How do you study concussions without cracking any skulls? Try using an egg scrambler. In a new study, published Jan. 19 in the journal Physics of Fluids, scientists drew inspiration from how egg scramblers mix up egg whites and yolks without first cracking the shell. The device simply rotates the uncracked egg at super-high speeds, […]
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People with sickle cell 'cast aside and forgotten' because of the pandemic
A new report has revealed the dire experiences of people living with sickle cell in the UK during the Covid crisis. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood condition which predominantly affects people from African and Caribbean backgrounds. People with this illness fall into the ‘extremely vulnerable’ group, so have been forced to shield for […]
The Reason Mailboxes Are Being Removed All Over The Country
If you live in a major U.S. city, you might notice some mailboxes disappearing this week. While USPS has been in financial trouble lately (via Time), the removal of these mailboxes has nothing to do with money woes but is instead because of security concerns ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20. While […]
Experts consider the role of systemic racism in exacerbating COVID-19 health inequalities
Researchers from leading UK and US institutions have published an analysis outlining the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on ethnic minority groups, and the role of racism, in particular systemic racism, as a fundamental cause and driver of adverse health outcomes. Recommendations include the addition of ethnic minority groups to those defined as clinically extremely vulnerable […]
Feel out of practice talking to people in person? You're not the only one
At a loss for words when a cashier tries to make small talk at the shop? Struggling to remember how much eye contact is too much when you meet up with someone in your bubble? Welcome to the club. Aside from protecting us from coronavirus, the importance of which cannot be overstated, lockdown has brought […]
Neuroscientists investigate the causes of a widespread eye disease
Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy is one of the most common eye diseases diagnosed in almost 5% of the population of Europe aged 40 years or over. It is a hereditary eye disease that causes vision impairment and typically manifests in middle age. The first symptoms of the disease—blisters on the surface of your cornea—resemble cataract at […]
The Fear of Needles is Real—Here’s How to Manage it to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
For weeks, public health experts have talked about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. And, really, you only need to glance at the latest data to see how incredibly vital this is to ending the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people are being diagnosed with the virus each day, and nearly 400,000 have died, […]
New insights on the role of the MLL4 gene in Kabuki syndrome
Scientists have known for years that mutations in the MLL4 gene can cause Kabuki syndrome, a rare developmental disorder. But a study published on Jan. 11 in Nature Communications illuminates new details regarding how this occurs. The research suggests that MLL4 controls the production of neurons that secrete growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in a part […]
The Most Common Baby Myths You Need To Stop Believing
Having a new baby can be overwhelming, and well-meaning, veteran parents are often quick to swoop in with advice when you’re not sure what to do. It can feel like such a gift to get confident words of wisdom on the right way to feed, diaper, or calm your baby from someone who’s been there, […]
What neural networks playing video games demonstrate about the human brain
When you are driving a car, your brain is taking in an enormous amount of visual information and using it to make driving decisions, such as when to brake or change lanes. The brain needs to determine what kind of information in your field of view is necessary for making these decisions. For example, the […]