Health and wellness news gotscience.org

Empowering Communities to Examine Lead Exposure with Crowd the Tap

May 17, 2019May 23, 2019 Science Connectedcommunity health, drinking water, lead pollution, water, water pollution

By Bradley Allf Lead pipes for transporting water have been a fixture of modern civilization for more than two thousand years. Ancient Romans channeled water into homes and bathhouses through lead piping. In fact, the Latin word for lead, plumbum, is where we get the English word “plumbing.” Yet we have also long recognized that lead can have a serious impact on our health. Vitrivius, who lived during the first century BCE, wrote at length about the physical harm caused by lead exposure, concluding that “water should therefore on no…

Environment Health Science Policy

Imagining Future Wastewater Solutions

March 21, 2019March 20, 2019 Science Connecteddrinking water, restoration, rivers, sewage treatment, wastewater, water treatment

By Emily Folk (@EmilySFolk) Wastewater represents a serious risk to human health in both developing and developed countries. Through industrial, commercial, agricultural, and domestic activities, affected sources of water cause illness, disease, and even death. One particular case study serves as an example of these dangers. The Adyar River in Chennai, India, once supported the area’s economy and culture. With the introduction of untreated wastewater, the river soon became an active landfill, inundated with debris and refuse, with a thick consistency that no longer allowed for safe interaction (Hariram, 2017).…

Biology Genetics Health

Depression: In Our Genes or All In Our Heads?

November 27, 2018November 27, 2018 Science Connecteddepression, epigenetics, genes, genetics

By Mary McMillan (@maryemcmillan) World Health Organization estimated that more than 300 million people around the world are currently affected by depression. That’s just over 4 percent of the world’s population. Despite how serious this disorder is and the huge numbers of people that suffer from it, there is still a lot of stigma associated with having depression, and people often misunderstand what causes it (Jorm, 2000). You may have heard people say that depression is all in someone’s head and that they should just get over it. However, scientists…

Animals Biology Health

How Does Tissue Regenerate?

November 6, 2018March 25, 2019 Science Connectedregeneration, skin, wound healing

By Noeline Subramaniam (@spicy_scientist) Regeneration often sounds like science fiction—Wolverine’s healing superpowers probably spring to mind. But you don’t have to be a mutant to be able to regenerate. In fact, humans have the ability to regenerate in utero until the beginning of the third trimester. With the exception of our liver and digit tips, we largely lose this capacity as adults—but why? Let’s turn to the animal kingdom for answers. Is regeneration lost through evolution? Before we get to the species that, for the most part, are unable to…

Biology Health Technology

Ultrafast Camera Freezes Time

October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 Science Connectedbiotech, camera, fastest camera, imaging, Photography

By Kate Stone (@GotScienceOrg) A new camera technology is making it possible to see extremely fast phenomena, even light, in slow motion. Called T-CUP, the world’s fastest camera can capture ten trillion (10 exp 13) frames per second. To put that into perspective, high-speed cameras capture around 250 to 1,000 frames per second. Let’s think about that for a moment. CUP stands for compressed ultrafast photography. The operative word here is ultrafast. This new camera technology is so fast and so precise that it operates on a scale far beyond…

Biology Environment Health

Why Plastics Are Dangerous to Our Health

October 12, 2018October 12, 2018 Science ConnectedBPA, BPAs, disease, health, plastic

By Emily Folk (@EmilySFolk) It is almost impossible to avoid plastics today. They’re used to package our food, hold the water we drink, and even print our receipts at the grocery store. Though plastics have made life more convenient than ever before, could there be a downside to their prevalence in our world? Scientists are trying to find out. One area of research focuses on how regular contact with plastic might harm the human body, especially because people unknowingly ingest plastic practically every day. To quote the Graduate, “I just…

Animals Biology Health Videos

Will You Still Eat Raw Fish After Watching This Video?

September 25, 2018September 25, 2018 Science Connectedbiology, fish, it's okay to be smart, marine biology, parasites, videos

Sushi, sashimi, and poke are delicious. Why? It’s because they’re all made of raw fish! But, have you ever noticed that warning about raw or undercooked seafood at the bottom of restaurant menus? Have you ever wondered why it’s there? It’s there because fish carry a ton of parasites. And if the fish aren’t prepared correctly, then those parasites can make it into your body. This fishy intersection with the wild world of parasites can teach us a lot about how these moochers help keep ecosystems healthy, and why we…

Biology Health Videos

How Habits Are Formed

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018 Science Connectedbiology, habits, it's okay to be smart, neuroscience, videos

Got a bad habit you just can’t seem to break? That’s because a habit is literally wired into your brain. Every single thought, action, and feeling changes your brain. When repeated enough times, a habit is formed. Some are good, some are bad, but you’re not likely to forget any of them without serious effort. Millions of people, every day, wake up and brush their teeth. Why do we do this? Because we formed a habit. But how do habits form? Well, it all comes down to neuroscience and the…

Biology Education Health Videos

Science with Sophie: Scab Science

August 30, 2018March 25, 2019 Science Connectedbiology, health, science experiments, Science with Sophie, student science experiments

Scab Science It’s happened to all of us. You’re running or riding your bike, you slip, you fall, and you skin your knee. After a few days, you notice that the cut where you skinned your knee has formed a scab. What happens to our bodies when we get hurt? Why do we get cuts, and why do we get scabs afterward? Learn how white blood cells, proteins, and skin cells work together to help you get better after you get hurt in this episode of Science with Sophie! Do…

Biology Chemistry Education Health Videos

Science with Sophie: Tears and Snot

August 2, 2018March 25, 2019 Science Connectedgeneral science, science comedy, science experiments, science video, Science with Sophie, snot, tears

To do the science experiment with Sophie, you’ll need: Borax (find it in the laundry aisle of a grocery store) Water Equal parts clear school glue and water (for example, 1 cup glue and 1 cup water) Food coloring 2 bowls 1 Spoon Your hands About Science With Sophie Science With Sophie is an interactive science comedy series for all ages. This fast-paced show invites viewers to explore science all around them and remember that they are brave, curious, funny, smart scientists every day. Hosted by science educator/actor/comedian Sophie…