Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 has been heralded as one of the most monumental medical discoveries of all time. Amazingly, this discovery was entirely accidental. After returning from a long vacation, Fleming noticed that a culture of Staphylococcus aureus was contaminated with mold. After observing the culture under a microscope, he found that
“Zika virus could be bigger global health threat than Ebola, say health experts†– The Guardian “Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency, W.H.O. Says†– The New York Times “Zika virus raises more questions than answers for pregnant women†– Los Angeles Times Mosquito season is about to swing into full force here in the
Are we a product of our environment or bound to a predetermined fate dictated by our genes? To answer the age old nature versus nurture dilemma, both. It is widely known that the environment can alter our DNA sequence through genetic mutations as a consequence of external factors such as toxins and carcinogens. However, our
Ah, spring! The days are getting longer, temperatures are rising, and the world seems to be waking up from a dreary winter. One lovely morning, you walk into the sunshine and stop in your tracks. Every car, railing, and horizontal surface is coated in a thick layer of yellow dust: pollen. If this sight brings
For most of human history, being able to live long enough to reproduce was somewhat of a hassle. We had natural predators, diseases we could not treat, and hygiene that could have used some more work. The ones who would survive this war against nature would be able to pass down traits that allowed them
For thousands of years, red wine has been the drink of choice for Egyptian royals and “basic†girls alike. However, there is more to wine than its ability to “class up†a dinner party. Romans and Greeks recognized the medical benefits of grapes and grape products for treating health issues from skin and eye diseases
It's almost summer time. That means it's about to be mosquito season! These masters of annoyance happen to be the world's most deadly animal. No other animal species is responsible for as many human deaths as mosquitoes are. Humans murder about 475,000 other people each year. You know those creepy slithering snakes you fear so
Our current healthcare system is famously inefficient at addressing the problem of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight. According to the CDC, 75% of all healthcare expenditures go toward treating mostly preventable chronic diseases. That adds up to a total of $225 billion spent per year. Aware of these huge numbers, our
The loss of limbs, sight, and control of body can lead to a dramatic decrease in the quality of life. But, an emerging field may offer the solutions needed to fix these problems. Join Graham Grable as he discusses some of the emerging technologies from Bionics. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/243071537″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /] Link One (Macular Degeneration
“Ebola does in ten days what it take AIDS ten years to do†–Barry and David Zimmerman (Killer Germs) There have been many different stories and fears circling the world since the outbreak of Ebola reached national headlines. Not everything you hear on Fox News and Channel 2 is accurate. While there is cause for
