Lately, people have been questioning scientific facts, especially when it comes to COVID, climate change, and conspiracy theories. This raises important questions: What is knowledge? How do we know what we believe? Social epistemology, which studies how we know and believe things, helps us understan
In the final stretch of President Joe Biden’s term, his Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new Medicare and Medicaid rule that could spark a big debate. The rule would make weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy more accessible to these recipients. HHS Secretary Xavier B
The epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, helps cells grow and become specialized. But when things go wrong, EGFR can cause cancer. There are eight molecules, called ligands, that activate EGFR, with two main ones being epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α). Sci
Epilepsy, a significant cause of disability and early death globally, can be tricky to diagnose. Doctors need detailed patient histories and specific tests to tell apart epilepsy from fainting spells. A big part of this diagnosis is using an electroencephalogram (EEG), which records brain activity.
Imagine if we could predict outbreaks of flu and COVID-19 just by looking at what's in our sewage. That's exactly what scientists did in Pune, India. They spent two years, from January 2022 to December 2023, collecting sewage samples from 11 different areas. They used a special technique called reve
Scientists have long known that problems in the hippocampus, a key part of the brain, are connected to psychosis. It's been noticed that people with psychosis tend to have smaller hippocampal volumes. Some think this shrinkage could be caused by too much glutamate, a chemical that helps brain cells
Alzheimer's disease messes with your memory and makes you confused. It happens when stuff called amyloid beta plaques and tangles pile up in your brain, blocking its normal work. There's no cure yet, and as people live longer, more folks will get it. Why does this happen? Lots of reasons, like infla
Have you ever wondered why the price of pigs in China swings like a pendulum? It’s a complex dance of many factors that leave pig farmers and consumers guessing. Let’s break it down! First off, the price of live pigs in China has been on a rollercoaster ride for years. This isn’t just a little blip
In the last decade, a new field called justice health research has popped up. It's like a bridge between the worlds of public health and the justice system. To make sure this area of study is fair and focused, researchers are taking a close look at what's been done so far. They're checking for any m
Ever wondered how certain T cells can switch their roles in the body? Let's dive into how T-follicular helper (TFH) cells can transform into T-regulatory type 1 (TR1) cells. These changes happen when the body is continuously exposed to foreign substances, a process known as chronic antigenic stimula
