It sometimes seems like heart disease is an inescapable part of human existence—even autopsied Egyptian mummies have been found with the high levels of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, that are closely linked with heart disease. We tend therefore to view atherosclerosis as a natural part of the aging process that comes along with […]
As a lover of New York City and an admirer of the human brain, it is only natural that I draw parallels between the two, right? As I learn more about both my favorite city (more accurately, the borough of Manhattan) and the most fascinating organ of the body, I see an increasing number of […]
Do you know why Apple started making red iPhones, or why many athletes and other celebrities incorporate pink into their wardrobes in October? My guess is that you could correctly identify that Apple made red products to support the elimination of HIV/AIDS, and that the goal behind wearing pink is to bring awareness to breast […]
An unproven stem cell treatment advertised as a clinical trial has caused three women to become permanently blind. The New England Journal of Medicine explained that using stem cells derived from adipose tissue has recently become a more frequent treatment for a multitude of disorders in stem cell clinics in the United States. The three […]
He drops down onto one knee and opens that small, red velvet jewelry box. Your heart quickens, because you can already anticipate what’s inside. You might imagine that diamond was mined from deep, deep underground, and its natural beauty will complement your finger exquisitely. You might imagine how long that diamond sat below the earth’s […]
Today, when people have grown up following the adventures of superheroes in comic books, movies and television, it is not surprising that people have begun to turn to certain medications to feel powerful in their daily lives. In his 1993 bestseller, Listening to Prozac, Peter Kramer dubs this phenomenon “cosmetic pharmacology” and discusses the ethical […]
From the TV show “Pan-Am” to the growing trend to travel the globe, there are many opportunities for us to explore the life of airline pilots and crew. While this life may seem full of exotic trips and locations, the realities are harsher than sunshine and hotels. Prolonged time spent flying results in higher risks […]
In a January article, Michelle Shakib drew a number of negative conclusions on the effects of aspartame. I would like to defend aspartame from these erroneous attacks. While for the purposes of this article I will focus primarily on aspartame, many of my claims can be applied to other non-nutritive sweeteners as well. Any discussion […]
All children know that in order to get that chocolate cake for dessert, they must first endure their broccoli and peas. That’s because all parents know that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is absolutely essential for their growing tot. But what is it exactly in these fruits and vegetables that is so good […]
What the SEC’s decision about bitcoin means for the future of the American economy
In early March, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a landmark ruling that stock ticker COIN, a proposed exchange traded fund deriving its value from Bitcoin, would not be approved. For many outside of the financial/technology world, this story barely made the news. However, decisions like this will have a major impact on […]