Question: What do mustard, pickles, and hot peppers have in common? Answer: In addition to being united atop a properly dressed Chicago-style hot dog, each of the foods mentioned above – and an annual total of $15 billion in U.S. crops – is made possible by the …
Read moreFor my nephew’s birthday, I got him a kit of experiments based on the science of glowing. He loved it and I think his mother was probably happy I opted for this one over the “gross science” kit (complete with toilet bowl shaped mixing device) that would have …
Read moreLike many Americans, I’ve lived under the assumption that the chemicals used in all sorts of everyday products are thoroughly tested and known to be safe. However, every so often, we’re reminded that this is not always the case. Over the past few years, we’ve …
Read moreWhen I was visiting family this past week, my mother-in-law shared with us how she uses her Fitbit to keep track of how much she exercises, how well she sleeps, what she has been eating, and other lifestyle information. The numbers she watches—her number of steps …
Read moreViruses are capable of creating havoc. Sometimes when I think about viruses, I get a picture of a massive outbreak. Usually this picture isn’t the nearly apocalyptic public health nightmare that’s depicted in the movie “Contagion,” but it’s still …
Read moreIf you are particularly unlucky, you may have at some point found yourself “bumped” from a flight – that is to say, you were kicked off and most likely left stranded. There are lots of reasons why this might happen, the most common being that the airline overbooked …
Read morePlants are all around us. It is easy to become accustomed to their presence. But, imagine a world without lush green grasses and trees – a planet blanketed in desert. Could we survive? Plants are an integral part of our environment, and provide …
Read moreSales of organic products have skyrocketed in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. People associate organic food with better health, local growers, lower pesticide levels, humane treatment of animals and sounder environmental practices. But the National Organic …
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