Photo: yi yan/Pexels In our daily lives, we often find ourselves irresistibly drawn to things that are considered off-limits. This phenomenon, where forbidden items or behaviors appear more attractive simply because they are prohibited, is a well-documented aspect of human psychology. From sneaking out past curfew to indulging in ...
September 10, 2024 | 3 mins read
Photo: Mother Earth Foundation As the Philippines marks its 126th year of independence, the newly established Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA) urges lawmakers to enact a Magna Carta for Waste Workers to secure vital legislative protection. This significant move seeks to recognize the indispensable work of waste workers and ...
June 13, 2024 | 3 mins read
Nick Youngson/Pix4free By Abigail L. Tan What would you do if, right in the middle of a global pandemic, the medicine that you rely on daily to keep your organs functioning properly suddenly became very hard to get? As you scour through both physical and online drug stores, ...
January 7, 2024 | 7 mins read
Louisa Howard/Wikimedia Commons Many of us have this one scientific fact memorized: "The mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell." But did you know that there's more to mitochondria than simply being energy generators? The mitochondrion is one of the few organelles with its own DNA unique from the ...
January 1, 2024 | 3 mins read
Pexels In December 2012, Republic Act No. 10354 on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health was signed into law. Also known as the RH Law, it was a major step towards the country’s effort to provide universal and free access to nearly all forms of modern contraceptives for its citizens, especially to ...
July 11, 2023 | 4 mins read
Judge Florentino Floro via Wikimedia Commons In the Philippines, we don't have ice cream trucks. Instead, we have our mamang sorbeteros who roam the neighborhoods, peddling sorbetes or what's commonly known as "dirty ice cream." But have you ever wondered how it came to be -- and why it's called "...
May 24, 2023 | 4 mins read
Ezra Acayan •The Philippines is among eight countries that accounted for more than 66% of TB cases worldwide in 2021. •In 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 372,367 cases of TB in the country. •Working closely with the Manila Health Department, international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) ...
March 24, 2023 | 5 mins read
Jaikishan Patel/Unsplash.com Traditional Filipino medicine has endured centuries of colonization. Now, modern science is able to shed a different light on these ancient and oftentimes misunderstood practices, showing us that there are always new things to learn from the old ways. Written by Eunice Jean Patron, UPD-CS SciComm ...
March 17, 2023 | 5 mins read
Weand Ybañez •Two Filipina scientists from the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) found a conclusive link between stress, altered light-dark cycles (such as in the cases of night shift workers and frequent international travelers) and breast cancer. •They investigated a gene called Krüppel-like ...
March 15, 2023 | 3 mins read
Tiểu Linh/Pexels (Original article in English by Mikael Angelo Francisco; translation by Pearl Uy) Iba't ibang stratehiya na ang naisagawa upang tulungan ang mga naninigarilyong huminto sa kanilang bisyo — kabilang na rito ang pag-usbong ng e-cigarettes, na pinangangambahan ng mga ekspertong magdadala ng panibagong krisis pangkalusugan — ngunit ang ...
May 10, 2022 | 8 mins read
Tiểu Linh/Pexels While various strategies have been adopted over the years to help smokers quit — including the emergence of e-cigarettes, which many experts fear are spawning an entirely new health crisis themselves — the most drastic measures taken by governments all over the world involve banning smoking in public ...
April 30, 2022 | 8 mins read
UPLB/DOST-PCAARRD Food insecurity remains a pressing problem in the Philippines, exacerbated by natural and man-made disasters, rising prices of basic commodities, inaccessibility — and now, the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to lockdown restrictions, more Filipinos, especially those in the poorest households, struggle to put food on their table. But a team ...
August 31, 2021 | 5 mins read
Contraception is a heavy, distrusted word. In its more familiar, bite-sized term we find more comfort, though it is still, at best, a hard pill to swallow: birth control. Birth control has been increasingly confronted in the Philippines by legislators, doctors, civil and religious groups in recent years. From being ...
