Completing a marathon is a huge landmark for anyone, but even more so for Rachel Foster, who ran the Boston Marathon shortly after surviving a near-fatal accident.
Tag Archives: Health & Medicine
5 Biggest Risks of Sharing Your DNA with Consumer Genetic-Testing Companies
Nearly 50 million people have used consumer genetic-testing services to have their personal DNA analyzed to learn more about their ancestry, their risk for developing various diseases, or to find long-lost relatives. While there are many upsides, there are risks, as well. This article walks you through five of biggest risks when sending your DNA off to be tested.
The zombie fungus from ‘The Last Of Us’ is real — but not nearly as deadly
There’s been a lot of fungus talk in the news after the popular Last of Us video game became a popular TV show. In the show, people are turned into zombies by a new form of fungus that takes over their brains. And guess what? It’s real! Well, sort of–it’s only real for insects. Should we be worried? Or do fungi do more to help humans than harm them?
‘I’m a Friendship Expert, This Is How Many Friends You Need’
What’s the best number of friends for a person to have? Click this link to hear from a professor whose research explores this very question.
Brazilian Explorers Search “Medicine Factory” to Save Lives and Rainforest
We often think of cures for cancer as chemicals developed in laboratories, but nature may be the source of new remedies. Tom Phillips explains how researchers aim to tap into the medical possibilities of the Amazon rainforest—and at the same time protect this threatened environment from human development.
Shark Attack Survivors Unite to Save Sharks
Imagine barely escaping a shark attack with your life and going on to become an advocate for protecting sharks. It happens more often than you’d think!
The Benefits of Optimism Are Real
In this article, Emily Esfahani Smith examines two films, Silver Linings Playbook and Life of Pi, to delve into the relationship between optimism and resilience.
Memory contaminates perception
An interesting new study that shows how visual working memory can influence our perception of events.
Detroit students want poor school conditions addressed
Young people in the Neighborhood Service Organization’s Youth Initiatives Project are making their voices heard. Find out how their student team work is supporting their teachers.
Why is Being Scared so Fun?
Every year in America, nearly 30 million people visit haunted houses and horror movies bring in over half a billion dollars at the theater. Why do people like to be scared? Watch this video with Margee Kerr about the biology and psychology of being scared—and why being scared can be a good thing.
The Most Amazing Optical Illusions (and How They Work)
Thanks to modern neuroscience, we can understand the brain processes that take place we encounter some visual illusions. Explore this collection of popular illusions and find out how they work.
Ukraine war refugees: Swansea Covid field hospital beds donated
Former field hospital beds are being repurposed for Ukrainian refugees in Wales, an effort that allows more families to stay together. Read about the impact this immigration has had on the Welsh population and child bed poverty.
As climate worsens, environmentalists also grapple with the mental toll of activism
Environmental activism is hugely important, but so is mental health. Learn how a courageous new wave of activists reconcile the two.
What it’s really like to have autism
Listen to Ethan Lisi discuss autistic behaviors and debunk stereotypes.
City Unveils Campaign to Improve Girls’ Self-Esteem
An innovative New York City program seeks to protect girls from developing a negative body image.
The Power of Introverts
Nobel-Prize winner Albert Einstein was one. Susan Cain presents her ideas about the value of introverts. She argues that though many people today prize being social and outgoing, being contemplative and quiet should also be encouraged and celebrated. Listen to her TED talk or read the transcript.
Macbeth’s curse: study identifies link between sleeplessness and paranoia
Shakespeare’s line, “Macbeth doth murder sleep”—and his guilt-ridden, sleepwalking Lady Macbeth—made a link between psychological distress and troubled sleep. Recent research shows that the Bard was onto something.
The Pandemic Has Shaken Students’ Sense of Themselves
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected young people and their sense of how they fit into society?
How to Stop Discarded Face Masks from Polluting the Planet
Combatting the coronavirus has increased production of surgical masks, creating a potential environmental hazard. Read about the risks and ways to protect the planet.
Is Hypnosis Real?
In this short column, a doctor dispels myths about hypnosis to finally answer that age old question: Is hypnosis real?