Stay updated with the latest public health research, commentary, and field notes from our editorial team.
July 28, 2025 · 5 min read
I just spent a week at the beach staring at the ocean and really starting to think: Why is a sip from the ocean a terrible idea, while lake water (if clean) is okay? In this post, we’ll dive (pun intended) into what sets freshwater and saltwater apart, why the Earth has both types, how […]
I just spent a week at the beach staring at the ocean and really starting to think: Why is a sip from the ocean a terrible idea, while lake water (if clean) is okay? In this post, we’ll dive (pun intended) into what sets freshwater and saltwater apart, why the Earth has both types, how […]
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Picture a worm crawling across a plate dotted with food. You’d expect it to stop at the first bite, right? Yet in a surprising twist, Caenorhabditis elegans—a millimeter-long nematode with just 302 neurons—often walks right past its dinner. Why? Because even worms run complex “accept–reject” strategies when making decisions. Everyday Choices, Worm-Sized Lessons In Nigeria, […]
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Look, we’ve been super depressed recently. Who can blame us? I know my anxiety has been off the roof for the last 6ish weeks. But, we have some really good news. We’re headed back to the moon. NASA’s Artemis 2 mission is gearing up to make history as the first crewed lunar flight in over […]
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The recent debate surrounding the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and its alleged links to autism has captured widespread attention. President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have fueled the discussion with claims suggesting a connection between acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and increased autism rates [New York Times]. However, the scientific community remains […]
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In an exciting development for space exploration enthusiasts, NASA is set to launch its Artemis II mission in February 2026. This mission marks the first crewed mission in over 50 years to orbit the Moon, setting the stage for future lunar landings. Look, we have had nothing but bad news recently. Going back to the […]
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Why do we help others when it costs us something? For decades, scientists answered this with a simple formula: altruism evolves when the benefit to others, weighted by relatedness, is greater than the cost to the helper. This neat rule, called Hamilton’s rule, became one of biology’s most famous equations. But new work shows the […]
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Across Asia, elephants are losing ground. Since the 1700s, farming and cities have eaten away 64% of their habitat. But here’s the twist: elephants aren’t just changing where they walk or what they eat: they’re changing inside. New research shows their bodies respond in striking ways to human-altered landscapes. When the Forest Turns Into Fields […]
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I don’t know, just dialing this one in. I really like this recent article we wrote about drumming. It’s a fun thing to learn about different rhythms and grooves. Here’s what’s in the research. And here’s what’s in the news. Harms of introduced large herbivores outweigh benefits to native biodiversity The study uses the IUCN’s […]
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Octopuses are renowned for their intelligence and extraordinary manipulatory skills, possessing a unique ability to adapt to their environment with their eight flexible arms. Recent studies have shed light on how these fascinating creatures coordinate their complex arm movements, which may have profound implications for robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) development. The Intricate Coordination of […]
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Every year, millions of children in India face preventable blindness, weak bones, and even early death—not because medicine doesn’t exist, but because key vitamins are missing from their diets. A new study suggests that a surprisingly simple change, fortifying everyday oil and milk, could save over a million healthy years of life. The Everyday Problem […]
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