March 16, 2021 | 4 mins read
VectorStock You may have been taught that only specific areas of the tongue can detect particular tastes. You may have even seen a drawing of a tongue with colored regions identifying the "taste zones." This is inaccurate, though: Our taste receptors are actually well-distributed on our tongues—and scientists have ...
December 20, 2020 | 2 mins read
Getty Images On December 9, 1979, a global commission of scientists confirmed the eradication of a 3,000-year-old killer. Lethal, incurable, and highly transmissible, smallpox was one of the most terrifying diseases humanity ever faced. Caused by the 𝘝𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 and 𝘝𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳 viruses, smallpox claimed the lives of over 300 million people in the 20th century. Passed ...
December 9, 2020 | 2 mins read
SEGA/mdlinx.com Encoded in a gene in your body is a protein that makes sure that your organs grow in the right places. Both the gene and the protein are called sonic hedgehog. Hedgehog genes are genes that regulate the growth of organs in the body of a developing ...
December 1, 2020 | 2 mins read
Julius Schorzman •Coffee keeps us awake and helps us focus because of its caffeine content. •Caffeine is a stimulating drug that interferes with adenosine and the brain, preventing us from getting sleepy. •Consuming too much caffeine can cause some nasty side effects, and can even make you dependent on the ...
October 8, 2020 | 4 mins read
•The phenomenon called stigmata, or the sudden appearance of Christ-like wounds on the body, has been a centuries-old scientific enigma. •Over the centuries, experts have recorded about 400 cases of stigmata. •While many recorded cases turned out to be hoaxes, a few have been linked to certain blood-related medical conditions. Without ...
October 7, 2020 | 3 mins read
ObesityHelp This article is the last in a three-part series on trans fats. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Our generally limited knowledge of trans fats comes with a similarly limited awareness of the many ways they enter our bodies. For instance, while we're pretty much aware at this point ...
October 7, 2020 | 6 mins read
iStock This article is the second in a three-part series on trans fats. Read part 1 here. "Trans fats are what I would like to call 'hidden problems', because Filipinos are not well aware of the problem that comes with eating lots of them," shared Dr. Dex Macalintal, a registered nutritionist-dietician. ...
October 6, 2020 | 4 mins read
Freepik •Recent news about an American woman experiencing "brain fluid leak" after a COVID-19 nasal test has raised fears about undergoing swab testing. •However, the case is exceptionally rare, and was mainly due to an undiagnosed defect at the base of the patient's skull; a person without that condition should ...
October 4, 2020 | 5 mins read
Pieter Brueghel the Younger •Also called mass psychogenic illness or collective obsessional behavior, mass hysteria happens when a closely knit group collectively manifests severe physical reactions to perceived threats. •Despite the fact that many examples of this phenomenon have been recorded throughout history, we still don't understand it completely. •Regardless ...
October 3, 2020 | 3 mins read
Getty Images "It takes 43 muscles to frown, and only 17 muscles to smile." No doubt, you've already come across this piece of conventional wisdom (or some variation of it, with different numbers). Regardless of the numbers indicated, the core message remains the same: It takes more effort to frown, so why ...
October 2, 2020 | 2 mins read
Victoria Shibut/Dreamstime.com •Activated charcoal results from heating carbon-rich materials at very high temperatures, typically with an additional "activation" process. •Medical professionals use activated charcoal in treating certain types of poisoning cases and drug overdoses. •However, many of the supposed benefits of commercially available activated charcoal products are either ...
October 2, 2020 | 3 mins read
Kallayanee Naloka via Shutterstock •In 1928, microbiologist Alexander Fleming discovered what we would eventually come to know as penicillin. •Penicillin's accidental discovery led to the development of antibiotics, and greatly advanced our capacity to treat diseases. •However, this has created a new problem: Thanks to overuse and overprescription, antibiotic-resistant strains of ...
