Category: Science

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New Study Finds Your Bottled Water May Be Dirtier Than You Think

A lot of people believe that paying money for bottled water is a better idea than drinking tap water. Some believe it’s actually healthier for them, while others might insist that it’s cleaner. While there can be some truth to this (if you live in Flint, MI, for instance), a recent study may have consumers thinking twice about how much they spend on bottled water in the future.

The study tested 259 bottles across 11 brands and 9 countries (including the United States) and found that 93% of the tested bottles contained microplastics – around 10.4 plastic particles per liter of water.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In case you’re wondering, that’s twice the amount of contamination found in most tap water, according to an Orb Media investigation.

Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic, including the plastic used to make some of the bottle caps. Researcher Sherri Mason told AFP “I think that most of the plastic that we are seeing is coming from the bottle itself, it is coming from the cap, it is coming from the industrial process of bottling the water.”

Even though research shows that microplastics can be harmful to marine life, it’s unclear whether or not they have similar effects on humans – they’re found in other edible products, like fish and shellfish, and in tap water, and a recent study found that they’re absolutely making their way into humans, too.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Mason continued:

“There are connections to increases in certain kids of cancer to lower sperm count to increases in conditions like ADHD and autism. We know that they are connected to these synthetic chemicals in the environment and we know that plastics are providing kind of a means to get those chemicals into our bodies.”

Joe Doss, the President of the International Bottled Water Association, cautions that the study hasn’t been peer reviewed and should be taken with a grain of salt until it is.

“Consumers can remain confident that bottled water products, like all food and beverages, are strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and, thus, are safe for consumption,” Doss said in a statement. “The bottled water industry is committed to providing consumers with the safest and highest quality products.”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The World Health Organization confirmed to BBC that they will be conducting a review into the potential risks posed by microplastics found in bottled water.

Until then…I don’t know. Buy a filtered pitcher or bottle? Switch to Gatorade? Drink from the tap? Your choice!

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10+ Facts About Climate Change That’ll Light a Fire Under Your A**

Climate change is REAL! Seriously.  I know some people like to claim it isn’t, but the science is pretty damning. We need to take drastic action, collectively as a species, and we need to do it fast. Hopefully, these alarming facts will make you pay more attention to the issue.

1. Virus

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2. The Pole is moving

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3. Renewable

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4. Fascinating

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5. Brilliant girls

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6. Recycle!

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7. A major event

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8. Let’s do it!

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9. A good example

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10. Achieve that goal!

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11. With his own eyes

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12. WOW

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13. Ecocapsule

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14. Hopefully things have changed in the past few years

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15. Terrible

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Wake up, people! And do your part!

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The Truth Behind How Alcohol Really Impacts Your Mood

It’s a pretty commonly held belief that if you’re stressed out after a tough day, a drink (or two) can help you wind down and relax. This belief is bolstered by the fact that a glass of wine in the evening has become a crucial ritual for many a stressed parent trying to relax.

Luckily, for us, it’s not an unsubstantiated practice. Believe it or not, studies have shown that certain types of wine can have legitimate health benefits beyond the mental stress relief.

Photo Credit: Pixabay 

 

Alcohol quickly boosts our serotonin levels, which results in an elevated or euphoric improvement to our mood. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a biological chemical, basically), and it’s a key player in our happiness and mood. People who experience anxiety and depression often have lower than average levels of serotonin in their gut, blood and central nervous system.

The problem is, after that initial boost in serotonin brought on by a couple of drinks, serotonin levels fall down even lower than they were prior to your drinking. So if you drink habitually, it means that you’re regularly lowering your serotonin levels to below what is considered average, and that can eventually rewire your brain.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

If you’re someone who doesn’t struggle with depression and anxiety, then you may not have anything to worry about – but if you do, having a drink or two every day might be something you want to rethink.

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This Small Town in Alaska Won’t See The Sun Again Until Late January

Alaska is a place of extremes. There are some of the most beautiful vistas you’ll ever see there, but all that beauty is accompanied by harsh, unforgiving weather that takes no prisoners. It’s definitely not a place for the faint of heart.

Photo Credit: YouTube

The intense Alaskan winters attract a specific type of person – you need to be rugged and tough to make it out here. And there is one town that has it extremely tough, even by Alaskan standards. The town of Utqiaġvik (formerly called Barrow) was plunged into darkness on November 18, and the sun won’t rise again there until January 23.

