read More »
The traditional approach of administering certain medications through direct injection can be particularly effective for drug delivery, but may be uncomfortable for children and those with needle phobias. While oral medications are available for some drugs, large-molecule drugs that treat chronic diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or cancer can only be administered through an
Sticky solutions: Octopus-inspired suction patches revolutionize drug delivery Read More »
THC, CBD, cannabis, weed, medical marijuana. The term “marijuana” is associated with a giant cloud of terms, but do we actually know the real definitions behind these buzzwords? Marijuana and cannabis describe two different substances. Cannabis refers to a slew of chemical products originating from the Cannabis sativa plant. Marijuana, on the other hand, only
Going ‘green’ for our health Read More »
New research suggests that childhood home environments may have a say in the aging process. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events. They include all forms of abuse and neglect, but there are other ACEs such as exposure to parental substance use and parental incarceration. ACEs can have physical, mental, and emotional effects that
Epigenetic age acceleration: How traumatic childhood events can lead to faster aging Read More »