October 1, 2020 | 3 mins read
Matt Gibson/Getty Images This article is the first in a three-part series on trans fats. I love coffee. (Given how Filipinos consumed approximately 3.4 million 60-kg bags of coffee last year, this is hardly a controversial statement.) I drink about three to four cups of the stuff on a daily ...
September 30, 2020 | 4 mins read
[nk_awb awb_type="image" awb_stretch="true" awb_image="https://i.imgur.com/tKllpSL.jpg" awb_image_size="full" awb_image_background_size="cover" awb_image_background_position="50% 50%" awb_parallax="scroll-opacity" awb_parallax_speed="0.5" awb_parallax_mobile="true" awb_styles=" padding-top: 200px; padding-bottom: 200px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; margin-top: 0...
September 23, 2020 | 18 mins read
varunyucg/Freepik Thirty-one. Scientists estimate that there might be as much as 1031 viruses in this world alone. The number seems bare, if consumed without context. But 1031 implies that these viruses outnumber all the stars estimated in the universe. Viruses are the most ubiquitous biological entities on the planet, outpacing bacteria, ...
September 17, 2020 | 7 mins read
[nk_awb awb_type="image" awb_stretch="true" awb_image="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/khx5X2jgUGRGmuQANaEpVTs2XrGx_BoMBXLKsG6_BkVdLGNrjEKI6xKngLu76kGNKOgAeq_3k5xWmL72WmVgE3k5aZ5w6nJtV4UnCkKxmmMTHAxanUTNhAoTH9BMuIdtuauQVJ74g1U4PSCKzfZDD_Ft7hErtAoWEow_0Lr1Q5Vk8s8v5Iv-CzaNDN34nOv4CglPSI0IQYCaIeR1e8EbhfqWWx1HDgta5MmKtPCURIvywBlI5kyNAwEint0...
September 15, 2020 | 11 mins read
[nk_awb awb_type="image" awb_stretch="true" awb_image="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1Jtr1WGnjTe-onq5G3Sp7X1kCOetP3wVErJyKwF9FhyX7U-romHdNMgLofBY96z9wdtqcXvP_V-ksW-VcXkhpdfPlgBlOtDRK3W2c-5F_62v6PRtIcTzSO1T5SMg2E342ajMYFcxPuznz6YKJ7p05d8Qu7xv-K7DIqdY-JnVe6rBAkTQH3MjTBJLrdHk_xHtfl7fFrUYWx9XPOjNKTdn_jPnVLSFdhWSnPeGgZCMLTSgeBcVuBUdf2xBnTx-tBLw1fSwgHi24QaryheyTX36...
September 14, 2020 | 11 mins read
Ian Panelo/Pexels With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the policies and guidelines everyone has to follow have seen a number of changes over the last few months. In relatively recent developments, the Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated the use of face shields alongside face masks for commuters ...
September 8, 2020 | 3 mins read
Daria Shevtsova You might have tried it as a kid, and as you’re reading this, chances are you tried to actually do it. The adult human body can do many complicated things—it's just that being able to breathe and swallow at the same time isn't one of them. ...
September 1, 2020 | 3 mins read
CDC; WHO A COVID-19 frontliner provides a glimpse into the lives of Filipino healthcare workers in barangay health centers, community clinics, and other primary care facilities—a reflection of the overall capacity and condition of the Philippine healthcare system in the face of this pandemic. In the middle of the ...
August 2, 2020 | 4 mins read
Getty Images First described by German neurologist Moritz Jastrowitz in 1888, "Witzelsucht" comes from the German words for "joke" (Witz) and "addiction" (Sucht). Merriam-Webster defines it as "excessive facetiousness and inappropriate or pointless humor[,] especially when considered as part of an abnormal condition." While rarely diagnosed, numerous cases of Witzelsucht have ...
July 23, 2020 | 2 mins read
Sebastian Duda/Shutterstock •As per Proclamation No. 1777, every fourth week of June is National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW) •The annual NPPW aims to increase people’s awareness on the importance of poisoning prevention at home, school, work and the general environment. •By being mindful of how we store, handle, and ...