That’s 65 days without sunlight for the northernmost town in America.

Photo Credit: Twitter, weatherchannel

The period of constant darkness is known as “polar night.” Weather.com describes the phenomenon like this: “From mid-November through late January, the sun doesn’t rise north of the Arctic Circle due to the tilt of the Earth away from the sun’s most direct radiation.” Utqiaġvik is north of the Arctic Circle and has a population of just over 4,000 residents.

Photo Credit: Twitter, Brimshack

Let’s just hope we don’t have some kind of 30 Days of Night situation.

Think you’d be able to hack it in Utqiaġvik?

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Target Is Selling Affordable Weighted Blankets, and You Are Definitely Gonna Want One

I was visiting a friend recently, and all she could rave about was the weighted blanket she’d just bought. She admitted that she was basically obsessed with her new purchase. Frankly, up until she went on a 15-minute rant about these blankets, I had no idea these even existed. So, I went home, fired up Google, and did a little research.

These products are all the rage because they’re helpful for people who have anxiety, are stressed out, or just want to get a really good night’s sleep. But the big drawback has always been that they’re pretty expensive.

Not anymore, ladies and gents!

Target is selling a 12-pound weighted blanket for $70, significantly less than most weighted blankets on the market.

While they’re less expensive, they are also a little lighter than standard weighted blankets – often it’s recommended that weighted blankets weigh about 10% of the user’s body weight. Though maybe that’s just Big Blanket…

I haven’t actually tried one of these babies out yet, but all I’ve heard are glowing reviews from friends and reviews online. And they’ve been scientifically proven to relieve stress and anxiety. So grab them up while you can! Perhaps as a Christmas gift?

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Scientists Confirm That Pregnancy Can Be Contagious

Most women know that, once you get to a certain age, pregnancy seems to be contagious. You hear about one friend who got pregnant, and suddenly it’s like everyone on your friend circle has gone baby crazy. Meanwhile, you’re either peeing on a stick and hoping or crossing yourself and wearing garlic, depending on your feelings about having a child (or another child).

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Well, back in 2014 the American Sociological Association published a study that supports what we see in our social circles – pregnancy can indeed be contagious.

The study lasted 10 years and analyzed over 1700 women to identify the trend. During the interviews, women mentioned “friendship ties” as a reason they thought more about getting pregnant – basically saying that environment and interpersonal interactions influence decisions around starting or expanding family.

Image Credit: Facebook

Other possible factors for the “contagion” are: seeing a friend managing motherhood may give a woman more confidence in her own ability to do the same, and seeing a friend become a mother may leave a woman feeling behind.

Those friendship ties can also influence the number of children a woman has for the same reason – if your pal can make three kids look easy, then you might feel as if you can do the same, and you might feel left behind if you’ve only got 1 child to her friend’s 4.

Image Credit: Facebook

Interestingly enough, this “contagion” doesn’t extend to siblings, a fact that some researchers attribute to the fact that in today’s day and age, friends are more likely to influence us than family (which is fascinating in its own right).

The moral of the story is that your family size might be tied to your friends, so, as always, choose wisely.

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A Lot of People Are Curious About Brain Fingerprinting Because of ‘Making a Murderer’

Making a Murderer became an overnight sensation when it was released back in December 2015. True crime fans couldn’t help but binge the fascinating deconstruction of our criminal justice system as it related to the case of Steven Avery. Now, the Netflix show is now back for a second season, and the debate is once again raging over whether Avery murdered photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005 in Wisconsin.

Photo Credit: Netflix

Sketchy evidence and the unsteady testimony of Avery’s nephew and alleged co-conspirator have caused many to believe that Avery is being railroaded by the justice system for a crime he didn’t commit.

One of the more intriguing aspects of Season Two of the series is an examination that Avery’s defense attorney Kathleen Zellner suggested he submit to. In episode two of the new season, Avery wears a head-mounted sensor and goes through a test known as the Farwell Brain Fingerprinting test.

Photo Credit: Netflix

The test was first used in a criminal investigation in 1999 and is designed to look for a surge of electrical activity in the brain roughly 300 milliseconds after a person see something familiar. In Avery’s case, he was put through the test and was given details of the crime that he’s accused of to see if his brain registered familiarity and pointed toward his guilt in the case.

