Fasting is a practice that has been followed by various cultures and religions for centuries. It involves abstaining from food and, in some cases, beverages for a defined period. While fasting can have several physical and mental benefits, it is not uncommon for individuals to notice an unpleasant odor in their breath during fasting periods. Let's explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and uncover the science behind why one's breath may smell when they've fasted.

When we fast or restrict our carbohydrate intake for an extended period, our body undergoes a metabolic state called ketosis. During ketosis, the body shifts its primary source of energy from glucose (derived from carbohydrates) to ketones, which are produced when the liver brea ...

Millions of new high school graduates will soon be heading to college. Here are five tips for the summer ahead.
 
Cue the Pomp and Circumstance.

For most high school seniors, it's that time of year – the time when funny hats are thrown into the air to signal the end of sheltered bubbles and parental control, and the beginning of the path to expanded horizons.

But if you were like me, the standard graduation song that everyone hears takes a back seat to your soon-to-be fight song that makes you distinct.

Before you can step foot onto the college campus of your choice, however, you must spend three months in educational limbo. Sure, you'll be working, possibly taking a summer class or two and enjoying your weekends (be careful, kids), but through ...

Before I begin telling you about this fascinating new glue (adhesive), there's a thing or two you need to know about the animal that inspired it all, the gecko. Geckos are small lizards that have the ability to run up walls and scurry across ceilings with the help of tiny rows of hairs on their feet known as setae. Setae generate a multitude of weak attractions (called Van der Waals forces) between molecules on the two surfaces that add up to a secure foothold. Unlike glue or tape, a gecko’s sticky feet attach and detach effortlessly, which made it a perfect case study for engineers to model.

To create their artificial gecko adhesive, a Stanford team of scientists started by making silicone micro-wedges, which imitated gecko hair. They asse ...

This lady beetle (Coccinellidae) is protecting its enemy. The cocoon between its legs holds a parasitoid wasp larva (Dinocampus coccinellae), which fed on the beetle’s insides before bursting from its belly. Researchers have discovered what makes the beetles act as babysitters: They are infected with a brain-controlling virus. When the larva emerges and spins its cocoon, the virus makes the beetle freeze in place, protecting the baby wasp from predators. ...

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a bacterium that attacks other bacteria. It can charge its prey at speeds of up to 100 micrometers per second, comparable to a human running 600 kilometers per hour. It then bores into its hapless victim by spinning at 100 revolutions per second. Most bacteria aren't quite that fast, but they can move by whipping flagella or by spiraling through their environment.

...

While this little guy may look like some sort of 'Hummingbee' it's actually a Bee Fly. They sneak their eggs into beehives, where their larvae can parasitize bee larvae and eat their food reserves!