Taking your dog on a walk or tossing around your cat’s favorite toy may seem like a uniquely modern activity. But humans have lived alongside animals for a long time — and have loved them for almost as long. In fact, it was as many as 40,000 years ago that the first animals began to be tamed and domesticated through their interactions with our ancient ancestors, transforming from wild beasts into beloved friends and, in some instances, family.But a domesticated animal and an adored pet aren� ...read more

A new look at the skull of a tiny extinct mammal has revealed to researchers that it did not belong to the primate order as previously thought, reversing a decades-long notion about the identity of this elusive mammalian family, known as “picrodontids.” Mouse-sized picrodontids, living several million years after the extinction of dinosaurs, were placental mammals that likely lived on a diet of fruit, nectar, and pollen. Until now, they were envisioned as primates because of their teeth, wh ...read more

If the buzz surrounding a medication could elevate it to celebrity status, then Zepbound is reaching Taylor Swift rank.Zepbound is the newest addition to the weight loss drug arena. In November 2023, it joined the list of obesity-fighting drugs – administered as an injection – to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The key to Zepbound’s weight loss potential is its active ingredient, tirzepatide. This is the same active ingredient found in the drug Mounjaro, which is ...read more

Not all medicines are meant to be taken with food. In fact, some medicines work better if you take them on an empty stomach. It’s all rather complicated, but it’s important to get it right. Is It Bad to Take Pills On an Empty Stomach?Some medications, including NSAIDs, corticosteroids, certain antibiotics, and medicines that lower blood sugar, need to be taken with food for various reasons.NSAIDsOne reason for taking medications with food is to protect the stomach. Some drugs, such as NSAID ...read more

Supernovas are such massive violent explosions that they can create and change the very nature of elements, scattering them into the universe to be absorbed by new planets, stars, and even life itself.That all sounds great — unless it happens in your cosmic backyard. If our own Sun were to go supernova, it would certainly take Earth along with it.But could our Sun ever go supernova? The easy answer is no, because it lacks either of the two main conditions that can cause a supernova.“Our Sun ...read more

Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” however, he had probably never heard of a fried egg jellyfish or a penis snake. Whether it’s the depths of the sea, the rivers of Brazil, or the trees of New Zealand, there are animals abound with frightening, silly, and downright unusual names. Of all the species surviving and thriving on our great planet, here are six animals with strange names.1. Pink Fairy Armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus)[embedded content]Pink fairy a ...read more

Admit it: After you blow your nose or aggressively clear your throat, you might steal a glimpse at what your body just discharged — maybe not every time, but every once in a while. Just a quick peek. There’s nothing weird about that. You’re simply checking that everything looks right. At a time of year (and an era in history) when people are particularly concerned about respiratory health, it only makes sense to occasionally inspect your output, as it were, to be sure things are working no ...read more

A feral kitten in Omaha, Nebraska, tested positive for rabies in November 2023. It died of the raccoon variant of the virus, which is typically found only in the Appalachian Mountains. Detecting this variant hundreds of miles away in the Midwest raised concerns about a potential outbreak and launched a public health task force to vaccinate all raccoons in the area.While the case was likely contained, a better understanding of how rabies is transmitted can help prevent future outbreaks. Researc ...read more

Jet black, hair-like feathers. Vivid blue heads adorned with a spongy crest. Most strikingly, a pair of leathery looking feet, armed with a 12 centimeter talon.This is the cassowary, one of the largest and also most dangerous birds in the world. Though it looks like it walked right out of prehistory, it roams the land Down Under. It’s got a killer reputation – quite literally, as cassowaries are among the few bird species that boasts human fatalities on their rosters.But how dangerous is the ...read more

Schizophrenia can produce persistent delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. The precise cause is unknown but seems to involve a combination of genetics and environmental risk factors. One environmental factor may be an infectious agent, such as the common parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. Since cats can transmit Toxoplasma to humans, scientists have been investigating whether there is a link between cat ownership and schizophrenia. Many studies have tried to ...read more