It's that time of year again when the weather starts to change, and we're more prone to getting sick. One such symptom that accompanies these seasonal illnesses is a sore throat. Sore throats not only feel like you've swallowed sandpaper, but they are also accompanied by coughing, congestion, and the production of mucus, sometimes with spots of blood.

Firstly, mucus plays a crucial role in our respiratory system. It's a slippery, gel-like substance produced by the mucous membranes lining various parts of our body, including the respiratory tract. This viscous fluid serves as a protective barrier against invaders such as pathogens and irritants. It also helps keep these surfaces moist, allowing for proper functioning and efficient air exchang ...

The major diseases of a century ago reflect how far we have come in our scientific and medical knowledge. Since then, the landscape of human health has evolved significantly, shaped by advancements in science, medicine, and technology. In this article, we will journey through time to understand the major diseases humans faced a hundred years ago.

Infectious Diseases

One hundred years ago, infectious diseases were among the leading causes of death. These diseases were caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, was a major global heal ...

One use for matrix math is in programming 3D engines for video games. A single point on the screen can be defined as a vector. The TV or computer screen is two-dimensional only, so to create the look of depth, objects must change size as they come closer to the viewer or go farther back into the scene. An image is made up of hundreds or thousands of vectors. By multiplying this set or matrix, you can change its size. You can also multiply the vector array by another array, which allows you to rotate the image. In rotation, parts of the image become ...

One of the methods used by behavioral geneticists is selective breeding. Selective breeding often involves selecting animals that are very different on one measure of behavior. For instance, if scientists take 20 rats and test how quickly they can solve a maze, chances are that they will get some variability in the speed with which the rats can solve the maze. Scientists would take the two fastest animals and the two slowest animals and breed them together. They would continue to do this over 20 generations, until they had a group of animals that solved the maze very rapidly and a group of animals that solved the maze very slowly. They are then able to examine potential differences in their brains and behaviors that contribute to maze solvi ...

One advantage of being a science major is knowing fancy scientific words for everyday things. Since my teenage years, I developed the habit of reading the ingredients list before purchasing any packaged food item. Recently while searching for a snack at the store, I stumbled upon the potato chips aisle (admittedly, salty, crunchy snacks have always been a weakness of mine). Given how expensive everything has gotten lately, the more affordable budget brands peaked my interest. After quickly glancing over the ingredients of one bag, I noticed that "silicon dioxide" was listed at the end; in fact, it was a common ingredient in that particular brand's entire line of products! Knowing that silicon dioxide is the main component of beach sand, my ...

Some people are born with a green thumb – they need only pick up a watering can to make their gardens teem with brilliant flowers and vegetables. To the rest of us, gardening comes less naturally. And for some people, it’s a complete and utter mystery. But growing productive, vivacious plants doesn’t have to be hard. Following these simple guidelines can turn even the most fumbling gardener into a veritable Farmer John.



Avoid over-watering

Watering is one of the most confusing and misunderstood gardening chores. Over-watering encourages shallow root systems, makes plants more susceptible to disease, and wastes water. Roots in waterlogged soil cannot breathe; as a result, plants wilt, turn yellow, rot, and die.

Follow a few simple rules of thum ...

Whether you're a chef, stay-at-home mom, or food euthanasiast, how food is handled and prepared is extremely important to preventing foodborne infections and food intoxications. As evident with how the coronavirus spread over to humans, millions of people suffer the symptoms of foodborne illnesses when an outbreak occurs. According to the CDC, millions of people are infected with foodborne illnesses every year. Most can be prevented by storing and cooking foods at their proper temperatures and preparing them under sanitary conditions. Here's a brief rundown on how to detect and avoid tainted food items.

These Foods...	Are Risky When:
Fresh poultry	stored raw in the refrigerator for longer than 1-2 days, (3-4 days for cooked poultry)  left unrefr

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If you live in North America, you've probably never given the cost of water a second thought. In fact, you've probably taken its value for granted probably because it costs very little or because it's vastly abundant. 

In places like Saudi Arabia, however, a liter of water costs five times as much as a liter of gasoline. This is because much of the water in Saudi Arabia is seawater that is purified in desalinization plants (Al Jubail desalination plant shown above). This price relative to fuel is quite different in the United States. For example, a liter of water (from a tap) is virtually free, while a liter of gasoline is around $0.75 (about $3.00 per gallon). 

As a result of this significant difference in cost, it plays a major effect on hu ...