It’s a given that we associate higher exposure to wildfire smoke with decreased lung health. But a new study, for the first time, links breathing in fine particulate air pollution (labelled by public health scientists as PM2.5) to mental health issues as well.The study published in JAMA Network Open connected increased exposure to wildfire smoke with a spike in visits to emergency departments for mental health conditions.“Wildfire smoke isn’t just a respiratory issue — it affects mental ...read more
Our relationship with alcohol is quite complex. While it can serve as a social lubricant or help some individuals relax, excessive intake can lead to addiction and cause various health problems. Alcohol occurs naturally as a byproduct of fermenting sugary fruits and nectars, which is why several animals — including insects, monkeys, bats, and even elephants — are known to intentionally seek out fermented fruits for their alcohol content. Researchers are fascinated by why some animals can't r ...read more
Romeo and Juliet were a pair of doomed, star-crossed lovers. Now, astronomers have detected a pair of doomed star-crossed stars. Like Shakespeare’s famously unlucky couple, two white dwarfs spiraling around each other are on a course toward destruction.Astronomers discovered that the stellar partners are separated by a distance of 1/60th — the difference between the Earth and the sun, they report in Nature Astronomy. This proximity will eventually destroy them.Stellar Collision Course to Sup ...read more
The U.S. now hosts over 157,000 wind turbines. If each tower holds three blades, and each blade’s weight is about 65 glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), that’s a lot of plastic. Even if each turbine lasts an estimated 30 or so years, those blades will still need to be reckoned with.Critics challenging wind power often claim that the turbine blades can’t be recycled but are often buried, potentially leeching harmful pollutants into the groundwater.Perhaps in an attempt to blunt that clai ...read more
Along with a slew of other physical impacts that running a marathon can have on the human body, a new study reveals that your body may also start eating your brain while running the 26.2-mile race. While this sounds terrifying, the effects the marathon has on the brain are reversible and it typically returns to normal levels in about two months. From this study, researchers are hoping to understand how the brain is able to repair itself so quickly and perhaps use this as a way to treat other di ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine