One of the greatest fears people have about going into the ocean is the fear of being attacked by a shark. Although this fear is not truly warranted, as cows kill more people annually than sharks do [4]. But what is it about sharks that makes us so afraid of them? One major factor is […]
Category Archives: Neuroscience
July
15
Brains love bone juice
posted by Ricardo Lozoya
Skeletons as a hormone-secreting organ In the early 2000s, researchers in Dr. Gerard Karsenty’s group were studying a protein secreted by bones named osteocalcin (OCN) to see if it played a role in bone mineralization (i.e. how our skeleton attracts the minerals needed for its structure). Even though they found that OCN isn’t involved in […]
June
16
Breathe in the Benefits: Hyperbaric Oxygen for PTSD
posted by Susan Lubejko
Even if you haven’t heard the term “hyperbaric oxygen treatment” (HBOT), you are actually probably familiar with its premise. Most often, we hear of this treatment being used for divers that ascend from depth too quickly and experience decompression sickness (“the bends”) caused by a buildup of gas bubbles in their blood from rapid changes […]
June
03
Axolotls: First Ones to the Fountain of Youth
posted by Ricardo Lozoya
Introduction If you look at today’s $50 Mexican peso (left), you won’t see the image of a past president or monument. Instead, you’ll see a lone salamander with outstretched arms and gills in the middle of a lake. For centuries, this small creature, known as the axolotl (ax-oh-lot-al), was well known to the people that […]
May
26
Why does breathing slowly make us feel better?
posted by Seraphina Solders
You’ve heard it before – during moments of overwhelm, take slow, deep breaths. But how exactly does controlling our breath influence our physiology and ultimately impact our mental well-being?
May
11
Cerebros en el Espacio Sideral
posted by JC Gorman
por JC Gorman Los cerebros han evolucionado durante 500 millones de años para existir en un planeta con gravedad. Sin embargo, cuando los astronautas ingresan al espacio exterior, sus cerebros tienen que superar algunos desafíos serios contrarios a la forma en que fueron diseñados. Los astronautas reportan todo tipo de efectos secundarios, tanto durante su […]
April
21
The Genetic Curse of Fatal Insomnia
posted by Susan Lubejko
Not being able to fall asleep when you want to is frustrating. No matter how tired we are, we all have nights when we just can’t fall or stay asleep. The role of sleep in our everyday health is critical, which is no more apparent than the day after one of those sleepless nights when […]
February
10
Can Botox make us happier?
posted by Susan Lubejko
I’ll admit it – I absolutely love Netflix reality shows depicting beautiful people, their lifestyles, and their interpersonal issues (looking at you Selling Sunset…). At least once per season on my favorite shows, a cosmetic surgeon shows up to give Botox injections to any willing participant to help keep their skin wrinkle-free. As a Netflix […]
December
09
Mal de Débarquement: The Science of Land Sickness
posted by Seraphina Solders
Recently I was lucky to spend seven days on a catamaran out at sea with a small group of (COVID-vaccinated) friends. We traveled around the Gulf of California, witnessing truly amazing sights like manta rays jumping out of the water, sea birds diving into the water, and turtles floating along in the swell. This was […]
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