A U.S. teenager landed in the hospital this January after secretly vaping for 3 years. 17-year-old Brianne Cullen was taken to the hospital after she began to struggle breathing during cheerleading practice. She was diagnosed with “popcorn lung”, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans. The condition is rare; however, it is chronic and irreversible, causing permanent...
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine under President Vladimir Putin has brought global fears of a possible nuclear war. This geopolitical crisis’s escalation has also brought back serious discussions about the devastating consequences that could unfold if tensions escalate into nuclear warfare. The threat of nuclear warfare currently seems distant to many Americans; however, experts warn that...
In the world of biomechanics and medicine, there are challenges in the designing microrobots that are effective in drug administration. Properly managing factors such as biocompatibility, size, biodegradability, and magnetic properties is required to control the microrobots effectively. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a microrobot that promises to revolutionize medicine delivery inside the...
Amid chronically online, right-wing leaning spaces, a new transphobic conspiracy theory has expanded over the past 8 years. This conspiracy theory is akin to other right-wing conspiracy theories, such as QAnon and “Pizzagate”. “Transvestigation,” which is the theory that many famous celebrities, public figures, and politicians are secretly transgender. This theory uses “armchair phrenology”, a...
According to a radiation weather expert, a stream of high-energy particles from a supernova explosion may have triggered a sudden loss of altitude on a passenger plane. In late October, a JetBlue Airbus A320 commercial airliner traveling to Newark unexpectedly dropped altitude without warning, rapidly plummeting from 35,000 feet to 10,000 feet. At least 15...
What is a common phrase bestowed upon tombstones, in condolence messages, and amongst social media posts following the death of a loved one or a famous celebrity? The abbreviation “RIP” as “Rest In Peace” has become so ingrained in our vocabulary that many people accept it as its common meaning. However, according to teacher Laurie...
As artificial intelligence (AI) expands and grows, many fear it might make many jobs obsolete. However, there is potential for AI in its inevitable expansion to reshape industries, change how we work and improve productivity. Senator Bernie Sanders has seized this potential as an opportunity to completely change the way we approach work and the...
Low back pain persists as the leading cause for work loss, disability and reduction of quality of life across the world. In 2020, over half a billion prevalent cases of low back pain were recorded. Low back pain is characterized by 3 types of pain occurring simultaneously which are nociceptive (physical damage to muscles or...
In 1999, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded an eerie sound deep beneath the Pacific Ocean. The organization deployed sophisticated hydrophones across the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean to detect underwater events. The loud noise, which some described as an “underwater voice” similar to a woman’s hum has baffled researchers and the...
Katherine Chappell, a 29-year-old visual effects editor who contributed to the Emmy-winning team behind Game of Thrones, died after a lion attack at a safari park near Johannesburg, South Africa. The attack occurred on June 1, 2015, at the Lion Park in Honeydew when a lioness lunged through an open car window. Chappell had traveled...
Leading artificial intelligence systems are starting to show troubling tendencies that mirror unethical behaviors of humans. A new wave of research from Anthropic shows that top AI models will opt for deception, threats and even engage in blackmail to achieve their goals or protect their existence. Researchers have discovered in tightly controlled experiments that these...
Food waste is one of the world’s most pressing issues, affecting food security and costing billions in revenue every year. Every year, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted across the globe, whether spoiled or wasted. This staggering figure is statistically one-third of all food produced for human consumption that never reaches a plate....