The forensics community is divided on whether brain fingerprinting is reliable. Larry Farwell, the man who created the test, says that his research has been supervised by the FBI, the U.S. Navy, and the CIA and that those organizations have confirmed its accuracy. Farwell also points to the case of Terry Harrington, a man who spent 24 years in prison for murder and was eventually exonerated following a brain fingerprint test and an eyewitness recanting their testimony.

Photo Credit: Facebook, Larry Farwell

Critics of the technique say that Farwell’s peer-reviewed study sample size is too small (only 30 people) and that guilty subjects are able to pass the test by simply not paying attention to the images that are presented to them to trigger a response. Also, there have only been a few tests given to known guilty parties so far.

For now, Farwell’s brain fingerprinting device is not admissible in court and more tests need to be done to prove how accurate the test is. As for Steven Avery, he passed the past.

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Growing up in a House Filled with Books Is Good for You, Study Confirms

Books are the best, huh? I’ve got piles upon piles around my house. And I’ve actually read a decent bit of them! But there are still plenty I haven’t read yet, which makes me feel a little guilty.

Believe it or not, there’s actually a word for my affliction…

Photo Credit: did you know?

The good news, however, is my so-called “affliction” may mean I’m smarter than you. A study by researchers led by Joanna Sikora of Australian National University showed that people who had around 80 books in their home while growing up tend to have average literacy scores, which is defined as “the ability to read effectively to participate in society and achieve personal goals,” and people with less than 80 books tend to have below-average literacy.

According to the study, the literacy rate continues to rise as the number of books increases, but after 350 books, the rate remains steady. So, based on this study, I should be a genius (sadly, that isn’t the case).

Photo Credit: iStock

The subjects were between the ages of 25 and 65, and came from 31 countries around the world. Before they were tested, they were asked to estimate how many books they had in their home when they were 16 years old. The researchers found that “growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits accrued from parental education, or [one’s] own educational or occupational attainment.”

Photo Credit: Unsplash,Chris Benson

The study also showed that there is a relationship between having books at home and having positive skill sets such as reading comprehension, math skills, and the ability to use digital technology to communicate.

So get back to reading (and buying) those books!

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These Jeans Are Designed to Absorb the Smell, So Get Fartin’

Are you ashamed of your gas problem? Do you find yourself blaming farts on friends, strangers, or dogs? Well, it’s time to leave that life behind.

Photo Credit: Unsplash,Chad Kirchoff

Seriously, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Apparently, healthy people fart about 20 times per day. Buuuuuut, let’s be honest here. You don’t want to be the one whose fart clears a room and ruins everyone’s day (especially yours), right?

That’s why you might want to invest in “Flatulence Jeans” produced by a company called Shreddies. Yes, you read that correctly. The company insists that these jeans (they have other products too, like underwear and pajamas) are “flatulence filtering” and that the worst smells you’re producing will be eliminated before you really upset your friends and family (or co-workers, or church-goers, or political constituents).

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The jeans, and other products made by Shreddies, are lined with activated charcoal that absorbs odors and gases. Home air filters and purifiers use it on a regular basis, so you know it’s legit. What’s more, Shreddies says that their products last two to three years, so you’ll get good use out of them.

Photo Credit: Twitter,ShreddiesPants

The Shreddies website says the following:

“To avoid flatulence escaping around the filter we recommend that you stand with your legs together and try to let your wind out slowly. When sitting, keep your knees together so that flatulence escapes through the carbon panel.”

The company also recommends you get a pair that fits like a second skin.

The jeans run about $130 plus shipping and are available for men and women. I think I know what you’re getting for Christmas this year!

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12+ Cases That Still Make Doctors’ Skin Crawl

There’s a reason why those of us with weak stomachs don’t become doctors. They see more blood, gore, and bile in one week than most of us do in a lifetime. But everyone has their limits – even doctors – and sometimes things poke through the patina of professional ability.

If you decide to read through these 15 doctors’ confessions about what still gives them the heebie-jeebies after years of practicing medicine, I hope your stomach is strong.

#15. Absolutely ghastly

“Doctor. Nothing visual/physical really gets to me these days. Smells can be absolutely ghastly. But people’s suffering can be profoundly affecting, both patient’s and families.”

