Trees that seem to reach out to sting you? A plant that poisons milk and killed Abraham Lincoln’s mother? A bean used in assassinations? Check out this list of plants we should fear, some of which may live in our very own homes!
Tag Archives: Health & Medicine
Texting May Be Taking a Toll
Thumb cramps, sleeplessness, distractions, falling grades. . . . Is it possible that texting teens are too busy making their voices heard? Read this article to discover what some experts suspect. It may be time to turn off that phone and get some rest.
Sunflowers Melt Fukushima’s Nuclear “Snow”
The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami severely damaged Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Read this article about how local residents are planting sunflowers not only to help absorb radiation leaked from the damaged reactors but also to bring hope to local residents.
Teenage Stress
Students should be encouraged to work hard at school. But at what point does the pressure to succeed become counterproductive?
Creativity in the Wild
Is it time to drop that controller, switch off that television, and head outdoors? This article reports the results of a scientific study of whether exposure to natural settings improves cognition. Perhaps the American Romantics were right about the effects of nature on imagination and thought. Read to find out.
What Happy Teenagers Do Differently
The author of this article argues that healthy risk-taking can prepare teenagers to lead happy, successful lives.
How MRI Works
If you’re afraid of small, confined spaces, spending time inside an MRI scanner might terrify you. Still, this incredible invention has changed the face of medicine forever. Learn how MRI scanners “see” inside patients, why doctors use them, what it took to develop them, and much more.
Jack Andraka, the Teen Prodigy of Pancreatic Cancer
Imagine, at the age of 15, being recognized for efforts in detecting a deadly disease. Read an article and view a video to discover more about a young researcher who has earned the label, “The Edison of our times.”
Cool Jobs: Sports Science
It’s rare to make a living from playing a sport, but that doesn’t mean an interest in athletics can’t help you get a job. This article features scientists whose work involves helping athletes.
Oliver Sacks Shares Tales of Musical Hallucinations
In a hallucination, what is unreal seems real—whether a brief impression or a complete and lifelike scene. Ben Thomas discusses renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks’s book titled Hallucinations in this article.
Natural Disasters
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helps Americans prepare for, protect against, and recover from disasters. Visit FEMA’s site to learn what you should do before, during, and after an earthquake, flood, hurricane, volcanic eruption, tsunami, or even a bit of bad space weather. Remember that it never hurts to be prepared!
Who Takes Risks?
Many people assume that men are more likely to take risks than women or that teens are the most likely engage in risky behavior. But this press release issued by the Association for Psychological Science suggests otherwise.
Why We Protest
Learn about crowd psychology and the nature of protests by examining the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Glasses Packed With Smartphone Tech Could Help Visually Impaired People ‘See’ Again
By using technology similar to that found in smart phones and video games, scientists might soon be able to create glasses that will improve sight for the visually impaired.
Inside the Teenage Brain
Adolescence is a time of great change. Learn more about the changes your brain is undergoing and the effects of those changes.
Can You Die of a Broken Heart?
Did you know that there is such a thing as broken heart syndrome? Read to learn about the health risks of love and loss.
Young People More Likely To Drive Drowsy
Have you ever heard of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week? On top of concerns about adolescent brains and texting while driving, new studies show teens aren’t getting enough sleep to be alert drivers.