Articles by Katrina Pascual
Ford Says Hello To Silicon Valley With New Car-Sharing And Autonomous Technology Unit
In an industry energized by the promise of autonomous vehicles and similar technologies and services, carmaker Ford is stepping up its game and ramping up its presence in Silicon Valley. The future, after all, is fast threatening the sales models of these traditional auto companies.
Playing Video Games May Have Positive Effects On Kids: Study
New research discovered that high usage of video games translated to higher odds of better intellectual functioning and overall competence in school among children. It also found that gaming may help improve kids' cognition and social skills.
Eve Online Gamers Contribute To Real-World Science In Project Discovery Minigame
Project Discovery is a citizen-science research effort that will involve EVE Online players in the Human Protein Atlas project of classifying human cell proteins from a huge database. It is yet another example of crowdsourcing scientific research.
Oldest Pine Tree Fossils Found Preserved As Charcoal
Scientists recently found the oldest-known pine tree fossils in a rock quarry in Nova Scotia, Canada. The fossils, which came in the form of preserved charcoal, date back at least 140 million years to the Cretaceous period.
Brushing Teeth Regularly May Slow Down Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease
UK researchers have found that periodontitis or gum disease sped up cognitive decline by six times in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Gum bacteria have been previously linked to decreased cognitive states and inflammation.
Traumatic Brain Injuries May Up Risk Of Losing Health Insurance
Patients of traumatic brain injuries were more likely to lose their health insurance coverage or see changes in it. Since most people get health insurance through their job, changes in coverage emerged mostly due to changes in their employment, such as because of disability.
Video Games May Improve Brain Function Of Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Video games showed promise in improving the thalamus function of multiple sclerosis patients, as they have been found to strengthen neural connections in the brain area. They may help address cognitive decline experienced by half of MS sufferers.
Girls Avoiding Math, Science At High School Less Likely To Get High-Paying IT, Engineering Jobs
A new study from Australia showed that women’s underrepresentation in high-paying IT and engineering jobs – which likely plays a role in the gender wage gap – could be partly attributed to high school subject choices. On average, girls tended to not choose STEM subjects in high school.
New Technique Allows Kidney Transplant Patients To Receive Organ From Incompatible Donors
In a large, national study employing desensitization, doctors successfully altered the immune systems of patients to enable them to accept kidneys from incompatible donors. This breakthrough is believed to shorten the waiting lists for kidney transplants and give hope to patients.
US Senate Honors Astronaut Scott Kelly On Record-Breaking ISS Mission
Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez of New Jersey became the latest among public officials to honor Scott Kelly for his 340-day stay at the International Space Station. They dubbed it "a proud moment" for the whole state and science exploration.
Whole Foods To Install Rooftop Solar System At 100 Stores
Whole Foods will soon harness solar energy in its stores. The Austin, Texas-based grocery chain aims to be among the biggest corporate solar energy users in the U.S., eyeing both environmental benefits and protection from future energy cost hikes.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Plans For Human Test Flights By 2017
Private spaceflight company Blue Origin is eyeing crewed test flights of its reusable suborbital space vehicle starting next year. This was the first time its founder Jeff Bezos put a target date on its commercial flights.
FDA Settles With Drug Maker Amarin On Promotion Of Fish Oil Pill For Off-Label Use
Amarin announced that it has reached a settlement with FDA to continue promoting its fish oil pill Vascepa for off-label uses. At the heart of the matter is the free speech protection limit for drug companies and off-label marketing.
Obama Administration Proposes Changes To Lower Medicare Drug Prices
The Medicare program proposed changes that would apply to Medicare Part B, covering specialty medications like cancer drugs. The new models are aimed to promote incentives to medical providers that align with better patient care and outcomes.
Special Infant Formula Does Not Protect Babies From Asthma, Allergies
A new study found no consistent evidence that hydrolyzed infant formulas could lower the risk of asthma or autoimmune disorders in babies. Its researchers called for international infant feeding guidelines to stop recommending these products.
