Articles by Katrina Pascual
Kicked Out Gas Cloud Coming Back To Milky Way After 70 Million Years
A massive gas cloud kicked out of the Milky Way is boomeranging back onto the galaxy's outer disk. Known as Smith Cloud, it is expected to collide with the Milky Way in about 30 million years' time.
White Blood Cell Found In Birds Can Fight Deadly Fungal Infection Killing Millions Worldwide
Macrophages or specialized white blood cells in birds can destroy the potentially deadly infection brought by the Cryptococci fungus. This explains why birds don't fall ill from the fungi even if they can spread related diseases to humans.
College Students Misuse ADHD Drugs As Study Aid
Despite prescription rates remaining unchanged, researchers recently noted a higher number of misuse and emergency room visits related to stimulant drug Adderall. They pointed to the 18-25 age group as the main abusers of these ADHD drugs.
20 Minutes Of Acupuncture May Help Reduce Chronic Pain
Researchers in Spain recently found how individualized acupuncture benefited fibromyalgia patients up to a year after treatment. The therapy was able to reduce chronic pain score and markers such as fatigue and depression in subjects.
Florida Teen Pretends To Be Licensed Doctor, Performs Exams In Own Medical Office
An 18-year-old from Florida was arrested and booked for practicing medicine without a license. His scheme involved an actual clinic website and a fake medical clinic, according to authorities.
Flexion Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Drug Found Effective In Late-Stage Study
Flexion Therapeutics' Zilretta osteoarthritis drug is reported to have met its goals in a late-stage study, inching closer to FDA approval. A couple of months back, the drug failed to show statistically significant pain relief during its mid-stage trial.
Live Cameras To Capture Hatching Of Bald Eagle Eggs Next Month
HD cameras today offer Internet users a unique eagle nest viewing experience. The stars of the show: "Mr. President" and "The First Lady," a pair of bald eagles whose eggs will hatch in mid-March before the world's curious eyes.
Mapping Agency Ordnance Survey Creates Digital Map Of Mars
British mapping agency Ordnance Survey created an OS map of Mars in the hope that it will guide the landing of the 2018 ExoMars mission as well as future journeys to the Red Planet. How was the Mars map created and how did it differ from Earth maps?
Astronauts Harvest Zinnia Flowers At The ISS: Why Gardening In Space Matters
Astronaut Scott Kelly harvested zinnia plants at the ISS last Valentine's Day. A space garden is deemed a critical factor of deep space missions, including NASA's journey to Mars, where the space crew needs to grow their own food.
Graphene That Behaves Like Water Can Pave Way For Chips That Can Model Black Hole, Supernova Behaviors
Researchers used high-purity graphene and observed for the first time that its charged particles behave like liquid with relativistic properties. This discovery holds promise for thermoelectric devices as well as for studying the behavior of black holes and celestial bodies.
Robots, Artificial Intelligence May Leave Half Of Humans Unemployed In 30 Years
Computer science expert Moshe Vardi warned that robots and smart machines like self-driving cars can outperform and replace humans in 30 years, leading half of humans unemployed. What else can AI do in the eyes of experts?
Fast Forward To 2116: Earth Scrapers, 3D-Printed Food, Commercial Flights To Mars And More
A new SmartThings report predicted the existence of Earth scrapers, underwater cities, 3D-printed homes, and space colonies come year 2116. With the smart home revolution, these ideas are thought to be no longer a product of wild imagination.
New Form Of Ice Has Lowest Density For Frozen Water
A new form of ice could have the lowest density for frozen water ever discovered, beating a previous record by being 25 percent less dense. If scientists successfully synthesize the proposed ice, it would be the 18th known crystalline form of water.
Eating Breakfast Can Help Obese People Stay Active
Researchers found that eating breakfast benefits obese individuals by promoting greater physical activity in the morning. It is still a matter of debate, however, how breakfast affects one's personal health goals or what foods are most ideal for this meal.
17-Year-Old Boy Gives Flowers To All 900 Girls In His High School
This year, Hayden Godfrey of Sky View High School in Utah made sure all girls at his high school received a flower for Valentine's Day. He bought 900 carnations and distributed them to the female population, inciting sighs and gushes from everyone.
