Articles by Katrina Pascual
Researchers Use Skin Cells As Weapon Against Cancer
A groundbreaking, personalized treatment offers the prospect of using skin cells as cancer-scouting stem cells that will find and destroy brain tumor. These findings from a mice study provide hope for patients with glioblastoma, an invasive, difficult-to-treat cancer of the brain.
Johnson & Johnson Loses $72 Million In Suit Linking Talcum Powder To Cancer
A St. Louis jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million in damages to the family of a dead woman who used the company's talcum powder for several decades. What’s the link between talc and ovarian cancer?
Educated, Hard-Working Immigrants Are America's Biggest Innovators: Study
The prevailing image of the American innovator is a young, tech-savvy, college dropout building Silicon Valley startups. A new report on innovation and the STEM field, however, paints a different picture.
Satellite Operator SES Wants To Buy Used SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket
Satellite operator SES expressed interest in purchasing a used Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, which it will use for a future launch. It is aspiring to be the first among satellite operators to use the same rocket twice to reach orbit.
Boston Dynamics Robot Gets Up After Being Bullied, Pushed Down [VIDEO]
In a new video, Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot managed to get up after being pushed down — a display of its LIDAR, stereo sensors and other features for optimum indoor or outdoor performance. It was a good day for robotics after all.
Giant Bird Ancestor Dromornis Murrayi A Distant Relative Of Ducks
The Dromornis murrayi, a 551-pound flightless bird, now emerges as the earliest ancestor of the Dromornis giant birds. Its family would later produce the biggest bird in the world ever known.
Poor Students Gain Less From College Degree Than The Wealthy
A new analysis highlights the wage disparity between college graduates from low-income and high-income families. Poor students appeared to benefit less from their degree than wealthy ones in terms of income, and the gap tends to widen over time.
Computers Can Detect Boredom By Reading A Person's Body Language
Computers today can detect if a person is bored by reading his non-instrumental movements, or body language such as fidgeting. These findings are hoped to produce companion robots and more interactive online learning programs in the future.
Vaccine Drops HPV Infection Among US Teens But Immunization Rates Remain Low
Why do rates of HPV vaccination remain low despite the established safety and effectiveness of the shot? One reason could be parental fears of teens having increased sexual activity.
More Women Opting For Mastectomy, US Data Show
A growing number of women with breast cancer are choosing to undergo a mastectomy over less invasive surgeries, a new government brief revealed. Their numbers increased 36 percent from 2005 to 2013, with double mastectomies more than tripling during that period.
French Consumer Group Warns Of Potential Harmful Substances In Popular Beauty Products
French consumer protection group UFC-Que Choisir published a report on popular cosmetics and personal care products that contain potentially harmful substances. Some L'Oreal and Procter & Gamble products were cited in the study.
Study Unveils How Superbugs Are Able To Resist Antibiotics
UK researchers lately discovered the mechanism by which science can break through the defensive barrier of superbugs instead of directly killing them. This could pave the way for new drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Drug-Coated Vaginal Ring Helps Protect Women From HIV
Two African studies have showed that a vaginal ring coated with an AIDS drug offered modest protection for women. However, there's a surprising age disparity in results, possibly due to irregular use of the anti-AIDS vaginal ring in younger segments.
Parasitic Plant Species In Japan Do Not Use Photosynthesis, Feeds On Fungi
A Japanese scientist lately discovered a new mycoheterotrophic plant species. The surprising finding: the parasitic plant has abandoned photosynthesis and lives off fungi for nutrients.
Homeopathy Effective In 0 Of 68 Illnesses: Study
A renowned Australian scientist dubs homeopathy as a "therapeutic dead-end." Leading an Australian scientific panel's report March last year on the effectiveness of homeopathy, he reminded about the dangers of seeking remedies with "no clear signal of effectiveness."
