Articles by Alexandra Lozovschi
‘Night Owl’ Gene Detected By Scientists: Here’s Why Your Circadian Rhythm Matters
The circadian rhythm dictates your sleep cycle and regulates hormone activity responsible for most physiological processes. Studies have shown the circadian clock, which can be altered by the ‘night owl’ gene, also influences how the body responds to medication.
Hawaii LGBT Couples Push For Equal Access To Fertility Therapy Available To Heterosexual Couples
Sean Smith and his husband paid more than $20,000 for a fertility procedure for which, under Hawaii state law, married heterosexual couples have the right to financial help. The LGBT community is now lobbying for equal access to fertility treatments.
Homecoming: 3 Astronauts Make Their Way Back To Earth From ISS
The commander of Expedition 50, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, has returned to Earth together with two other crew members. The trio undocked from the International Space Station on Monday morning, April 10, and landed their MS Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan.
Citizen Scientists Find 4-Planet Solar System In Only 48 Hours
A computer animation of the newly discovered planetary system shows the four exoplanets sit much closer to their star than Mercury to our sun. Part of the Exoplanet Explorers project, this discovery could provide new insights into planet formation.
On World Health Day: Global Effort Necessary To End HIV/AIDS
Health organizations plan to continue the great progress in HIV treatment and prevention. Consistent efforts by PEPFAR are getting close to ending the AIDS pediatric epidemic in Africa.
Octopuses And Squids Can Rewrite Their Own Genes: How Is This Possible?
The California two-spot octopus is among the smart cephalopods that can edit their RNA codes to adapt to the environment. Just like other species of squids and cuttlefish, this octopus uses gene editing to change neural functions.
World’s 50 Best Restaurants Of 2017: New York’s Eleven Is No. 1
Eleven Madison Park is 2017’s greatest restaurant in the world. The New York fine dining venue was also named the Best Restaurant in North America, and is the second American culinary establishment to ever snatch the grand prize.
Earth Could Reach Warming State Unseen In The Last 420 Million Years, Study Warns
If humanity burns through all available fossil fuels, our planet risks an even more escalated global warming rate and could reach temperatures from the times dinosaurs walked the Earth. Fossilized plants show atmospheric C02 levels are rapidly approaching the Triassic.
Microgravity Research: Scientists Recruit Volunteers To Lie In Bed For 2 Months
If you’re vacationing in Toulouse and enticed by the prospect of getting paid to spend 60 days in bed, check out the latest MEDES experiment. The institute is studying weightlessness conditions in the International Space Station.
Sunlight-Bottling Bionic Leaf Can Create Fertilizer And Boost Food Supply
Harvard researchers may have found a way to end world hunger through their bionic leaf, which produces cheap fertilizer potent enough to make crops grow 1.5 times bigger. Read on to see how the invention works!
Miami Construction Boom Brings Back Zika Virus Worries
Mosquito control inspectors warn construction sites in Miami-Dade still pose a threat for the transmission of the Zika virus. County officials met on Monday, April 3, to discuss Zika preventive measures that reduce these sites’s role in virus reemergence.
Mayo Clinic Helps Paralyzed Man Move Legs Via Spinal Cord Stimulator
Following an implant surgery, a man that had sustained a spinal cord injury was able to move his paralyzed legs and eventually stand up again. The technique is called epidural stimulation and, combined with physical therapy, produced pioneering results.
Groundbreaking Graphene-Based Electrode Can Boost Solar Power Storage
The new plant-inspired graphene electrode employs the fractal design of fern leaves to store solar energy at an improved capacity, 3,000 percent bigger than previously available. This prototype paves the way for flexible thin film solar technology.
#20PercentCounts: Sheryl Sandberg-Led LeanIn.Org Launches Equal Pay Day Campaign
Lean In marks this year’s Equal Pay Day through an innovative campaign called #20PercentCounts. Dedicated to women, who typically earn 20 percent less than men, this campaign offers the same percentage in shopping discounts.
Why Did It Take A Century For April Fools’ Comet To Be Identified?
Comet 41P has a complicated history. Until its identity was clearly established, the April Fools’ comet was initially mislabeled, then lost and eventually rediscovered in 1951.
