When a doctor calls time of death on a 35-year-old female lying motionless on a stretcher, it is usually definite. He has watched the patient’s vital functions slowly cease, giving him the needed certainty to call the time at which physiologic death has occurred. These types of cases, where death occurs in the presence of […]
The pacemaker piece of the puzzle Read More »
Telepathy may no longer be pseudoscience. New technological frontiers are pushing the boundaries of human capability, edging scientific fiction closer to scientific reality. One such feasible experience is direct brain-to-brain collaboration. In 2015, researchers at the University of Washington explored such information exchange but were limited by the need for physical interaction with interfaces (taking
Telepathy may be a reality: Brain-to-brain collaboration Read More »
Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, human-to-human organ transplantation has remained the best method of treatment for most patients with late-stage organ failure. Although medicine has rapidly advanced since 1954 — including innovations from the insulin pump to CT scans — the fundamental problem of allotransplantation has yet to be resolved: the number
Pigs: The solution to organ shortages? Read More »
Over the summer, two independent collaborations of solar physicists published breakthrough papers within months of each other, furthering our understanding of the mechanics of solar flares and how to predict them. With just four years until peak activity in the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, the ability to predict potentially dangerous solar flares is more crucial
It often seems like finding the perfect running shoes is more strenuous than running a race. Do you have high, low, or medium pronation? Do you heal or toe strike? What’s your weekly mileage? What type of ground are you running on? With all of the options on the market, choosing the right pair can
Trailblazing the way to find the perfect sneaker Read More »
Alzheimer’s disease is a vicious illness most often characterized by drastic decline in cognitive function including memory loss and confusion — frequently causing severe emotional stress for the affected along with their family and friends. Fortunately, recent technology, called gamma band neural stimulation, has emerged, showing promise of having a significant impact on Alzheimer’s. Although
Gamma band stimulation: A promising new treatment for Alzheimer’s Read More »
Black holes are known as eradicators of light and matter, earning a mysterious and destructive reputation. However, these space oddities have behaviors, albeit occasionally baffling, that may help construct the conceptual building blocks of scientific phenomena all across the universe. As is common in the world of science, one discovery can cause ripple effects across
Another one lights the dust: Echo mapping the universe Read More »
For an animal missing both a heart and a brain, jellyfish are beautifully mystifying to watch as they glide through the water. As very simple creatures and extremely slow swimmers, jellyfish have been overlooked by many researchers when in fact the way in which they pulsate their bell to move is quite complex and efficient.
Monitoring the heart for long periods of time has become easier than ever because of the development of wristwatches, smartphones, and wearable devices in the age of today’s biosensing revolution. The most notable of these devices is perhaps the Apple Watch, which comes embedded with a built-in electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate monitor and now
Good vibrations (and how to sense the really bad ones) Read More »