Credit: iStock Did you know our brains glow? Well, not glow exactly—technically it’s called fluorescence—but this phenomenon ends up making the brain look kind of like red and green Christmas lights under a microscope. If you want to impress your family and friends at the holiday dinner table this season, read on to learn more about brain fluorescence. First, let’s talk a little bit more about why fluorescence is important. Sometimes scientists use fluorescent dye, or probes attached to “fluorophores” (something that gives off fluorescence), in various techniques to be able to see more easily ..read more

Credit: iStock With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many people connect their post-feast drowsiness to the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. But how does tryptophan make you feel sleepier and more relaxed? It turns out tryptophan is not only known for causing those cozy post-meal naps but also for being a precursor to Vitamin B3, serotonin and, ultimately, melatonin. Melatonin is a “chill-out” hormone that can indeed make you sleepy. But here’s the twist: Apart from its role in inducing that post-Thanksgiving drowsiness, tryptophan’s metabolism in your gut has been linked to a r ..read more

Credit: iStock Our bodies have two important transportation systems: the blood vessel system and the lymphatic vessel system. The blood vessel system is a closed circuit that connects to the heart, also known as the cardiovascular system. The cells that make up the inner wall of blood vessels, called blood endothelial cells, are tightly connected. They allow only very small, water-loving molecules to pass through. Pushed by the heart, blood flows at high speed, carrying oxygen and nutrients to all parts of our body and removing waste products. In contrast, the lymphatic vessels form an open-en ..read more

Credit: iStock It’s Halloween! This time of year many of us revel in all things spooky, huddle by a cozy fire and share chilling tales of our favorite monsters. Embracing the eerie ambiance of the season and the looming specter of fearsome creatures, I’ve embarked on a journey to delve into the enigmatic world of eerie bacteria that live within us. The microbiome, an intricate tapestry woven from trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi, conceals a microbial species that bears an uncanny resemblance to iconic monsters such as zombies, vampires and werewolves. ‘Zombies’ in the gut A recent stud ..read more

Credit: iStock If you’re a fan of scary movies, you might notice that intense scenes may make you a little fidgety. As a scare pops up suddenly, you may unconsciously clench your fists or grip the arms of the couch, your heart rate quickens, goosebumps start to prickle your skin and sweat beads out of your pores. All of these reactions are associated with a fight-or-flight response. Fight-or-flight response is how our body’s nervous system involuntarily reacts to a perceived stressful or frightening event. When we’re scared, our breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, digestion and sweating may ..read more

Credit: iStock Football and fall go hand in hand for many people. Whether they are going to the games, watching on TV or running their own fantasy teams, football fans dread seeing their favorite player on the weekly injury report. Just as football and fall go together, unfortunately, so do football and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In 2022, the NFL reported an 18% increase in concussions during regular season games from 2021. Each year, the numbers keep getting higher. Our brains are injured during impact in part because there is space between our head and brain. A hard hit or bump to the hea ..read more

Credit: iStock The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries and capillaries that transport blood, oxygen, nutrients and water across our bodies. Veins also collect blood, while something called the lymphatic system collects a fluid called lymph. Lymph contains byproducts from our metabolism and immune factors to maintain our health. Cardiovascular health is central to our everyday health—every part of our bodies rely on the cardiovascular system. Unfortunately, there are many cardiovascular conditions that don’t have a cure. One example is lymphedema, an accumulation of fluid that ca ..read more

Credit: iStock Have you heard of the gut microbiome? This diverse community teeming with trillions of bacteria, fungi and other tiny organisms lives in the body’s intestines. Even if you’re familiar with the gut microbiome, you might be less so with the oral microbiome, another major community of microorganisms. This one lives in our mouths. The mouth’s hard teeth and soft gums provide over 1,000 species of bacteria with a complex habitat, where they perform a variety of vital functions in the body. Similar to the gut, there is a lot of diversity in the types of bacteria found in the oral micr ..read more

Credit: iStock “Barbie”—an empowering movie about feminism featuring a personified version of the iconic doll—ends with a line that is shocking, surprising and funny (spoiler alert!): “I’m here to see my gynecologist.” Earlier in the movie, viewers learned that Barbie does not have genitals, but by the end of the movie, she starts to embrace her womanhood. Barbie is extremely excited to see her gynecologist because she is proud of being a woman and wants to protect herself from diseases such as cervical cancer. We think this is a wonderful ending for a feminist movie. But let’s talk a little m ..read more

Credit: iStock Nausea, whether from motion sickness, hormones, stress or even a questionable meal, is a feeling many of us are familiar with. From attempting to read in a moving car to indulging in a bit too much ice cream, this pesky symptom has the uncanny ability to transform an otherwise enjoyable day into a disastrous one. While some forms of nausea serve a purpose by aiding the body in expelling toxins, there are many instances when this sensation becomes an unwelcome nuisance. Fortunately, there are many drugs that can combat different types of nausea, motion sickness or stomach discomf ..read more