In the early 2000s, Eli Lilly and Company agreed to pay up to $325 million to acquire the rights to a promising diabetes drug, one whose origins could be traced back to the grooves in the teeth of a particular North American lizard. The Gila monster sports a...
Predicting the next pandemic isn’t as simple.
Scripts from most Will Ferrell movies probably run with a directive that demands the actor rely on petulant silliness and his suburban dad-ish vibe to rake in the laughs, a schtick that has landed him successes like “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers.” A scene from one...
FDA rejects psychedelic therapy for treating PTSD, for now.
The hype around psychedelics grew to a crescendo in 2023, when the Denver Convention Center played host to the largest psychedelic convention in history. The MAPS Psychedelic Science Conference brought in 12,000 attendees and hundreds of speakers — scientists,...
Wondering whether a sunscreen is bad for you?
Summers are shattering heat records; the sun's UV intensity has been increasing over the past decades, and the messaging around sunscreen and sun protection has moved beyond its cautionary undertone. Wear an SPF-30 broad-spectrum sunscreen at all times, reapply every...
Microplastics in testicles are giving men a hard time having kids
Microplastics may be lodged in every single organ inside our bodies.Image: PexelsThe placenta is the first and largest organ to develop for a growing embryo, not just “afterbirth” meant to be tossed into the trash bin — assuming your parent didn’t eat it under the...
How worried are we about a possible bird flu pandemic?
Caught in our very own pandemic, we could've cared less about bird flu, until now, that is.Image: UnsplashTWO YEARS PRIOR, an inmate in Colorado became the first person in the U.S. to test positive for H5N1 — also known as avian influenza or bird flu. Health officials...
Colorectal cancer is becoming a Gen Z problem
How each successive generation became increasingly susceptible to one of the "deadliest" cancersImage: Generated with Bing AIEven half a century after the National Cancer Act — the opening salvo of Richard Nixon's "War on Cancer" — came into effect, cancer continues...
The disproportionate burden of autoimmune diseases in women
Nearly 80 percent of autoimmune sufferers are female — the X chromosome might hold the secretImage: Generated with Bing AIThe immune system heals wounds, detects and destroys aged cells, fights off a broad range of microbial cells, and clears out toxic and allergenic...
Is the world prepared for a “Disease X” deadlier than COVID?
Disease X is hypothetical, but there's no denying that another viral pandemic is brewing out there.Image: Generated with Bing AIThe twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet is a mysterious rebel, a long-standing representative of the unknown. This limitless potential of...
Why an adult ADHD diagnosis is more common than ever
How adult ADHD is misunderstood, exploited and stigmatized.Illustration: Generated with Bing AIDrug shortages are becoming increasingly common in the U.S. and are lasting longer than usual. The persistent Adderall shortage, however, hints at something beyond supply...
Why erectile dysfunction is becoming more common
An increasing number of people are reporting experiencing erectile dysfunction, with different cases arising from varying circumstances.Photo: Bing AI rectile dysfunction (ED) is a concern documented even in ancient records from Egypt and China....
How to remove a tick without getting infected?
Knowing how to remove a tick properly can not only save you from some pain and disgust, but also reduce your risk of getting infected with Lyme disease.Photo: Black-legged tick via Unsplashpotting a tick on your body might cause you to panic,...
🔎 How to spot ticks?
The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is a known carrier of Lyme disease with an established population in the eastern United States.Photo: Black-legged tick via Unsplashicks are small arachnids that dig their hooks into cattle, dogs, and...