Articles for category: Biology & Genetics, Disease & Medicine

Land planarian.

Worms That Can Regrow Their Heads (and Sometimes More Than One)

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine slicing yourself in half and not only surviving, but growing back everything you lost—including your brain. While this sounds like the stuff of science fiction, it’s actually Tuesday afternoon for a remarkable group of creatures that have mastered the art of regeneration in ways that would make even the most skilled magician jealous. These ...

a close up of a spider crawling on a rock

How Lichen Is Actually Three Organisms in a Secret Partnership

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine discovering that what you thought was a single living thing was actually three separate organisms working together in perfect harmony. This isn’t science fiction – it’s the remarkable reality of lichen, one of nature’s most deceptive collaborations. For centuries, scientists believed lichen was just another plant growing on rocks and trees, but the truth ...

Several varieties of koi carps in the Japanese Garden of Montreal Botanical Garden, Canada.

How Water Quality Impacts Koi Health (and Why It Matters for Wild Fish)

Trizzy Orozco

Picture this: you’re standing beside a pristine pond, watching elegant koi glide through crystal-clear water, their vibrant colors shimmering in the sunlight. What you’re witnessing isn’t just beauty—it’s a testament to the invisible yet critical relationship between water quality and fish health. These ornamental carp, descendants of wild Asian carp, serve as living indicators of ...

10 Ancient Practices Modern Medicine Is Re-Exploring

10 Ancient Practices Modern Medicine Is Re-Exploring

Jan Otte

Throughout human history, healing traditions have emerged from countless cultures, each offering unique insights into health and wellness. What’s fascinating is watching how modern science continues to validate many of these ancient practices. Today’s researchers are discovering that our ancestors might have been onto something profound when they developed their healing methods. From the precision ...

Scientist checking genetics

The Lost Twin Inside You: The Bizarre World of Human Chimeras

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine waking up one day to discover that your body is not wholly yours. Within you, there is another set of DNA, a silent twin that has lived alongside you unnoticed. This isn’t a scene from a science fiction novel; it’s the strange reality for some individuals known as human chimeras. This fascinating phenomenon may ...

The 6 Ways Humans Have Changed the Food Chain (Without Meaning To)

The 6 Ways Humans Have Changed the Food Chain (Without Meaning To)

Trizzy Orozco

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat,” but what happens when what we eat fundamentally changes? For millions of years, nature’s food chains operated like perfectly orchestrated symphonies, with each species playing its part in an intricate dance of survival. Then humans arrived on the scene, and without even realizing it, we ...

The Science of Animal Memory: How Do Elephants, Dolphins, and Crows Remember?

The Secret of Elephant DNA: Could Their Cancer Resistance Help Humans Live Longer?

Annette Uy

Elephants, the gentle giants of the animal kingdom, hold a marvel within their genetic makeup that has intrigued scientists for years. Despite their massive size and long lifespans, elephants have an impressively low rate of cancer compared to humans. This intriguing phenomenon has piqued the interest of researchers, who are eager to uncover the secrets ...

Gut health and brain

From the Amazon to the Lab: How Scientists Are Studying Ayahuasca for Depression and PTSD

Maria Faith Saligumba

In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, among the dense canopy and vibrant wildlife, lies a profound secret that has been guarded by indigenous tribes for centuries—ayahuasca. This potent brew, a combination of various plants, has traditionally been used in spiritual and healing ceremonies. Today, scientists are turning their attention to this ancient concoction, exploring ...

Scientist in full protective gear.

How Personal Experience Shapes Scientific Curiosity and Innovation

Trizzy Orozco

The morning Marie Curie first held a piece of radium in her bare hands, she couldn’t have known that this moment would change the course of scientific history forever. What she felt wasn’t just the physical warmth of radioactive decay, but the spark of curiosity that would drive her to two Nobel Prizes and revolutionize ...