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[Research]

Study: Organic diets significantly lower children's exposure to undesirable chemicals 1 0
Posted by bio_man   August 25, 2023   3105 views   Featured
Scientists have often questioned the necessity for organic foods (those not produced with pesticides). In a pioneering study titled "Organic diets significantly lower children's dietary exposure to organophosphorus pesticide," conducted in 2006, researchers delved into this very question. By monitoring and analyzing the urine of children exposed to both organic and conventionally produced foods, the study aimed to shed light on the potential advantages of choosing organic options. Some of the results are summarized in the table below: The study's findings provided intriguing insights into the effects of organic and conventional diets on children's health. The key takeaways were as follows: Lower Levels of Metabolites: During the phase when th ... Read more
Organic foods health benefits diet pesticides farming children development
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[Others]

Why is sand listed as an ingredient in my potato chips? 3 0
Posted by bio_man   March 4, 2023   3960 views   Featured
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 ... Read more
Ingredients Food Industry SO2 Silicon Dioxide Sand FDA Food Chips
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[Research]

Hand washing in public restrooms, not so common 2 0
Posted by bio_man   December 16, 2022   5179 views   Featured
Bayer Corporation and the Public Health Committee of the American Society for Microbiology sponsored a study of hand washing in public restrooms. Researchers from the survey group hid in stalls or pretended to comb their hair while they observed over 6,000 men and women in five large cities. Their observations revealed that many people prefer a "get up and go" strategy, failing to wash their hands after using the restroom facilities. In New York's Penn Station, for example, only 60% of restroom users washed after relieving themselves. Similar rates were found in other cities: 64% of restroom users washed at a Braves game in Atlanta, 69% washed in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, 71% used soap and water in a New Orleans casino, and a laudab ... Read more
hand washing public bathroom human behavior psychology
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[Research]

"Trust the Science" ? 2 0
Posted by duddy   April 25, 2022   4593 views   Featured
The thalidomide ordeal that started in the 1950s is a tragic case of what happens when key players in the scientific community dismiss or ignore widespread correlations among two or more coinciding events. In the mid-century, a German pharmaceutical company named Chemie Grunenthal discovered and developed a synthetic sedative called thalidomide that was used to treat sleeplessness, and reduce morning sickness and nausea commonly experienced by pregnant women. While most countries around the world embraced and sold the product for a short period of time, including Canada, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration at the time, which was headed by a Canadian-born medical doctor named Dr. Kelsey, refused to approve its use in the countr ... Read more
pharmaceutical industry teratogen thalidomide COVID vaccines
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[Interesting Facts]

Teeth that never stop growing 3 0
Posted by bio_man   January 22, 2022   6095 views   Featured
Rodents are mammals characterized by a pair of broad, sharp-edged, chisel-like incisor teeth that are firmly inserted in both jaws and are used in gnawing vegetation. The front surface of each incisor tooth is composed of enamel, and the hind surface is of soft dentine wears away during the process of gnawing so that the teeth are constantly kept sharp. Shown above is a beaver sporting bright orange teeth; the reason they are orange is because of an unusually high concentration of iron in the enamel. Unlike human teeth, the incisors of rodents don't have roots, and they never stop growing! To keep these teeth from growing into their brains, rodents grind their teeth against each other. This friction is similar to using a grindstone to sharp ... Read more
teeth unusual rodents
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1 thanks it was very informative Posted on Feb 8, 2022 by suekohn22