Researchers Demonstrate Quantum Surrealism: Here's What It Is In English
The new version of a classic experiment found that particles at the quantum level can be seen behaving something like billiard balls that roll about a table, but in a surreal way. The findings bolster a non-standard interpretation of quantum mechanics.
NASA To Grow Potatoes In Peru To Test If They Can Be Grown On Mars
Scientists are testing 100 potato varieties to see if they’re suitable for growing on Mars. The experiment in the dry, arid Atacama Desert will help determine the viability of food cultivation and supply on the Red Planet.
Sleeping For More Than Eight Hours May Increase Stroke Risk
A latest analysis has found that long sleepers or those who snooze more than eight hours every night have a much greater risk of suffering a stroke. What accounts for this result, and what role does sleep exactly play in one's stroke risk?
Norovirus Outbreak Sickens 100 University Of Michigan Students
Health officials confirmed a norovirus outbreak that affected more than 100 students of the University of Michigan. This is considered another case of dreaded foodborne illnesses hitting U.S. schools and restaurants.
Human Settlers Damaged Madagascar's Forest 1,000 Years Ago: Study
A study of stalagmites from a northwestern Madagascar cave showed how human settlement damaged the area's forest a thousand years ago. Drastic changes in the landscape were not really caused by climate change or a natural disaster, as previously thought.
Couples Who Live Together Have Similar Immune Systems
Cohabitation and raising a child together has been found to change a couple’s immune systems, making them more similar than seen in the wider population. These health effects of parenting and living together may no longer come as a surprise for some.
A Black Hole In 5D Would Break The Laws Of Physics: Scientists
Black holes in a five-dimensional world could disprove Einstein’s general theory of relativity, according to researchers from the UK. What aspect of these black holes could disprove this foundational law of physics?
Wounded Soldier Picked To Receive First US Penis Transplant
A soldier whose genitals were severely damaged in a bomb explosion will receive the first penis transplant in the United States. Doctors at Johns Hopkins explained the penis transplant procedure, including donor requirements and post-operative care.
Wildlife Park Prepares To Start Breeding Polar Bears
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is working with Highland Wildlife Park on a polar bear breeding program. Polar bears Arktos and Victoria are being paired up in this animal conservation effort.
North Korea’s Nuclear Tests Could Bring Dormant Mount Paektu Back To Life, Cause ‘Catastrophic Eruption,' Experts Warn
South Korean seismologists warned that the nuclear tests of North Korea could incite the eruption of Mount Paektu. Nuclear explosions, they said, could overpressure the magma chamber of the volcano.
Coffee May Help Reverse Liver Damage From Alcohol: Study
A meta-analysis in the UK has found that increased coffee consumption may reduce the risk for cirrhosis of the liver, a leading killer worldwide. This liver condition may result from poor lifestyle choices such as excess alcohol intake and unhealthy diets.
People Feel Less Responsible For Their Actions When They're Following Orders: Study
In a modified and milder version of the notorious Milgram experiments in the 1960s, researchers from the UK found that orders distance people from their actions. They felt less responsibility when told to do something than when deciding themselves.
NASA Is Building A New Telescope With Field Of View 100 Times Wider Than Hubble: Here’s Why
New NASA telescope Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), which will be launched in the mid-2020s, will capture views of the universe that are 100 times bigger than those of the Hubble. It is deemed instrumental in the search of the mysterious dark matter as well as new planets and galaxies.
Gene Variant Can Predict Mind-Altering Effects Of Smoking Cannabis In Young People
For the first time, researchers showed that an AKT1 gene variation made otherwise healthy young individuals more susceptible to psychosis due to cannabis use. The findings will hopefully help identify those who are most at-risk for cannabis effects.
FDA May Have Underestimated Number Of Fetal Deaths Linked To Essure Birth Control Device
A private analyst argued that the FDA my have greatly underestimated the number of fetal deaths among women who became pregnant after they use the contraceptive device Essure. A Republican representative is also pushing for the product to be pulled from the market until further safety measures are done.
