Health & Medicine

From Fruit Fly to This Guy: a Map of One Tiny Brain May Show How Larger Ones Work

Source: National Public Radio (NPR)

A fruit fly’s brain is only the size of a single poppy seed, but it contains a whopping 50 million connections between its neurons. With the assistance of AI, scientists have recently mapped these connections for the first time—the first time for any insect’s brain. It teaches us a lot about how a fruit fly’s brain works, but more importantly, this achievement has already begun to reveal lessons about how all brains work, including yours and mine.

Hero the therapy dog helps children at school

Source: BBC

Imagine walking into school feeling anxious or overwhelmed, only to be greeted by a gentle, loving dog ready to comfort you. That’s exactly what Hero, a special therapy dog, does for students.

Traditional caregiving gender roles are bending. A growing number of men provide care

Source: USA Today

Caregiving isn’t just a job for nurses or a role traditionally assigned to women, it’s becoming a responsibility that more and more men are stepping up to take on. So, what does it really take to balance it all, and how can society better support these caregivers?

Hypnagogia – Why Our Brains Hallucinate As We Fall Asleep

Source: SciShow

Have you ever found yourself seeing images right before falling asleep? If so, you might be experiencing hypnagogia! Learn more about what causes our pre-sleep hallucinations in this episode of SciShow, hosted by Hank Green.

New treatment for Type 1 Diabetics Gives Hope to University of Chicago Patients

Source: CBS News

Before insulin was first used in the 1920s (barely 100 years ago), a patient with Type 1 Diabetes was expected to live less than 2 years after being diagnosed. After insulin, diabetics began living longer and longer. Type 1 diabetics today can expect to live into their late 60s or early 70s—but doing so requires a lot of medicine, devices, and thoughtful care. However, a new treatment option is currently being tested that may make care easier and help patients live even longer.

Whether you’re a ‘shark,’ ‘teddy bear’ or ‘fox,’ here’s how to ease conflict with family and friends

Source: CNN

Are you a turtle, shark, or owl in conflict? Understanding how we navigate disagreements can unlock better relationships.

A promising test for pancreatic cancer . . . from a teenager

Source: TED

If someone said you could change the world, would you believe it? If you had an idea that could save countless lives, would anyone listen? Watch this talk by Jack Andraka, a teen who discovered a revolutionary way to detect certain cancers. Discover what he did, how he did it, and what it took to get people to listen.

Teen is one of the first ever to get his genes edited. Why he says the process is ‘cool and freaky’

Source: CNN

Johnny Lubin, one of the first in the world to try a new kind of medicine that uses a gene-editing tool called CRISPR to offer a potential cure for sickle cell disease.

What Causes Déjà Vu?

Source: Scientific American

It’s an eerie feeling: You walk into a place you know you’ve never been before but are overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity—a memory you can’t quite reach. Has this all happened before?
The sensation is known as déjà vu, and though it is hard to study, scientists are slowly figuring out why it happens.

The 10 Most Intriguing Science Breakthroughs of 2023

Source: Bloomberg

It’s too early to know what the greatest scientific discoveries and achievements of 2024 will be, but now that we’ve had some time to reflect on last year, here is one site’s opinion on what the Top 10 most intriguing advancements of 2023 were. Which ones do you agree with? Are there any you think should have made the list?