What did Megalodon eat? Anything it wanted — including other predators.
New Princeton research shows that prehistoric megatooth sharks — the biggest sharks that ever lived — were apex predators at the highest level ever measured. Megatooth sharks get their name from their massive teeth, which can each be bigger than a human hand. The group includes Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, as well […]
Can we save more lives if we let resistant bacteria live?
Antibiotic resistance is a ticking bomb under public health. WHO predicts that in 2050 more people will die from infections than from cancer — and we are talking about infections that we today consider harmless; infections that occur in a cut or wound — or perhaps cystitis. The reason is that bacteria are masters at […]
Opinion | 10 Financial Mistakes Physicians Should Avoid
We all know that physicians can make a good amount of money every month, but they’re not exempt from financial blunders at some point in their lives. It is essential for both young and experienced physicians to understand what possible mistakes they can make and how to avoid them. Here are some of the most […]
2021 heat wave created ‘perfect storm’ for shellfish die-off
It’s hard to forget the excruciating heat that blanketed the Pacific Northwest in late June 2021. Temperatures in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia soared to well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with Seattle setting an all-time heat record of 108 degrees on June 28. During the heat wave, also called a heat dome, scientists and community […]
Opinion | ‘Medicine Is Not a Stable Thing’: What We Heard This Week
“You’ve got to remember that medicine is not a stable thing.” — Dev GnanaDev, MD, former president of the Medical Board of California, discussing a bill that would grant the state’s licensing agencies specific authority to take disciplinary action against disinformation doctors. “This is the American Medical Association, not the American Hunting Association or the […]
Invasive species are taking over some American forests: A plant survey finds dozens of nonnative invasive species thriving in Ohio
A new botanical survey of southwest Ohio found that invasive species introduced to the United States over the past century are crowding out many native plants. Biologists from the University of Cincinnati are retracing two exhaustive surveys conducted 100 years apart to see how the Queen City’s plant diversity has changed over the past two […]
ADHD and ASD: What the eyes could reveal
It’s often said that ‘the eyes tell it all’, but no matter what their outward expression, the eyes may also be able to signal neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD and ADHD according to new research from Flinders University and the University of South Australia. In the first study of its kind, researchers found that recordings […]
COVID Toddler Vax Clears Major Hurdle
An advisory committee recommended that the FDA give emergency use authorization (EUA) to both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers, and preschool kids. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted 21-0 in favor of expanded access to each vaccine, in another unanimous decision that the benefits of the vaccines […]
Dead star’s cannibalism of its planetary system is most far-reaching ever witnessed: White dwarf sheds light on the systemic chaos that occurs when a star dies
The violent death throes of a nearby star so thoroughly disrupted its planetary system that the dead star left behind — known as a white dwarf — is sucking in debris from both the system’s inner and outer reaches, UCLA astronomers and colleagues report today. This is the first case of cosmic cannibalism in which […]
More than a quarter of people with asthma still over-using rescue inhalers, putting them at increased risk of severe attacks
Asthma is a common lung condition that affects 5.4 million people in the UK and can lead to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing or feeling breathless. Asthma is best controlled by regular use of a corticosteroid inhaler, which prevents symptoms from occurring. People with asthma may also use rescue or ‘SABA’ (short-acting beta-agonist) inhalers to […]