Middle Bronze Age Winery Found In Israel Palace
Excavations in Israel revealed for the first time an ancient winery in a Middle Bronze Age palace. The winery showed how ruling families strengthened their power during that era via splendid banquets of exquisite wine and choice cuts of goat and sheep meat.
China Plans to Send A Rover To Mars In 2021
China is pursuing its own Mars exploration in 2020 as an independent probe of the Red Planet. The mission is expected to reach the planet in 2021 after a flight of seven to 10 months, revealed a top scientist and national political adviser.
Scientific Journal PLOS One Pulls Out Study Citing 'Creator'
The science journal PLOS One retracted a study by Chinese researchers that referenced a 'Creator' throughout, following intense debate on the quality of its editing and peer review. Some experts, however, believed a retraction was unwarranted.
Photojournalist Gary Braasch Dies While Documenting Climate Change On Great Barrier Reef
Award-winning American photographer Gary Braasch died Monday while snorkeling on Great Barrier Reef. His central project since 2000 was documenting climate change effects through photos.
Bromances Are Good For Health: Male Friendship Reduces Stress, Study Finds
Same-sex friendships among men can reduce stress and help them lead longer, healthier lives, a new study found. This was shown by a new rat study that lent insight into how mild stress led to greater oxytocin levels among the subjects.
Sen. Chuck Schumer Wants Phone Carriers To Block Unwanted Robocalls
Sen. Chuck Schumer called on phone companies to provide their customers the necessary robocall blocking technology. Robocalls not only produce spams and scams, but also create an avenue for bomb threats in schools, none of which were found true by the police.
Here's How Exposure To Allergy-Causing Foods Reduces Babies' Risk For Allergy
A new study has found that feeding peanut mush to babies could prevent allergies to the legume later on. But what is the mechanism that makes this food allergy prevention possible?
Iceberg That Sank Titanic Was 100,000 Year Old
Combining accounts from 1912 and modern data on ocean currents and winds, scientists calculated the origins of the iceberg that sank the Titanic. The new observations enrich theories around what really led to the massive tragedy.
Hello, Casper: Friendly Ghost-like Octopus Discovered More Than 13,100 Feet Under The Sea [Video]
NOAA ship mission in the Hawaiian archipelago has discovered a ghost octopus, a new species that may be the deepest-dwelling of its kind. The pale and unusual species among octopods might as well belong to an entirely new genus, too.
NASA To Provide Live Coverage Of Indonesia's Total Solar Eclipse
NASA and the Exploratorium Science Center in San Francisco collaborated to bring live TV coverage-webcast of the total solar eclipse in Indonesia. Learn about the space agency's activities around this celestial spectacle from March 8 to 9.
Perfect Launch, Still No Perfect Landing: SpaceX Rocket Lands Hard On Floating Platform
After several aborted attempts, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket finally soared into space last March 4 to deliver the SES-9 satellite into orbit. But while the launch was successful, the landing didn't really go as intended.
Men And Women Need Different Levels Of Truvada To Prevent HIV Infection
Latest study has found that women need daily doses of the HIV drug Truvada while men only need two doses a week. This is due to the way that the anti-HIV infection medication accumulates in different tissues in the body.
Albino Gray Whale 'Gallon Of Milk' Spotted Off Mexico
The albino gray whale 'Gallon of Milk' makes a rare appearance during an annual whale census off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The majestic creature appeared with a gray calf that apparently did not inherit her albino condition.
High Protein Meals Make You Feel Fuller: Study
A new study has found that a high-protein diet may increase feelings of fullness and therefore potentially help in weight loss. Remember, though, that protein is not a magic bullet for losing all the excess pounds.
Graphene Oxide's Antibacterial Properties May Help Combat Hospital Acquired Infections
Researchers in Italy explored the potential antibacterial and antifungal actions of graphene oxide. How could this wonder material help serve as an effective, eco-friendly antibacterial treatment in the future?
