Articles by Katrina Pascual
Drinking More Water Can Help You Stay Slim
Increased intake of plain drinking water was linked to reduced daily calorie intake as well as decreased sugar, fat, sodium, and cholesterol consumption. This echoed previous recommendations to make plain water one's beverage of choice when thirsty.
Watch Out, Superman, Scientists Almost Got The Formula To Create Kryptonite
Kryptonite is fast becoming a reality with theoretical chemists discovering a way to synthesize the first binary compound of krypton and oxygen. But Superman can rest easy for now, according to researchers.
Scientific Paper That Claims Human Hand Was Designed By Creator Triggers Debate
A study published in 'PLOS ONE' stirred debate and controversy in the scientific community for charges of creationism, as well as the quality of editing and peer review in the journal. The journal eventually retracted the study.
El Nino May Spread Cholera-Like Diseases Through Water-Borne Bacteria
Researchers have explored how new waterborne pathogens in Latin America concurred in time and space with major El Nino events. The findings showed how the weather phenomenon could effectively spread waterborne diseases such as cholera across oceans.
Whole Foods Recalls Raw Milk Blue Cheese For Possible Listeria Contamination
Whole Foods recalled Maytag raw milk blue cheese products over listeria contamination concerns. No illness has been reported in connection with the nationwide recall, according to an FDA announcement.
SpaceX Scrubs Fourth Falcon 9 Launch, Sets Next Attempt On Friday
SpaceX scrubbed its fourth attempt last Tuesday night to launch a Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket will deliver the SES-9 satellite as high above Earth as over 24,000 miles to provide DTH broadcasting and mobile communications services to parts of the world.
Chick-fil-A To Reward Customers Who Put Down Their Cell Phones
A Chick-fil-A challenge offers free ice cream to diners who can ditch their cell phones during an entire meal at the restaurant. It was the brainchild of a Georgia store operator who sought to give customers a good time and 'sense of community' while dining.
Chronic Stress Boosts Spread Of Cancer
Chronic stress take its toll on one's health in many ways, including boosting the spread of cancer cells in the body. Australian researchers also found, however, that a known hypertension drug may help reduce the risk of cancer spread.
EPA Asks Mercedes-Benz For Diesel Emissions Data
Last Feb. 18, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Mercedes-Benz for allegedly cheating emissions regulations for its diesel engine cars. The EPA said it has requested data on emission levels from the company and has not actually started an official investigation into the matter.
Scientists May Have Found Evidence That Zika Causes Temporary Paralysis
A new study linked the Zika virus to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome. In a major Zika outbreak years ago, 24 out of 100,000 Zika patients emerged likely to develop GBS - versus only one or two out of 100,000 in Europe and North America.
Forgotten Fossil Reveals How Big Carnivorous Dinosaurs Could Grow
A fossilized femur bone of an abelisaur dinosaur illustrated how huge these predators could become. The researchers suggested, too, that Abelisauridae dinosaurs could not have coexisted with other dinosaurs in a location in Morocco filled with their fossil bones.
Sleep Loss Can Give You Cannabis-Style Munchies: Study
Sleep deprivation can likely cause one to get the munchies, the same seen in cannabis users, according to a new study. Those who did not get enough sleep had elevated levels of endocannabinoids or cannabis-like chemicals in their brain that trigger overeating.
Pre-Labor Cesarean Delivery Linked To Increased Child Leukemia Risk
An analysis found an increased risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia among children delivered via c-sections. Researchers suspected that it may be because of improperly adapted immune systems at birth.
Asian Hornets That Can Kill 50 Honeybees Per Day Likely To Invade Britain
Asian hornets, who feast on up to 50 honeybees each every day, could be on their way to the United Kingdom. The invasion of these non-native species, which have already caused bird extinctions over the past centuries, spells bad news for pollinators.
Blue Ice In Lake Michigan Catches Photographers' Attention
Blue ice along the shore near Michigan's Mackinac Bridge offered spectacular views to photographers and spectators over the weekend. Non-residents had their share of the beautiful views through photos posted on social media.
