It was a regular day at the lake for the Free family. Cassandra Free, her husband, their three sons, and a family friend spent the entire day motoring around Lake Eufaula, the largest lake in Eastern Oklahoma. They were tubing, wake surfing, and just generally enjoying the beautiful June weather – that is, until carbon...

Pranks have been a long-time part of human culture, perhaps as long as humans have existed. There have been many iconic practical jokes over the years that have made headlines- like in 1957 when the BBC famously ran a story teaching viewers how to grow their own spaghetti tree, or in 1980 when they claimed...

In 2015, granola bar company Nature Valley created an ad in which they asked three generations of families one question: When you were a kid, what did you do for fun? The older two generations shared many wonderful memories of playing outside, building forts, picking blueberries, and going on fishing trips. They reminisced fondly of...

For decades, marriage has been glorified as one of life’s greatest achievements. For this reason, single people (women in particular) have historically been shamed for not being in a romantic relationship, being made to feel as though something was wrong with them. This is what psychologist Bella DePaulo, Ph.D., refers to as “mental blanketing”- the...

Scientists have created the world’s first 3D-printed heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, every year it takes approximately 655 thousand lives. That means that one in every four deaths in the US are a result of heart disease [1]. For end-stage heart disease, the only option...

It is commonly assumed that it takes 10,000 tries to become a master at something. If that’s true, then anyone who’s made it past 90 years old must be true masters at life. They’ve experienced all of the tears, fear, extreme happiness, and utter sadness that comes with each phase of life, and they have...

For many years, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists have not been able to explain the ‘why’ of menopause.  How could it be beneficial for women to no longer be able to have children when they still have decades left to live? Menopause is also a unique stage present only in human life; it is not shared...

It must have been heart-breaking for Mark Hatzer to realize his mother, Sylvia Hatzer, an 82-year-old dementia sufferer, could no longer recognize her own son. The last thing he wanted was to lose another parent, but as her condition worsened, Sylvia was admitted to North Manchester General Hospital for her own safety. During her time...

The psychology of happiness is well-studied, and at this point, we have a fairly solid understanding of what, in general, makes most of us happy. Activities like dancing, or going for a walk in the woods, help us to feel joyful and calm. Singing and music can improve our mood as well. Most psychologists will...

Chickenpox is very common (some might even consider it as a rite of passage), but there’s a serious risk many parents aren’t aware of, and it involves the use of ibuprofen to help relieve chicken pox. A mother who was advised to follow this recommendation from different doctors on her son’s chickenpox will tell you...

Dementia is a progressive condition that damages and eventually kills brain cells. In the next ten years, experts project that about 82 million people worldwide will have dementia [1]. While there is still no cure for the condition, knowing the early warning signs of dementia can help you or your loved one get the support...

Energy drinks are popular across all age groups- kids, teenagers, and adults alike all seem to be reaching for the Monster, Redbull, or 5-Hour Energy to give them the boost they’re looking for.  But how safe are these drinks really? More and more evidence is beginning to emerge suggesting that energy drinks may be doing...