Articles by Athena Chan
Scientists Unravel Secret Of Stain In 800-Year Old Vatican Scroll
The complete story of Laurentius Loricatus is kept in an 800-year-old parchment that has incurred mysterious purple stains. Scientists have now identified the bacteria responsible for the damages.
Dwarf Planet Pluto Surface Features Get First Official Names
Pluto is getting the attention it deserves as the official names for 14 of its surface features were recently announced. Some of the dwarf planet's features were named after mythologies around the world.
Monarch Butterfly Could Be At Risk Of Extinction
The number of migrating western monarch butterflies has dropped from millions to just approximately 300,000. Is it time for the monarch butterfly species to be listed under the Endangered Species Act?
Traces Of Boron On Mars Could Be Evidence Of Life
Scientists report the discovery of the presence of boron on the surface of Mars. As boron is a key ingredient in the creation of RNA, the presence of it on Mars may provide evidence of the planet's habitability.
Obesity Report: 1 In 5 Americans Are Obese
One in five Americans is still obese. There is still hope as the rate increase slows down, and as long as policies and programs are bolstered.
5.7-Million-Year-Old Human-Like Footprints From Greece Challenge Human Evolution Timeline
A new study describes the discovery of strikingly human-like 5.7-million-year-old footprints in Greece. Could this be evidence of early humans in Greece or of an unknown human-like primate species?
Is There A Limit To How Long Humans Can Live?
Researchers of a new study used extreme value theory in order to find the maximum human lifespan. The topic is a controversial one as many disagree that there is a limit to our lifespan at all.
High Concentrations Of Antidepressants Found In Fish Brains In Great Lakes Region
The brains of multiple fish species in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario were found to have high concentrations of antidepressants. Waste water treatment plants currently do not test for traces of such drugs.
Half Of Men Unable To Identify Vagina On Diagram, Women Just As Confused
A recent survey found that half of men cannot point out the vagina in an anatomical diagram. Surprisingly, women were just as clueless as men.
Homeopathic Teething Bracelet Causes Lead Poisoning In 9-Month-Old Baby
A nine-month-old baby had lead poisoning because of a homeopathic teething bracelet with exceeding amounts of lead. The CDC warns that there is no safe level of lead for children.
Royal Diet: How Honeybee Diet Determines Development Of Queen Bees And Worker Bees
Researchers found that the early diet of honeybees can determine which bee will become the queen of the colony. Do plants have anything to do with this?
Coral Reef Fish Can Adapt To Fluctuating Carbon Dioxide Levels: Study
Researchers found that coral reef fish are actually more resilient to fluctuating carbon dioxide levels in the ocean. However, the discovered resilience still has a limit.
Older Dads? More New Fathers In America Over The Age Of 40
Stanford University researchers found that the paternal age of men in the United States increased in the last 44 years. The number of fathers in America over the ages of 40 and 50 has increased as well.
Skeleton From Cave In Mexico Could Be Oldest Human Remains In Americas
Excellently preserved skeletal remains were found by divers in an underwater cave in the Yucatan Peninsula. Despite difficulties in carbon dating, they found that the remains are likely 11,300 to 13,000 years old.
Almost 400 New Species Found In Amazon Rainforest But Deforestation Threatens Discovery Of More
Latest WWF report shows the highest rate of species discovery yet in the Amazon rainforest. Though 381 new species were recently discovered, more are threatened due to deforestation and other large-scale projects in the rainforest.
Aetna Mailers Accidentally Expose HIV Status Of Thousands Of Clients
On July 28, possibly 12,000 Aetna clients received mailers from the health insurance provider, exposing private medical information. Clients are taking legal action as a result of the serious privacy breach.
Chemicals In Yoga Mats And Furniture Can Lower Chances Of Successful IVF Pregnancy: Study
Researchers find that women with high levels of flame retardant (PFR) chemicals in their urine had significantly lower chances of successful IVF pregnancies. Couples trying to conceive through IVF are advised to avoid materials with PFR.
Caffeine Alters Sweet Taste Perception And Makes You Crave For Sweets: Study
Caffeine can alter the way we taste food for a period afterward. Although a temporary effect, this means that the taste perception of food or beverages consumed right after caffeine is likely altered.
US, Canada To Team Up To Find Out What Is Killing Whales
The NOAA and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are teaming up to investigate the deaths of 13 North Atlantic right whales this year. The agencies aim to investigate the 'unusual mortality event' and to look for possible solutions.
New Google Tool Can Help Diagnose Clinical Depression
Google and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) worked together to help Google users who may be suffering from depression. The partnership brings a reliable depression severity diagnosis tool accessible to users.
Ancient Babylon Tablet Holds World's Oldest Trigonometry Table
The Babylonian clay tablet called Plimpton 322 has now been revealed as an ancient trigonometric table. Although it is over 3,000 years old, its mathematical merits still have prospects for improving the modern world.
Poor REM Sleep Linked To Increased Dementia Risk: Study
Researchers found that people who experienced lesser amounts of REM sleep are more at risk of developing dementia in the long run. The results of the study show a strong correlation between REM sleep and increased dementia risk.
Quality Of High School Friendships Linked To Mental Health In Adulthood
Researchers found that close high school friendships directly predict mental health improvements in young adulthood. Having high-quality friendships at 15 years old predict less social anxiety and fewer signs of depression.
Coyote That Attacked Woman In New York Trail Tests Positive For Rabies
A woman strolling through a park in rural New York was left with severe bites after being attacked by a coyote. The coyote responsible for the attack tested positive for rabies.
Can't Get Hold Of Solar Eclipse Glasses? Make Your Own Pinhole Projector Instead
Safe solar eclipse glasses are getting harder to find. Pinhole projectors are an easy alternative to solar eclipse glasses and you can make them using household items.
Junk Food Linked To Increased Cancer Risk Among Normal-Weight Women
Researchers have found that normal weight women with high energy density diets have 10 percent higher cancer risks. Results show that having a normal weight does not immediately translate to reduced cancer risks.
New Technique Using Artificially Produced Sperm Could Overcome Genetic Male Infertility: Study
Collaborative efforts of researchers from London and Japan led to the development of healthy sperm in infertile mice. Could this be the answer to genetic infertility among human males?
UK Targets Calorie Reduction In Popular Food Items To Combat Childhood Obesity
Health officials in the UK aim to reduce the caloric content of popular food items such as pizzas and burgers. This is in response to the obesity and type 2 diabetes rate among children in the UK.
Study Suggests E-Cigarette Use Helps In Quitting Smoking
New research has shown that e-cigarette users are more likely to quit smoking compared with smokers who have never used e-cigarettes. Conflicting results on the positive and negative effects of e-cigarettes continue to surface.
Binge Watching Leads To Poorer Sleep Quality, Fatigue And Insomnia: Study
Researchers have found that binge-watching is linked to poor sleep quality, more symptoms of insomnia, and daytime fatigue. A majority of binge-watchers don't even intend to binge-watch in the first place.
