Wellness

  • Expecting Stress May Lower Daily Brain Function

    Expecting Stress May Lower Daily Brain Function

    While everyone knows stress is bad, researchers have now found that simply expecting to be stressful can lower cognitive abilities throughout the day. Their paper is published in the Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. Stress and working memory Many studies have already shown how stressful events can affect not only our emotion and physiology, but… Read More

  • Why Driving Makes Us So Sleepy

    Why Driving Makes Us So Sleepy

    Researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia have an explanation as to why drivers become so sleepy. They have recently found that driver fatigue is often enhanced by the natural vibrations caused by the car’s engines. These vibrations can cause people to experience symptoms of drowsiness, affecting concentration and alertness, within 15 minutes of hitting… Read More

  • How World Cup Athletes Gain a Leg Up in Extra-Time

    How World Cup Athletes Gain a Leg Up in Extra-Time

    Entering the final match of the 2018 World Cup, five of the 14 knockout stage games that have been played have gone into extra-time. Croatia’s semi-final win over England was only their most recent to require 30 draining added minutes. The second smallest nation to ever reach the tournament’s final round played extra-time in each… Read More

  • AI and Radar System Relieves Need for Diabetics to Draw Blood

    AI and Radar System Relieves Need for Diabetics to Draw Blood

    Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed a new system for diabetics to monitor their blood sugar without having to prick their finger several times a day. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and a radar device jointly developed by Google and Infineon, the researchers can detect changes in glucose levels without physically drawing… Read More

  • It’s Time to Start Eating Popcorn with Chopsticks

    It’s Time to Start Eating Popcorn with Chopsticks

    If you’re sick of your campus food, try them in unconventional ways to enjoy them all over again like the first day of your freshman orientation, a new study suggests. In the study, a pair of researchers from the Ohio State University (OSU) and the University of Chicago wondered if changing the way we consume… Read More

  • Mindful Movement Can Reduce Anxiety, Depression, Stress

    Mindful Movement Can Reduce Anxiety, Depression, Stress

    Mental health — specifically anxiety, depression and stress — is a pressing issue on college campuses. Every year, more than 150,000 students from over 400 colleges and universities in the U.S. and internationally seek mental health treatment, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State University. But now, researchers from the university… Read More

  • Revolutionary Low-Cost Prosthetic Foot Allows Amputees to Walk Naturally

    Revolutionary Low-Cost Prosthetic Foot Allows Amputees to Walk Naturally

    Prosthetic limb technology has advanced greatly in recent years, but new designs can cost tens of thousands of dollars, leaving many amputees without affordable products.   Now, engineers at MIT have developed a low-cost, passive prosthetic foot that can be customized to fit the individual and mimic an able-bodied walk. “[Walking] is something so core… Read More

  • Mosquitos Hold the Secret to Painless Needles

    Mosquitos Hold the Secret to Painless Needles

    Mosquitos, the pesky, little bugs responsible for spreading diseases and ruining summer barbecues, hold a clue to medical advancements. The needle-like probe that the insects use to suck up blood has inspired Ohio State University researchers to develop a painless microneedle. “A mosquito can sit on skin for several minutes and suck blood painlessly,” said… Read More

  • New Drug Compound Can Stop Cancer From Spreading

    New Drug Compound Can Stop Cancer From Spreading

    Half of the battle when fighting cancer is making sure the infected cells don’t spread throughout the body. It could be the difference between life and death. Now, for the first time, a team of researchers has discovered a drug compound that can make cancer cells stay put. “Movement is key: the difference is black… Read More

  • Scientists Print Medical Sensors onto Gummies

    Scientists Print Medical Sensors onto Gummies

    After nearly 100 years of satisfying the taste buds of kids and adults, alike, gummi bears may finally have a greater purpose. A team of researchers has developed a method to print microelectrode arrays onto gummy candies, gelatin and other soft substrates. This new method will provide a cheap, fast way to develop microelectrodes that… Read More

  • Can Carbon Dioxide Get Rid of Belly Fat?

    Can Carbon Dioxide Get Rid of Belly Fat?

    Carboxytherapy, or carbon dioxide therapy, is a non-invasive treatment in which carbon dioxide is injected into the body. When injected into the body’s fat pockets, it is supposed to kill fat cells. But, does it reduce belly fat? Researchers from Northwestern University set out to find the answer. They conducted the first randomized, controlled trial… Read More

  • Shark Skin-Inspired Surface Can Attack Bacteria

    Shark Skin-Inspired Surface Can Attack Bacteria

    While the words “shark” and “attack” don’t usually bode well in the same sentence, new research shows that when it comes to fighting bacteria, they can be a positive pairing.  By imitating the natural properties of shark skin, scientists from UMass Amherst have improved a new type of surface coating infused with antimicrobial agents that… Read More

  • Toothpaste And Hand Soap Are Also Creating ‘Superbugs’

    Toothpaste And Hand Soap Are Also Creating ‘Superbugs’

    Researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia have discovered that an ingredient found in many of our personal hygiene products is contributing to antibiotic resistance. The guilty ingredient, triclosan, is used in many toothpastes, soaps, detergents, cosmetics and surgical cleaning treatments. In recent years, it has become apparent that overuse of antibiotics is… Read More

  • Virtual Reality Can Help You Remember Better

    Virtual Reality Can Help You Remember Better

    People can remember information better when it is presented through an immersive, virtual reality (VR) experience rather than a two-dimensional platform, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of Maryland conducted one of the first in-depth studies on the effects of learning through a virtual environment, pointing to the prospect of using VR technology… Read More

  • Automated Robot Speeds Up Blood Draw and Diagnosis

    Automated Robot Speeds Up Blood Draw and Diagnosis

    Researchers at Rutgers University have developed an automated robotic device that can quickly draw blood and provide diagnostic results. The device could improve workflow in health-related institutions, allowing practitioners more time to treat patients. A paper describing the device is published in the journal Technology. “This device represents the holy grail in blood testing technology,”… Read More

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