Under a moon spell: Shark attacks related to lunar phases
New research from LSU and the University of Florida suggests that more shark attacks occur during fuller phases of the moon. While the exact cause remains unclear, the researchers found that more shark attacks than average occur during periods of higher lunar illumination and fewer attacks than average occur during periods of lower illumination. Many […]
Chewing to stay slim: How to savor your food better and dodge weight gain: Oral stimuli during the chewing of food can help increase energy expenditure of body and prevent obesity
That chewing food well makes a healthy eating habit is age-old wisdom. Slow eating and thorough chewing help prevent obesity and weight gain — a view popularized a century back and tested afterward in sporadic scientific studies. Typically, the chewing process reportedly enhances the energy expenditure associated with the metabolism of food and increases intestinal […]
Common household cleaner can boost effort to harvest fusion energy on Earth
Scientists have found that adding a common household cleaning agent — the mineral boron contained in such cleaners as Borax — can vastly improve the ability of some fusion energy devices to contain the heat required to produce fusion reactions on Earth the way the sun and stars do. Physicists at the U.S. Department of […]
Molecular paddlewheels propel sodium ions through next-generation batteries: Insights into the atomistic dynamics of emerging solid-state batteries will help speed their evolution
Materials scientists at Duke University have revealed paddlewheel-like molecular dynamics that help push sodium ions through a quickly evolving class of solid-state batteries. The insights should guide researchers in their pursuit of a new generation of sodium-ion batteries to replace lithium-ion technology in a wide range of applications such as data centers and home energy […]
Current marsh pollution has dramatic, negative effects on sea anemone’s survival
Stationary marine organisms that don’t ply the ocean, but spend their lives rooted in one spot, have evolved impressive ways to capture prey. The sea anemone Nematostella, for instance, burrows into salt marsh sediments and stays there for life. But it has specialized ‘stinging cells’ that hurl toxins into passing prey, immobilizing the morsel so […]
Taking high-dose vitamin D supplements for five years did not affect the incidence of cardiovascular disease or cancer
A trial by the University of Eastern Finland found that taking a much higher dose of vitamin D than recommended for five years did not affect total mortality or the incidence of cardiovascular disease or cancer in older men and women. In population studies, low levels of vitamin D in the body have been linked […]
U.S. Hits 600K COVID Deaths; Brazil’s Iffy Drug Cocktail; STDs Reach New High
Note that some links may require registration or subscription. As of Wednesday at 8 a.m. EDT, the unofficial U.S. COVID-19 toll reached 33,486,925 cases and 600,287 deaths, up 11,626 cases and 327 deaths from yesterday. And while daily cases and deaths have drastically declined, new and dangerous variants could set back the U.S.’s progress on […]
What’s the Difference Between a Therapist and a Psychotherapist?
A psychotherapist is a broader term that includes all professionals who deal with the management of mental health problems or emotional issues. A psychotherapist can be a clinical psychologist, counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. A therapist is someone who provides professional therapy solutions usually in various fields including mental and physical health. In a society where […]
High-resolution lab experiments show how cells ‘eat’: Study solves a 40-year-old problem in cell biology
A new study shows how cell membranes curve to create the “mouths” that allow the cells to consume things that surround them. “Just like our eating habits basically shape anything in our body, the way cells ‘eat’ matters for the health of the cells,” said Comert Kural, associate professor of physics at The Ohio State […]
Soaking up the sun: Artificial photosynthesis promises clean, sustainable source of energy
Humans can do lots of things that plants can’t do. We can walk around, we can talk, we can hear and see and touch. But plants have one major advantage over humans: They can make energy directly from the sun. That process of turning sunlight directly into usable energy — called photosynthesis — may soon […]