Is This A Rabbit Or A Duck? What You See In This 100-Year-Old Optical Illusion Reveals A Lot About You
The rabbit-duck illusion continues to puzzle people even after more than a hundred years since it became known. But what does this optical illusion say about how the brain works and visual perception?
Obama Declares 1.8 Million Acres Of California Desert As National Monuments
President Barack Obama declared three California desert and wilderness areas made up of some 1.8 million acres as national monuments. The three new monuments include the scenic and historic 1.6-million-acre Mojave Trails.
Sunken Medieval Trading Ship Brought To Surface After Lying In Dutch Riverbed For 600 Years
Construction workers discovered a 15th-century sea vessel in a river delta in the Netherlands. The medieval trading ship is considered well-preserved and sturdier than other ships of its time because of its metal joints.
Federal Agencies Team Up To Study Safety Of Artificial Turf Fields
The Obama administration has launched a multi-agency study on the potential health risks of crumb rubber, especially how it impacts the safety of young athletes. This recycled material is used as infill in artificial turf fields.
Black Hole 21 Billion Times More Massive Than The Sun Sits At The Heart Of Elliptical Galaxy
Distant galaxy NGC 4889 has a supermassive black hole with a mass 21 billion times that of our sun - a record-breaking discovery. NASA and ESA observed the new discovery, which now in a dormant phase for a more intimate look at black holes and faraway galaxy formations.
Research Unveils Why Some People Stay Slim Without Strict Diets And Sweat
New Cornell food study findings revealed the eating behaviors of the "mindlessly slim," or those who successfully stayed trim without extra dieting or exercise efforts. These behaviors include approaching food with pleasure, as well as cooking at home.
High-Speed Video Reveals How Wasps Navigate Way To Their Nest
Using high-speed video, researchers captured the learning flights of wasps, which lend insight into their internal navigation. How do these insects find their way home?
New Diagnostic Device "Smells" Prostate Cancer In Men's Urine
UK researchers have developed the gas chromatography sensor system, called Odoreader, to "smell" prostate cancer in men's urine. The findings are hoped to produce a test that will detect the disease accurately and in a non-invasive way.
Neanderthal DNA Linked To Smoking Addiction, Depression Risks
A new analysis linked snippets of Neanderthal DNA to an increased risk for nicotine addiction, depression and keratosis. The adaptive strategies from this DNA that were advantageous thousands of years ago showed to be detrimental among modern humans.
World's Longest Surviving Heart Transplant Patient Dies 33 Years After Operation At Age 73
John McCafferty from the United Kingdom, the world's longest living heart transplant patient, died on Tuesday, 33 years after receiving his new organ. In 2013, he surpassed the previously set Guinness world record of 30 years.
Nearly All Breast Cancer Patients Below 40 Get Tested For BRCA Gene Mutations
Eighty-seven percent of women with breast cancer at 11 academic and community medical centers reported BRCA testing by a year after their diagnosis. Experts attributed to increased testing of insurance coverage, education and greater access to gene testing.
Mandatory Abstinence For Alcohol-Involved Offenders May Cut Crimes, Save Lives
A new study found that the 24/7 Sobriety Program that piloted in South Dakota appeared to reduce deaths. Drunk drivers and related offenders enrolled in the program are subjected to regular breathalyzer tests and alcohol monitoring.
Australia Set To Legalize Cultivation Of Cannabis For Medical, Scientific Purposes
The Australian government is pushing for legislation allowing controlled cultivation and access to medical marijuana. Some target beneficiaries include patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain.
Can Climate Change Alter Course Of History? Little Ice Age Linked To Political Turmoil In China, Fall Of Roman Empire
Can political and social upheavals such as the fall of the Roman Empire be directly linked to the so-called Little Ice Age? Scientists say that a connection is likely, given how the cooling period caused changes in agriculture, human movement, and spread of disease at that time.
Zika Virus May Strain Blood Supply As Blood Banks Turn Away Potential Donors
A shortage of blood supply could be looming, as blood banks turn away those who have traveled to areas that are at-risk for the Zika virus. Experts estimate, for instance, a 2 percent reduction in eligible donors in the country - how will this affect the overall supply?