June 23, 2020 | 3 mins read
Getty Images Ito ang huling bahagi ng isang seryeng may apat na yugto. Basahin ang una, ikalawa, at ikatlong bahagi. Kahit na naipaliwanag na kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mass testing at kung anu-ano ang kailangan para mangyari ito, mayroon pa ring tumututol dito. Magastos nga ba talaga ang ...
June 5, 2020 | 4 mins read
Ito ang ikatlong bahagi ng isang seryeng may apat na yugto. Basahin ang unang bahagi at ikalawang bahagi. Sa paghingi natin ng mass testing, importanteng maintindihan natin na walang test para sa COVID-19 na isandaang porsyentong tama sa lahat ng oras. Ayon sa paliwanag ni Salvana sa isang Facebook post ...
June 2, 2020 | 4 mins read
Malacañang File Photos Ito ang ikalawang bahagi ng isang seryeng may apat na yugto. Basahin ang unang bahagi dito. Sa isang Facebook post noong May 19, ipinaliwanag ni Salvana na ang mass testing ay kasalukuyan nang nangyayari, pero iba ang tawag dito. Kung ang ibig sabihin natin sa mass testing ...
May 29, 2020 | 5 mins read
Getty Images Ito ang unang bahagi ng isang seryeng may apat na yugto. Noong nakaraang linggo, nag-eksperimento ako. Namili ako ng ilang kaibigan at kakilala ko sa social media, at isa-isa ko silang tinanong: "Malinaw ba sa’yo ang kahulugan ng 'mass testing'?" Kainitan kasi noon ng isyu tungkol sa ...
May 27, 2020 | 4 mins read
Ituner Gold/Pexels In 2018, the Philippines enacted RA 11036 into law. Also known as the Mental Health Act, it was designed to establish access to comprehensive and integrated mental health services. Based on numbers from the National Statistics Office, mental health is indeed an urgent problem in the country. The NSO ...
May 24, 2020 | 3 mins read
Adobe Stock •While purified, distilled, and mineral water are all options for drinking water, there are certain differences between the three. •Purified and distilled water both undergo extensive purification processes, though the latter ends up nearly completely devoid of minerals. •Meanwhile, mineral water is naturally occuring or artificially prepared water ...
May 13, 2020 | 3 mins read
This article is part of our "Psychology of a Pandemic" series. In his 1990 essay published in Sociology of Health & Illness, sociologist Philip M. Strong wrote: "A major outbreak of novel, fatal epidemic disease can quickly be followed both by plagues of fear, panic, suspicion and stigma; and by mass ...
March 29, 2020 | 4 mins read
This article is part of our "Psychology of a Pandemic" series. History has shown than health crises affect more than just the physical body. During the 2014-2016 West African Ebola Outbreak, medical responders had to deal with other issues aside from physical symptoms. A 2015 survey revealed that out of 3,564 participants, ...
March 28, 2020 | 4 mins read
This article is part of our "Psychology of a Pandemic" series. There's no denying it: The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our way of life. Containment and mitigation measures are in place everywhere. Transportation systems have come to a screeching halt, and it'll be a long time before most ...
March 26, 2020 | 3 mins read
•Working with scientists at the University of Utah, Dr. Joshua Torres identified a new molecule in bacteria from Truncatella snails. •Named after Bohol, boholamide A has shown potent cancer-killing properties in vitro, even against cancer cells in defensive mode. •The team will work with other experts in conducting further tests, ...
March 25, 2020 | 5 mins read
With a towel draped over one arm and clean clothes over the other, you enter your bathroom, excited for a warm, soothing bath. An unpleasant realization hits you, though, as soon as you glance at the empty soap dish. Annoyed, you shout at your sibling downstairs, berating them for not ...
March 24, 2020 | 3 mins read
•In 1847, a Hungarian physician named Ignaz Semmelweis was the first to realize that improper handwashing could spread diseases in hospitals. •Despite his success in reducing mortality rates, Semmelweis' rules on handwashing and disinfection were rejected by the medical community at the time. •Years after his death, Semmelweis' findings contributed to ...