#14. Chilling to the bone

“How cruel people can be. Dealing with disease is one thing, but dealing with victims of any kind of assault, domestic violence or mass tragedy is chilling to the bone.”

#13. I’m taking a bath in bleach

“Patient has Mrsa : skip the gown because we all have it, it’s fine what Evs

Patient has scabies / bed bugs: JeSus fucking Christ where the fuck is my 3rd PPE gown tie, I need 6 gloves and 4 Shoe covers and if they even so much as touch me I’m taking a bath in bleach , I left my phone in the break room because if it fell outa my pocket it will stay there till the end of time .”

#12. There’s something about that open nose

“I work at a maxillofacial surgeons’ department and I’ve seen a lot of procedures which don’t phase me; teeth extractions, upper and lower jaw realignment, traumas of all types (broken jaws, broken orbital sockets, …) oncological procedures, explorations. The lot.

But there’s 1 procedure that makes my gut wrench; rhinoplasties. There’s something about that open nose, and people cutting and prodding around that makes me so uncomfortable. I don’t know why.”

#11. I have to suppress a shudder

“Anesthesiologist here. Blood, gore, and people trying to die on me don’t really phase me much. But when I’m in the eye room and the surgeon sticks a needle into someone’s eyeball I have to suppress a shudder.”

#10. Parasites

“I can handle skin sloughing diseases, gore, and meth head tweeters just fine… But damn, I hate parasites….. bed bugs, scabies, tapeworms (fun fact- you can end up with tapeworm eggs in your brain if you have tapeworms and your hygiene is rank enough).”

#9. Full body skin conditions

“I’m a trauma surgeon so blood and mangled bodies doesn’t really phase me, but full body skin conditions do! Things like eczema herpeticum and Norwegian scabies make me itch all over and really uncomfortable.”

#8. Chopped fingers still get me

“I’ve seen all sorts of disgusting and gory things which uniphase me but for some reason chopped or dismembered fingers still get me.”

#7. The common thing we all hate…

“For me it’s nasty teeth. There are very few things that move me in any way (medicine or otherwise) but daaaamn nasty teeth. I could never ever be a dentist.

My friend works in emergency medicine and can’t stand hand wounds. She’s the toughest, most bad-ass lady I know but hand wounds make her swoon like a medieval maiden.

Among other doctors I know it’s usually skin conditions and burns.

The common thing we all hate is abuse.”

#6. Living where they shouldn’t be

“All the creepy crawlies living where they shouldn’t be. The more slithery the worse it is.

A kid is awoken by intense pain and a scratching sound in the ear? Usually a cockroach – not so bad, but a hassle to remove piecemeal leg by leg if it comes to that.

Some guy is complaining of nasal congestion and some bleeding months after a vacation? Yup, leeches in the nasal cavity. I’m never going swimming in any rivers ever.

Diabetic patient complaining of a non-healing wound behind his ear? I scoop out dozens of maggots from underneath the skin flaps and they’re falling on the patient’s stretcher.

A pregnant patient admitted for delivery is complaining of itching down there after maybe straining a bit too much? An Ascaris roundworm is poking its head out the butt and saying hello.

Always makes me gag when I have to be the one to remove them.”

#5. Botflies are a common theme

“Large Parasites that live in the skin.

I can deal with worms in the organs, or microscopic spiders living in my face pores, but when it comes to scabies or botflies I want to claw my own skin off.”

#4. A big NOPE

“Very little does… I can see blood, guts, death, and very little phases me. But watching any video of somebody breaking a bone gets a big NOPE out of me.”

#3. Suctioning out saliva

“I don’t mind pus, blood, poop, urine. But, for the love of god, I can’t stand saliva. It grosses me out when anesthesia suctions out saliva.”

#2. Phantom itching for hours

“I can’t even see or hear the phrase “Fournier’s Gangrene” without cringing. (Don’t Google image search that at work unless you also work at a hospital.)

Also I reallllly don’t like going into patients’ rooms when they have bedbugs. Even if I gown and glove before heading in and only touch them to do an exam, I will have phantom itching for hours and then change clothes in my garage when I get home because NOPE.”

#1. Unclean nose issues

“My wife has been a family practitioner for 10 years. She says the only thing that really still grosses her out is nasty, unclean nose issues.”

Brb barfing.

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