Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jan 31, 2012

Apologies: Do They Make It All Better?

In the past seven days, President Barack Obama has apologized to Afghanistan for NATO troops burning Qurans; German Chancellor Angela Merkel apologized to the relatives of 10 people believed to have been killed by a neo-Nazi group; the Mormon Church said it would discipline members who may have posthumously baptized...

Jan 31, 2012

No Myth: Eye-Gouging Is Rare Symptom of Untreated Psychosis

When the mythical Greek king Oedipus realized he'd murdered his father and married his mother, he gouged his own eyes out. But in real life, self-blinding is a rare yet devastating consequence of untreated psychosis. Self-enucleation, or removing one's own eyes, happens extremely rarely. When it does, it has often...

Dec 31, 2011

Baby Monkeys With 6 Genomes Are Scientific First

They look like ordinary baby rhesus macaques, but Hex, Roku and Chimero are the world's first chimeric monkeys, each with cells from the genomes of as many as six rhesus monkeys. Until now research on so-called chimeric animals, or those that have cells with different genomes, has been limited to...

Dec 31, 2011

U.S. Gov't. Expands Definition of Rape

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has revised the definition of rape, updating it to allow for more accurate data collection on the crime, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today (Jan. 6). The previous definition excluded male victims and acts such as forcible anal or oral sex. States write their...

Dec 31, 2011

Can an Avocado Pit Really Keep Guacamole From Turning Brown?

Few people know that the avocado is an ecological anachronism, that it most likely evolved specifically to entice the tastes and the large gullet of the now-extinct giant ground sloth. Another fun piece of avocado trivia: The name of the tropical fruit can be traced all the way back to...

Dec 31, 2011

Swallowing Parasitic Worms May Heal Your Ails

Parasitic worms may be useful in treating lung disease and healing wounds, according to a study published online today (Jan.15) in Nature Medicine. Although far from benign — these intestinal parasites infect more than a billion humans worldwide and kill or sicken hundreds of millions of people yearly — the...

Dec 31, 2011

1 in 6 Americans Are Binge Drinkers (Infographic)

10 Easy Paths to Self DestructionRaise Your Glass: 10 Intoxicating Beer Facts5 Bad Habits You Should Still Quit ...

Dec 31, 2011

Marriage, Cohabitation Provide Similar Health Benefit

We've heard married people are happier, but that might not be a reason to rush to the altar, according to a new study. In terms of health, self-esteem, and psychological well-being, marriage offers little benefit over simply living together without wedding rings, the study found. It's the relationship itself, rather...

Dec 31, 2011

Routine Scans May Cause Thyroid Problems

People who undergo common procedures, such as CT scans and angiograms, may be at greater risk for thyroid problems, according to a recent study. The study found that people who received intravenous iodinated contrast media, which helps doctors see blood vessels and organs during imaging procedures, had a higher chance...

Dec 31, 2011

Can Blind People See Anything?

Blindness is a somewhat elastic term used to describe a wide range of visual limitations. The functionally blind, for example, can see a little, but not well enough to get by without significantly altering their lives, such as by reading braille or listening to books on tape. Legal blindness is...

Nov 30, 2013

Is Eating DNA Safe? (Op-Ed)

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to LiveScience's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Eating DNA sounds scary but it’s completely safe. I do it every day. Let me explain. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. The words “acid” and “nucleic” are in the name...

Nov 30, 2013

Does Age Bring Death? Not For All Species

Humans have a pretty straightforward view of aging: They're born, they mature, they gradually become weaker and lose fertility, and eventually, they die. But in nature, aging is far more diverse, new research finds. In fact, some animals are actually less likely to die the older they get — at...

Nov 30, 2013

Why James Bond Wanted Martinis 'Shaken, Not Stirred'

James Bond's famous catchphrase shaken, not stirred may have stemmed from his inability to stir his drinks due to an alcohol-induced tremor affecting his hands, researchers reveal in a new, tongue-in-cheek medical report. Such a tremor would be likely in a spy who drank more than four times the recommended...

Nov 30, 2013

Flu Vaccine May Work Better in Women

Women have a stronger immune response than men when given the flu vaccine, new research shows. This may mean that vaccinated women are better protected against catching the flu than vaccinated men, although the new study did not look at this directly, the researchers said. In the study, researchers examined...

Nov 30, 2013

Yoga: Benefits, Risks & Different Types

Almost every gym and fitness center nowadays offers at least one class in yoga, a workout that involves performing a series of flexibility- and strength-building poses. But yoga is more than just an exercise. It's also a spiritual discipline with a long history — and aspects that don't involve downward-facing...