Articles by Athena Chan
Remembering John Young: NASA's 'Most Experienced' Astronaut Dies At 87
John Young's career at NASA was an impressive one of many firsts. His dedication to the agency and its programs has him dubbed as NASA's most experienced astronaut.
Earth's Oceans Suffocating And Creating More 'Dead Zones': Study
Low-oxygen sites in coastal bodies of water have significantly increased since 1950. As the waters run low on oxygen, marine creatures lose their habitats and may even succumb to suffocation.
Keto Ranks Last On Best Diets Of 2018 List
The Keto diet has become increasingly popular because of its premise of a high-fat diet and fast weight loss. However, a new ranking of diets has placed the popular Keto in last place.
Common Food Additive May Have Contributed To Deadly Superbug Outbreak
Trehalose is a common food additive considered as 'safe' by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Is it linked to the increase in severity of a superbug epidemic?
LOOK: This Self Healing Artificial Muscle Is Flexible, Strong, And Cheap
A team of researchers created an artificial muscle that is strong, versatile, and cheap to make. It could help create soft robots in the future but also has practical implications in the food and medical industry.
Weird Dimming Of 'Alien Megastructure' Star Likely Caused By Dust
Researchers of a new study debunked the popular 'alien megastructure' theory surrounding Tabby's star. As it turns out, dust and not an alien structure may be responsible for the sporadic dimming events.
Food Safety Experts Advise Consumers To Stop Eating Romaine Lettuce Amid E.coli Outbreak
There have been two deaths and over 50 cases of E.coli reported in the United States and in Canada since the beginning of the outbreak. No official recall has been made but romaine lettuce is seen as the likely culprit.
NASA's Asteroid-Bound Aircraft Captures Stunning Image Of Earth And Moon
Asteroid Bennu-bound OSIRIS-REx took an amazing photo of the Earth and the Moon from 5 million kilometers away. It is just one of the many stunning photos of our planet from space.
Young Star RZ Piscium Eats Its Own Planets
Is the young star RZ Piscium getting ready to turn into a red giant, or is it a young planet eater? A new study finds that it could be devouring its surrounding planets.
Doctors Remove Basketball-Sized Tumor Initially Thought To Be A Pimple
Two years ago, Emanuel's parents noticed what was believed to be a pimple on his face. In January, he will undergo surgery to remove the now-basketball-sized tumor on his face.
Teen Blasted With Air Horn For Using Phone Stuck With Constant 'Knife-Stabbing' Pain In Ear
Cindy Redford experienced auditory trauma after being blasted by an air horn to her ears. She has since been suffering from hyperacusis or noise-induced pain.
Eating Leafy Greens May Keep Your Brain Younger: Other Ways To Prevent Cognitive Decline
A new research found that eating a serving of leafy greens a day helps keep your brain a decade younger. Are there other things recent research has found to prevent cognitive decline?
Man Shares Heartbreaking Story Of Wife's Cancer Death, Urges Women To Take Smear Test
Elliot Lowe shared the heartbreaking story of his wife's death from cervical cancer to urge women to undergo cervical cancer screening. What is a smear test and how does it help early cancer detection?
Russian Man Dies From Blood Loss In Virtual Reality-Related Accident
A 44-year-old man in Russia died from blood loss because of a VR-related accident. Is his death an example of the dangers of VR technology?
Deadly Fungal Disease Threatens Snake Populations Across The Globe
A deadly fungal disease is threatening the population of snakes worldwide. The disease has already affected 23 snake species in the United States and three snake species in Europe.
Rub-On Contraceptive Gel For Men Set For 2018 Clinical Trial
The male contraceptive to be tested in 2018 is a rub-on gel that's expected to reduce sperm production. The gel is made to be rubbed on the upper arm and shoulder, not on genitals.
'Pill Mill': Doctor Indicted For Distributing 2.7 Million Opioids, Causing Five Overdose Deaths
A doctor has been indicted by the federal government for operating a "pill mill." He allegedly distributed millions of opioids, which led to five overdose deaths.
Italian Family Can't Feel Pain Because Of Rare Gene Mutation
Members of a family in Italy can get injured without feeling any pain because their nerves don't work the way they should. Their genetic mutation could lead to new pain management treatments.
Need For Sleep: Fruit Flies May Help Reveal Why Some Need More Sleep Than Others
How long do we really need to sleep to remain healthy? With the help of fruit flies, researchers saw the genetic differences between long and short sleepers and found little differences in their life spans.
Japanese Monkeys' Sexual Interaction With Deer Could Be For Practice Or Culture: Study
Researchers found that Japanese macaques at Minoo in Japan engage in sexual behaviors toward deer. It's possible that they do it for sex practice or as a cultural practice.
Obsessed With Taking Selfies? A New Test May Check If You Have 'Selfitis'
Is "selfitis" a hoax, or is it a real mental disorder? What started as a news article in 2014 could very well be an actual mental disorder marked by obsessive selfie-taking.
1 In 6 UK Parents Let Teens Drink Alcohol
New research finds that 17 percent of UK parents let their early adolescent children to consume alcohol. Experts see the need to re-educate parents on the potential dangers of drinking.
'Youthquake' Named Word Of The Year 2017: It's Confusing But It Makes Sense
'Youthquake' is 2017's Word of the Year, beating words like 'white fragility' and 'unicorn.' Not a lot of people are familiar with youthquake, but it's something that could hopefully continue into 2018.
Engineers Create Glowing Plants That May Replace Lamps
MIT engineers successfully created glowing plants with the help of the enzymes that make fireflies glow. The development could one day lead to more sustainable lighting methods.
Main Ingredient In Medical Marijuana Not Toxic Or Addicting: WHO Report
A WHO report states that CBD, one of the main compounds in the cannabis plant, as non-addictive and non-toxic. As such, a more comprehensive review of cannabis is expected to be made in May 2018.
Fertility Doctor Who Inseminated Patients With Own Sperm Won't Face Jail Time
DNA tests revealed that a fertility specialist donated his own sperm to inseminate his clients. Though it is not illegal in Indiana, he lied to investigators and donated sperm more than what he stated to clients.
A 512-Year-Old Greenland Shark Might Just Be The World's Oldest Living Vertebrate
Did this team of scientists just find the oldest living vertebrate in the world? Age and size aside, Greenland sharks are special and mysterious creatures for various reasons.
World's Oldest Eye Discovered In 530-Million-Year-Old Trilobite Fossil
The fossilized remains of a 530-million-year-old trilobite was found to contain the world's oldest preserved eyes ever discovered. Amazingly, researchers found merely small diferences betwen primitive and modern eyes.
Heartbreaking Video Shows Starving Polar Bear Looking For Food In Ice-less Land
A biologist and photographer shared a video of a bony, starving polar bear looking for food on ice-less land. It serves as a reminder that polar bears are already experiencing the consequences of rising temperatures.
First Black Astronaut Honored On 50th Death Anniversary
Although he was unknown for 30 years after his death, Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. is recognized as NASA's first black astronaut. After his death, other African Americans went on to become notable NASA figures.