March 21, 2020 | 3 mins read
•Despite how popular culture normally depicts it, there's more to the science of DNA testing than paternity tests. •Your DNA contains your unique biological blueprint—and your body is a complex system of well-organized information. •DNA testing has been a boon for agriculture, species conservation, food science, and space science, ...
February 7, 2020 | 3 mins read
•The misuse of antibiotics (e.g. taking them without a prescription, or even when they're not needed) makes bacteria more resistant against them. •As a result, more and more antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" have emerged, killing about 700,000 yearly (based on modern estimates). •It's up to us to put a stop to antibiotic ...
January 13, 2020 | 3 mins read
If you've been on the internet long enough, you've probably read this not-so-fun fact: The average person, while asleep, swallows eight spiders a year (or in their lifetime). Does the thought of arachnids crawling down your throat make you anxious? Fear not, because this is a completely made-up factoid. In ...
January 12, 2020 | 2 mins read
Ever bumped into someone at a party and thought, “Who's this person, again?” You might have prosopagnosia. For many folks, having trouble recognizing a familiar face is an embarrassing predicament. For some, though, it's a persistent problem on an entirely different level—a daily living nightmare, even when they look ...
January 11, 2020 | 2 mins read
About three years ago, doctors at St. Paul's Hospital Iloilo (SPHI) started sensing something in the air. All of a sudden, more and more patients seemed to be coming to the hospital. They were coughing, wheezing, and complaining of chest pains. Many of them suffered from asthma and pneumonia, and ...
November 13, 2019 | 2 mins read
(Updated on October 28, 2019) Last September 19, the Department of Health (DOH) declared a polio outbreak in the Philippines. This marked the first time the vaccine-preventable disease became a major cause for alarm in the country since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Philippines free of wild polio in 2000. Reports confirmed ...
October 19, 2019 | 3 mins read
In early September 2019, the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed that at least a thousand pigs died due to the African swine fever (ASF) virus. This was after swine tissue samples sent to the United Kingdom for analysis tested positive for the disease. To date, there are at least 13 areas in ...
September 30, 2019 | 2 mins read
(Updated on November 11, 2019) Months after the Dengvaxia controversy exploded in the Philippines, dengue is making local headlines once again. The Department of Health (DOH) recently declared a national dengue epidemic. Based on the report from the agency’s Epidemiology Bureau (DOH-EB), a total of 249,332 cases were reported across the country ...
September 11, 2019 | 2 mins read
•Recent reports of deaths allegedly resulting from alcohol consumption have raised public concerns about methanol poisoning. •When the body metabolizes methanol, it produces toxic substances that may cause severe health issues if left untreated. •It is highly advised to avoid purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages that are either unlabeled, illegal, ...
July 23, 2019 | 3 mins read
•Gloomy weather can bring about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which may lead to sadness, anxiety, lethargy, and even depression. •The true cause of SAD remains unknown, though experts have suggested sunlight exposure and body clock disruptions as possible causes. •One can overcome SAD with appropriate medication, therapy, and professional guidance. ...
June 19, 2019 | 3 mins read
Every day, every hour, someone is in need of blood. More than 2,000 blood units are used for transfusions daily throughout the country, and only we can produce this all-important resource. (Don't worry about running out of blood when you donate; your body's designed to prevent that from happening.) The generosity ...
June 14, 2019 | 3 mins read
•A recently published study points to a link between lower air quality and a person's negative mood. •Comparing the global air quality index to the most recent World Happiness Report seems to support this as well. •These findings emphasize the need for stronger policies on safety and environmental sustainability. The ...
June 5, 2019 | 3 mins read
•A recently published study examined variations in taste genes to explain our beverage preferences. •However, the results showed that genes related to these drinks' psychoactive properties, not taste, help shape our preferences. •Understanding our preferences for bitter or sweet drinks could help scientists design more effective ways of diet intervention. ...
