Link found between childhood television watching and adulthood metabolic syndrome
A University of Otago study has added weight to the evidence that watching too much television as a child can lead to poor health in adulthood. The research, led by Professor Bob Hancox, of the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, and published this week in the journal Pediatrics, found that children who watched more […]
Can a Fungus Cause a COVID-Style Pandemic?
The television series “The Last of Us” describes a human pandemic with a mind controlling cordyceps fungus. When asked whether a COVID-19 pandemic with a pathogenic fungus is possible, my answer has generally been some variation of “yes, but it’s unlikely.” Cordyceps fungi turn ants into zombies, establishing the precedent that this group of organisms […]
Opinion | I Won’t Be Tossing My Mask Any Time Soon
During a television interview on September 18, everyone heard President Biden say “the pandemic is over.” Healthcare workers want this to be true as much as anyone else, but is it? After 2 and a half years, we have certainly come a long way. First, we learned about how to best care for patients with […]
What’s in a name? Glimmers of evolution in naming babies, choosing a dog
Maverick was first used as a baby name after a television show called “Maverick” aired in the 1950s, but its popularity rose meteorically in 1986 with the release of the movie “Top Gun.” Today, it is even used for baby girls. The name Emma peaked in popularity in the late 1800s, declined precipitously through the […]