The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) took place in Mongolia, a country plagued by desertification, droughts, and dzud winters—severe periods of heavy snow and harsh, cold weather, followed by summer drought. Millions of farm animals die of cold and starvation, leaving a scarring impact on Mongolian herders, who constitute […]

The fun in video games used to be in mastering and finishing them. However, the definition of fun in the gaming world has changed from skills to ‘skins’—custom designs and wearables inside a game that can be purchased with money. Many of the modern games are also “free-to-play”, but there

When Edward O. Wilson, a champion of conservation and a renowned entomologist, calls for eradicating mosquitoes and is willing to take on the role of an executioner, there must be very little doubt about how dangerous these tiny insects can be. Nearly a million die from diseases carried through mosquito

The post-COVID lifestyle has been vastly different from that of previous generations. Buying groceries and consumer products is a click away, and a lot of work can be done while perched on the couch. A study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Planning Association reports that people spend

The mummy’s curse is more likely to be biological than supernatural. A growing trend of buying and selling mummified human remains exposes collectors and postal services to dormant microorganisms and toxic materials. Research into the covert trade of centuries-old embalmed human parts like hands, feet, and heads reports the issue

It takes a few minutes for anaphylaxis to set in, and a quarter to half an hour to kill you if left untreated. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that rapidly leads to a severe drop in blood pressure and constricts the airway. Insect stings, any medication, and even peanuts can

While cancer itself is not contagious, the risk of contracting infections that lead to cancer later is fairly common. Some cancers begin in the tissues lining the mouth and throat, such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). These are often associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) or some bacterial

The world is gravely concerned because of the economic uncertainty looming ahead due to the Iran War. However, as more than 1,500 ships continue to idle in the Strait of Hormuz, an ecological “superspreader” hazard can be on our platter when the route opens. A threat that can destroy ecosystems

A rare Bourbon virus case has been confirmed on Long Island, New York, for the first time, raising concerns because the symptoms overlap with Lyme disease. Bourbon virus infections tend to be more fatal and are carried by lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum). With no widely available diagnostic test or

If you’re just tracking macros, you’re missing out big time on your body’s biochemistry. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have created a smart wearable ring that tracks glucose, ketones, vitamin C, uric acid, lactate, and alcohol. It can simultaneously monitor up to four different such biomarkers, non-stop,

The love for a loved one never flatlines, even if the loved one is lost. If you had a chance to speak with an AI-generated “ghost” of a deceased loved one, would you take the chance? The idea might be cathartic, but to 16 volunteers, these conversations were often comforting,

Silicon chips have been the mother of the computing revolution for more than 50 years now. However, silicon means business in biology, too, with its uses ranging from monitoring large groups of neurons to DNA sequencing. Now, Harvard scientists have added a new streak of amazing to silicon chips by