Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jul 31, 2016

3 Human Chimeras That Already Exist

The news that researchers want to create human-animal chimeras has generated controversy recently and may conjure up ideas about Frankenstein-ish experiments. But chimeras aren't always man-made — and there are a number of examples of human chimeras that already exist. A chimera is essentially a single organism that's made up...

Jul 31, 2016

Here's What Olympians Eat for Each Sport

Just what does it take to power Simone Biles' signature half-twisting double backflip or Allyson Felix's lightning-fast sprint? It turns out, the amount Olympians eat can vary tremendously depending not only on the events they're competing in, but also their body type and lifestyle outside the Olympic arena. The average...

Jul 31, 2016

Deadly Case of 'Bagpipe Lung' Highlights Danger of Fungal Infections

One man's fatal lung infection highlights a rare danger that musicians may face: getting sick from fungi growing within their instruments, according to a recent report of the case. The 61-year-old man developed what his doctors in England described as bagpipe lung, and died just a month after he was...

Jul 31, 2016

EpiPen Alternatives Exist, and They May be Cheaper

The soaring price of the EpiPen has garnered controversy recently, but there are alternatives to this well-known allergy treatment device. The EpiPen belongs to a class of medical devices known as epinephrine auto-injectors, which allow people to quickly inject a precise dose of the drug epinephrine. The devices are used...

Jul 31, 2016

What Are Sweetbreads?

Sweetbreads are neither sweet, nor are they breads. Buyer beware — sweetbreads are NOT a sweet-bread like a cinnamon roll, said Rebecca Shenkman, director at the Villanova College of Nursing's MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education (COPE). In fact, they are the total opposite of what one might expect...

Jul 31, 2016

World's 1st Plague Pandemic Bacteria Gets New Genetic Analysis

With a single tooth from an ancient human skeleton found in Germany, scientists have now created the most complete genetic picture yet of the bacteria that caused the world's first plague pandemic. The Justinianic Plague killed 50 million people from the sixth to eighth centuries, and was caused by the...

Jul 31, 2016

Lasting Childbirth Pain Tied to Postpartum Depression

Women who continue to experience pain from childbirth one month after having a baby may be more likely to develop postpartum depression, a new study suggests. Specifically, researchers found that women in Singapore who had pain that lasted longer than four weeks after they gave birth had higher scores on...

Jun 30, 2016

Man Paralyzed After Mosquito Bite: How Often Does West Nile Strike the Nerves?

A man in Arizona who recently became infected with the West Nile virus is now paralyzed from the waist down, CBS Los Angeles reported. Infections with the mosquito-borne West Nile virus have been known to lead to neurological problems, including paralysis, though these results are rare. According to the Centers...

Jun 30, 2016

Seeing Green: Pot Changes Brain's Response to Money

Smoking marijuana may change the way people's brains respond to certain rewards, such as the prospect of winning some money, according to a new study. In the study, participants played a game in which they could win a small amount of money. The researchers found that the brains of people...

Jun 30, 2016

Brain Zapping May Sharpen Vision

Stimulating the brain's vision center with electricity may improve people's vision for a short period of time, according to a new, small study. In the study, researchers used a mild electrical current to stimulate an area of people's brains that processes visual information. The people either had normal vision, or...

Jun 30, 2016

Prenatal Multivitamins Don't Help Much, Study Says

For pregnant women, taking prenatal vitamins may be a waste of money, a new review of previous research suggests. Instead of taking multivitamin and mineral supplements, pregnant women should focus on improving the overall quality of their diets, and should take just two vitamins: folic acid and vitamin D, according...

Jun 30, 2016

Brain-Eating Amoeba Infections: Causes & Symptoms

A brain-eating amoeba is just as horrific as it sounds: It's a parasite that can enter the brain and lead to deadly inflammation of the brain. There have been several reports of brain-eating amoeba infections. For example, an 18-year-old Ohio woman died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba while white-water rafting...

Jun 30, 2016

Healthy Kids: Homemade Meals Not Always Best

Parents who prepare homemade baby food and meals for their toddlers can not only save money, but may also provide their kids with more nutrients, a new study suggested. The study, led by researchers in Scotland, found that home-cooked foods made based on recipes in cookbooks for infants and preschoolers...

Jun 30, 2016

Silk Road Gave Infectious Disease a Route, Ancient Poop Shows

Silk, tea and spices weren't the only things that travelers carried on China's legendary Silk Road: Ancient poop shows that infectious diseases were also transported along this network of trade routes, according to a new study. Researchers excavated 2,000-year-old feces from a latrine along the Silk Road in northwestern China,...

Jun 30, 2016

Juicy, Exotic, Decadent: Food Porn Is Actually Centuries Old

Chocolate cake that oozes fudge; a big, juicy burger dripping with cheese; or decadent sushi displayed oh-so-perfectly: If your social media feeds are overflowing with beautiful images of foods that make you salivate, you're not alone. And in fact, that so-called food porn existed long, long before social media. It...