Tarantula Venom Can Potentially Be Used As Painkiller
University of Queensland researchers probed how a peptide toxin found in the Peruvian green velvet tarantula could target brain receptors and offer pain relief. They showed for the first time the role of the cell membrane in this painkilling action.
Here Are The Top Astronomical Events To Look Forward To In March
March will be host to a solar eclipse, a penumbral lunar eclipse, and other celestial events worth watching the night sky for. Here is a quick rundown of the astronomical events this month has to offer.
Buzz Aldrin Says Humans Will Get To Mars By 2040
Getting humans to Mars is "very realistic" and would actually be the easy part, according to astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin. But building a human colony on Mars that has a self-sufficient system needs to be worked on, requiring regular transportation and international collaboration.
Pregnant Women Advised Not To Travel To 2016 Olympic Games In Brazil
In a statement, the CDC explicitly warns pregnant women against traveling to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil out of Zika outbreak concerns. A few athletes have also expressed worry, although it remains to be seen if the virus will deter them from joining the games.
Engineers Build Solar-Powered Batteries Using Rust
Stanford researchers built solar batteries using metal oxides such as rust. This is hoped to pave the way for large-scale solar energy storage in the future, given solar power as a limitless resource.
US Now Has 147 Cases Of Zika Virus: CDC
There are now 147 confirmed Zika virus cases in the United States, excluding 117 more in Puerto Rico that did not make it to CDC's official count. The FDA has also granted emergency use of a new blood test to detect the virus.
Declining Number Of Bees, Butterflies Threatens Global Food Supply: UN Report
A new U.N. report warns that many species of bees and pollinating insects are fast becoming extinct, threatening the stability of the global food supply. The problem is possibly caused by a variety of factors, including monoculture, neonicotinoids and other threats to pollinators.
Skin Cell Breakthrough May Pave Way For Effective Anti-Aging Treatment
For the first time, researchers showed that the mitochondrial complex II, a metabolic enzyme located in cell batteries called the mitochondria, significantly declines as people age. This can pave the way for the creation of more effective anti-aging treatments and cosmetics.
Scientists Find 2,500-Year-Old Skeleton Of Woman And Child Buried Next To Butchered Turtles
An ancient burial in southeastern Turkey revealed two Iron-Age skeletons buried with a number of turtles. The presence of Euphrates soft-shelled turtles in the burial was believed to strengthen the turtle-afterlife link among all chelonian species.
NASA Shares Eerily Beautiful Photo Of Aurora Borealis Taken From The ISS
British astronaut Tim Peake published a photo of the dancing lights of the aurora. Aside from a stunning view of greens and pinks, auroras in space continue to intrigue scientists who study how solar particles interact with Earth's atmosphere.
Male Spiders Tie Up Their Mates During Sex To Avoid Getting Eaten Afterwards
Why do male spiders practice bondage during sex? It turned out that this sexual behavior of spiders is part of their goal to stay alive - or not fall victim to cannibalism.
SpaceX Aborts Second Falcon 9 Attempt To Deliver Satellites Into Space Just Two Minutes Before Liftoff
Due to a technical difficulty, SpaceX called off its second attempt Thursday to propel the SES-9 communications satellite into distant orbit. The SES-9 satellite is designed to provide TV broadcasting and other communications services from parts of Southeast Asia to Africa and the Middle East.
New Display Reduces Discomfort When Watching 3D Movies On Smartphone
Scientists from China have developed a new device boasting of comfortable 3D visual effects. The device is based on a “super multi-view technique” working to reduce viewing discomfort, particularly on portable screens.
Astronaut Scott Kelly To End Record-Breaking Stay In Space
Next week, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is returning to Earth after a year aboard the International Space Station. His inflight and post-flight data will prove crucial to studying the human body and preparing it for a future Mars mission.
Diabetes And Meditation: Daily Mindfulness Linked To Healthier Glucose Levels
One of the potential benefits of mindfulness is healthy glucose levels, a factor closely related to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. In a new experiment, obesity and sense of control were also found to be key mediators in the association.