May 8, 2019 | 2 mins read
•Some people seem to exhibit, through their actions, a general unwillingness to feel empathy. •A study of 1,200 participants revealed that most of them saw empathy as too mentally straining. •However, it may actually be possible to encourage empathetic behavior in people. It happens every single time the newest Marvel movie ...
May 6, 2019 | 3 mins read
Often, scientific discoveries are attained by actively studying a problem at hand, and by going through arduous experiment and research. But sometimes, luck can be on your side--like these four medical breakthroughs, which were all discoveries made by accident. Implantable Pacemaker Wilson Greatbatch holds a 1980s implantable pacemaker (left) and ...
April 16, 2019 | 3 mins read
It’s a sprawling convention center vibrating with activity, but a small, dense crowd has gathered in a distant corner. The object of their fascination is a baker, separated from his onlookers only by a thin piece of clear acrylic. He spreads a large circular sheet of dough and, using ...
April 12, 2019 | 7 mins read
Ever wonder why manong driver feels the need to blast loud music through his jeepney's speakers? Or why your officemate likes listening to lo-fi hip-hop all day, every day? It turns out that’s probably because that’s the best way to get them to do something… or it’s ...
April 11, 2019 | 3 mins read
Picture a baker putting together flour, eggs, oil, and other ingredients to make a cake. Meanwhile, in another part of town, a scientist is in his laboratory, experimenting with samples in test tubes. Surprisingly, these two have more in common than you may realize. After all, in many ways, cooking ...
April 9, 2019 | 3 mins read
•The keto diet works by sharply reducing your carb intake, replacing it with fat. •This puts your body in ketosis, which increases your body's fat-burning efficiency. •The keto diet requires more research though, as new findings reveal that the ketogenic lifestyle may have both positive and negative impacts on the ...
April 8, 2019 | 3 mins read
•Despite the negative reputation of fats, they are a necessary part of our diet. •The key is to avoid trans fats, which are found in processed foods and associated with serious health risks. •Aside from checking the label, keeping an active lifestyle and exploring alternative ways of food preparation are ...
April 3, 2019 | 4 mins read
•According to neuroscientists, there is a positive link between physical exercise and cognition. •However, most people understandably associate exercise with physical rather than mental fitness. •Recent findings revealed that short-term cognitive gains from physical activity reflect exercise's long-term brain-boosting benefits. From reviewing days in advance to snacking on "brain-boosting" food, ...
March 25, 2019 | 3 mins read
•A newly published study claims that eating three or more eggs a week increases your risk of heart disease and dying early. •However, due to contradictory findings across decades and the new study's own limitations, these findings are far from indesputable. •All things considered, there's really no proven reason to ...
March 21, 2019 | 4 mins read
•Negative public attitudes toward people with sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) may discourage them from seeking medical care. •Studies have established a troubling link between human papillomavirus (HPV), a common STD, and cervical cancer. •Medical professionals play an important role in ensuring the overall psychosocial health of patients with STDs. The culture ...
March 11, 2019 | 4 mins read
•A new study from Denmark reveals no link between the measles vaccine and increased autism risk. •The researchers looked at records from over 657,000 children born in Denmark. •In the Philippines, there are over 13,000 reported measles cases (based on February 2019 data). A massive new study of 657,461 children reaffirms what scientists and ...
March 5, 2019 | 2 mins read
•Studies have shown that the effectiveness of treatment and therapy may vary based on genetic differences. •DOST and PCHRD are investing in omic technology, which will allow local scientists to conduct medical research tailored for Filipinos. •Omic technology will benefit not just the medical field, but other sectors as well. ...
March 4, 2019 | 2 mins read
•Researchers studying the prefrontal cortex of the brain found that activating the SIRT1 gene seems to reverse depression symptoms. •However, this was only observed in male mice, and the findings aren't applicable to humans yet. •Nevertheless, this observation could mean major improvements in antidepressant research. According to statistics from the ...