Depression Is Leading Cause Of Ill Health Worldwide: How To Combat The Scourge
The upcoming World Health Day is themed around depression and the importance of recognizing symptoms and offering support to people living with this mental health condition. As such, WHO promotes talking therapy and calls for bigger investments in depression treatments.
Eyeballs Grafted On Tails: Blind Tadpoles Get The Most Unusual Eye Transplant
What do blind tadpoles and migraine drugs have in common? Both were part of a creative experimental transplant that proved eyes can fully function when grafted on tails, by connecting directly to the central nervous system.
HPV Vaccine Safe For Pregnant Women, Study Finds
The HPV vaccine Gardasil doesn’t cause major birth defects if administered during pregnancy. The human papillomavirus vaccine is still not recommended for pregnant women, but a new safety study proves it’s OK to get vaccinated while carrying a baby.
Sex-Shifting Parasitic Fish Chooses Gender Depending On Growth Rate, Study Says
A new study found sea lampreys become male or female depending on how nutrient-rich their environment is. Researchers believe this information can help keep in check this parasitic predatory fish, a threat to the North American Great Lakes.
Spiders Could Eat Every Person On Earth In Under A Year And Still Crave More
Since spiders were documented to munch on up to 800 million tons of prey each year, the entire human population on Earth, weighed at 300 million tons, would only be a snack for the hungry arachnids.
Organ-On-A-Chip: Scientists Recreate Menstrual Cycle In 3D To Aid In Drug Testing
Researchers developed a 3D model of the female reproductive system using organ-on-a-chip technology. The device called EVATAR replicates the complete menstrual cycle and has managed to even produce hormones and release an egg.
Missing Indonesian Man Found Inside A 20-Foot Reticulated Python
A young Indonesian farmer who had gone missing a day before fell victim to a reticulated python. West Sulawesi locals retrieved the man’s lifeless body from inside the enormous snake, discovered nearby his palm plantation.
Cutting-Edge Brain Implant Restores Mobility In Quadriplegic Man Using Thought-Controlled Prosthetics
Experimental neuroprosthetics could help quadriplegia patients recover some motor functions. This novel technology uses a brain implant that controls electronic sensors embedded in the limbs and signals them to move paralyzed muscles.
World's Biggest Dinosaur Footprint Left By Sauropod In Australia's Jurassic Park
The amazing finding belongs to an entire collection of dinosaur tracks discovered in the Dampier Peninsula. The gigantic footprint was left behind by a sauropod from the Early Cretaceous.
It’s Not All About Fast Food: Study Finds Rare Genetic Obesity Cases Are More Common Than Anticipated
Researchers found 79 syndromes linked to genetic causes of obesity, almost triple than previously anticipated. Although rare, these syndromes are much more numerous and diverse than expected and their understanding could help curb obesity rates worldwide.
Peanut Allergies Shouldn’t Keep You From Eating Walnuts, Almonds, Says Study
According to a new study, a confirmed peanut allergy doesn’t automatically imply you are allergic to tree nuts as well. As long as you pass the oral food challenge, you can safely eat almonds and walnuts.
Not That Grumpy After All: Cats Love Your Company More Than You Know, Study Finds
A new study that tested cats’ sociability showed they prefer human social interactions even more than food. The research revealed our furry companions are seriously misunderstood and are in fact fonder of people than previously imagined.
Astronomers Discover Brown Dwarf Star With Purest Composition, Highest Mass Ever
A newly discovered brown dwarf has astounded researchers through its sheer mass and pristine composition. The celestial body is 90 times bigger than Jupiter and 250 times structurally purer than the sun.
Frequent Bathroom Trips During The Night? Study Says You Might Be Eating Too Much Salt
Japanese researchers are the first to discover salt intake is directly connected to frequent nocturnal urination. Their study suggests restricting salt consumption can help reduce the problems associated with nocturia.
Loss Of Arctic Sea Ice Endangers Entire Ecosystem, Up To The Great Beluga Whale
Belugas depend on fish that feed primarily on zooplankton, which in turn relies on sea ice algae to thrive. The dwindling arctic ice means a shortage of phytoplankton, and thus a lack of food for the beluga, among other creatures.
