Before writing was used as a means for communication, ancient civilizations relied on pictorial representations of objects, which included visual representations of medical concepts. Medical illustrations date back to 15,000 BCE, and have continued to evolve over time. Over the course of many millennia, advancements in art and technology have[Read More…]
ABCs of Science
Giggle Juice: The science behind booze
A few drinks into one Saturday night in late November, my brother and I made a sacred pact to speak exclusively in freestyle. Walking along the pavement, I giggled as the city spun slightly, my stomach soaring with euphoria. My brother was in what he calls “the happy place”—a state[Read More…]
How peppers both produce and prevent pain
Scorching heat, exasperated breathing, and trickles of sweat aren’t necessarily the result of a lengthy stay in a sauna or running on a hot day. They can instead result from a bite of spicy food. The chemical capsaicin causes the spicy sensation that some hate and others love. This compound[Read More…]
What’s under the hood? The ins and outs of your laptop
When most people think about computers, only a couple of images come to mind: A laptop or a desktop with internet-browsing capabilities. However, a computer is much more than a tool for browsing Facebook feeds or doing school work. A computer is an information processor. It takes in raw information[Read More…]
La vie en jaune: Preventing damage caused by blue light
Midterm season is approaching, and with it, many hours of studying. After long periods of staring at a laptop screen, eye strain can break focus levels. Two factors cause this deterioration in focus: Intense concentration on an object within close proximity of our eyes, and the ‘glare’ of the blue[Read More…]
When is the best time to get sick?
Catching a cold in the morning or at night can make a big difference. A new study from the McGill University and the Douglas Department of Health Institute suggests that the severity of an infection might vary significantly depending on the time of day we contract a pathogen—an agent causing disease[Read More…]
Everything you wanted to know about hurricanes
Over the past few weeks, hurricane Harvey plummeted into Texas, and record-breaking hurricane Irma plowed through the Caribbean and into the west coast of Florida—with smaller hurricanes Jose and Katia. Technically, a hurricane is a tropical cyclone. According to NASA, the name “hurricane” is regional, applying only to tropical cyclones[Read More…]