February 20, 2019 | 2 mins read
•House Bill 6517 (the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act) has been approved on third and final reading. •Upon its enactment, the government will control research and distribution of medical cannabis in the Philippines. •However, arguments both for and against this bill have been presented by various concerned groups. "I’m for ...
February 19, 2019 | 3 mins read
In the second installment of a two-part series, science communicator Carina Laroza examines how the handling of the Dengvaxia controversy in the Philippines may have shaped the public's perception of the vaccine. To read the first installment of this series, click here. The cost of lack of communication: Public distrust ...
February 12, 2019 | 5 mins read
In the first installment of a two-part series, science communicator Carina Laroza takes a closer look at the roots of the Dengvaxia controversy in the Philippines. Since their discovery, vaccines have played an important role in eradicating numerous diseases and saving millions of lives. Vaccines have made an enormous contribution ...
February 12, 2019 | 7 mins read
•Health officials in the Philippines declared a measles outbreak in February 2019 due to a disturbing rise in reported cases since January 1. •Recorded incidences of this lethal yet preventable disease have increased in different parts of the world as well. •The global measles outbreak is a result of the public's diminished ...
February 11, 2019 | 5 mins read
•Unlike alcohol, cannabis is not water-soluble, meaning it takes the body longer to metabolize it and feel its effects. •Creating cannabis-infused drinks is tricky due to the need to control the onset time and duration of the resulting "high." •A number of companies are now exploring different approaches to brewing ...
February 8, 2019 | 3 mins read
•A study of UK smokers revealed that e-cigarette use is more effective for kicking the habit than gum, patches, and other nicotine-replacement products. •However, another study with 400,000 US respondents showed a disturbing link between e-cigarette use and a higher risk of stroke and heart attack. •Experts also recommend treating e-cigarettes ...
January 31, 2019 | 3 mins read
• The distinct sensation that comes with eating spicy food is a product of capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers. • Spicy foods have been linked to various positive and negative health effects, from weight loss to GERD. • While some of these misconceptions are easily explainable with science, others aren't as ...
January 11, 2019 | 4 mins read
• Researchers at the Institut Pasteur found that metabolic activity, particularly glucose consumption, makes CD4 cells more prone to HIV infection. • Using metabolic blockers, the scientists were able to prevent infection and destroy the reservoirs in ex vivo tests. • However, the researchers must do testing within a living organism before using ...
December 25, 2018 | 2 mins read
• Recently published research reveals that a gene called RCAN1 may be the key to fighting obesity. • Experiments showed that blocking RCAN1 prevented weight gain in mice, even after they were subjected to a prolonged diet of high-fat foods. • Disabling RCAN1 can help turn energy-storing white fat into energy-burning brown fat. ...
December 6, 2018 | 2 mins read
• Cutting off the discolored parts of moldy bread does not make the bread safe to eat. • Mold is actually a fungus that grows deep into the "clean" parts of bread. • Eating "clean" moldy bread can lead to serious health issues, and may even be lethal. Picture this: You wake up ...
December 2, 2018 | 3 mins read
Clinical trials with controlled doses of peanut-derived compound AR101 revealed promising results among allergic children over a period of one year. However, trials involving adults did not reveal significant improvements. Nevertheless, this research may lead to the development of the world's first approved peanut allergy treatment. A newly published study ...
November 26, 2018 | 2 mins read
It's itchy, it's irritating, and it's the only kind of "snow" we see around these parts. Dandruff is a rather annoying affliction that many Filipinos grapple with. Interestingly, given how common this illness is, it's also one of the most poorly understood. Blame it on tradition, commercialization, or our tendency ...
November 11, 2018 | 4 mins read
Eating raw or undercooked slugs, snails, and other critters - or even poorly prepared vegetables - can get you infected with rat lungworm, a parasite that's as disgusting and dangerous as it sounds. At 19 years old, Sam Ballard had a promising future. A student at Barker College in Australia, Sam ...
November 7, 2018 | 3 mins read
Losing your appendix early may reduce your risk of Parkinson's disease -- but don't schedule your surgery just yet. The appendix is one of the least understood (and perhaps most annoying) organs in our body. Its actual purpose in adult humans seems to be crucial, but is rather poorly defined. ...
November 2, 2018 | 3 mins read
The creators of the hit manga-based show Hataraku Saibou have embraced its role in the classroom. This led to the recent launch of official assets from the show, specifically for learning. Medical students and practitioners have praised the anime (which goes by the alternate title Cells at Work, its literal ...
October 7, 2018 | 2 mins read
As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That said, diet soda -- a mix of carbonated water, artificial sweeteners (such as aspertame, saccharin, and sucralose), and other non-sugar additives -- probably ranks pretty high on the list of things that sound good. ...
October 1, 2018 | 3 mins read
In the face of increasing obesity rates, American restaurants are now required to include calorie counts on their menus. And if a recent study from Cornell University were to be believed, this rather simple change could have a significant impact on diners' ordering habits. Customers: We're cool with calorie-counting The ...
September 27, 2018 | 2 mins read
(Updated on September 11, 2019) You take a sip of your bubble milk tea, pausing to appreciate just how good it is. It's your favorite: rock salt and cheese, with two extra orders of pearls thrown in for good measure. Deeming it "Instagram-worthy," you decide to take a picture of it. After ...
September 9, 2018 | 2 mins read
Probiotic drinks (such as the ever-popular Yakult) are a staple in virtually any Filipino household. Often called "good bacteria," probiotics are live bacteria consumed to improve digestion and gut health. However, two recently published studies in the journal Cell cast a slight shadow of doubt over these oft-repeated health claims. "...
September 7, 2018 | 3 mins read
At a total loss as to how you could keep off unwanted pounds? If you've already tried controlling what you're eating, perhaps you could also start monitoring when you eat. A recently published study in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests that restricting food access to a 10-hour "eating window" may ...
September 4, 2018 | 2 mins read
If you live in a typical Filipino household, you've probably heard this from your mother: "Huwag kang matutulog nang basa ang buhok mo!" Chances are, she probably even told you that sleeping with wet hair will cause you to catch a cold or wake up with a nasty migraine. Well, ...
August 31, 2018 | 3 mins read
It's not uncommon for us to have things that, without fail, give us goosebumps and make our hairs stand on end. It also isn't unheard of for people to react to certain stimuli in an irrationally fearful manner, skipping disgust or uneasiness and jumping straight to panic, anxiety, and pure ...
August 29, 2018 | 4 mins read
Coffee is believed to have been a part of our everyday lives since the mid-15th century. It's somewhat surprising, then, how there still seems to be a gallon of misconceptions about it. Often, these myths are used to dissuade us from drinking too much of the black brew. However, ...
August 26, 2018 | 4 mins read
It's an all-too-familiar tale: You check the time on your computer, belatedly realizing that you've already spent roughly an hour working past your shift. With a defeated groan (this is, after all, unauthorized -- and therefore uncredited -- overtime), you turn off your monitor, hastily put your things in your ...
August 23, 2018 | 4 mins read
Some people splurge on things such as overpriced coffee, fancy food, or even alcohol from time to time. Others are so hooked on their self-indulgences that they fail to consider the consequences of their actions. Chained to their vices by addiction, these individuals seek their objects of obsession as if ...
July 13, 2018 | 7 mins read
At some point, we've all stared at ourselves in the mirror and found some reason to be dissatisfied with how we look. For most people, this usually stems from seeing how unwanted pounds affect their appearance. Typically, a quick Google search follows: "ways to lose weight", "how to gain ...
July 3, 2018 | 6 mins read
What is one thing that you cannot live without? It's an admittedly tricky question. When not taken literally, you can have a plethora of answers: food, water, friends, love, and even sense of purpose. Apart from those items (and abstract concepts), however, there is one simple thing that we need 24/7, ...
June 18, 2018 | 7 mins read
The best Pinoy Science news and features coming your way.
