Lead is a health hazard. Ingesting the metal can cause lead poisoning (also called plumbism) with the symptoms of developmental delays, abdominal pain, and neurologic changes, among others. And it can be fatal if lead levels get too high. Over the years we’ve gone to great lengths to remove lead from our environment. It’s no
You know the look a dog can give you that will melt your heart. And if you are a dog owner, you probably have noticed how your pets crave human eye contact. Now there is scientific evidence that such a behavoir is no accident. A recent paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
I’m always amazed by the natural world around us. Especially regarding astronomy. We know black holes exist, especially since we now have photographic proof, as this photo from NASA shows. We know they will suck in anything that gets inside their event horizon. But where does all of that cosmic material go? Could the black
Serious problems require innovative solutions. For example, affordable housing. Start with a paradox: many cities have a housing shortage, yet as the population ages many households have empty bedrooms. Why not put them together? That is the premise of Nesterly, a new service in Boston that matches residences with extra space (and lacking companionship) with
According to The Writer’s Almanac, the first sliced bread was sold on July 7, 1928. One would think the idea would’ve caught on quickly, but this was not the case. It just shows how progress can get delayed by people who are set in their ways. Here is their account — Up until that time,
How long do you think you’ll live? You can get a pretty good idea from your lifestyle — eating right, not smoking, exercising. But what if you were told you could tell by your zip code? That’s the premise of the article “Your ZIP Code Might Determine How Long You Live—and the Difference Could Be
According to The Writer’s Almanac of June 17, 2019, the first standardized tests were administered by the College Board on this day in 1901. As both a student and educator, I thought the background of this event was so interesting, I’m going to quote the Almanac’s account in its entirety — Before standardized tests, many universities had
If you have a fear of the number 13, I have bad news — this year there are two Friday the 13ths! According to EarthSky News (https://earthsky.org/human-world/two-friday-the-13ths-in-2019, the photo came from that site) this is not unusual. Every year has at least one, and can have as many as three, Friday the 13ths. You probably
One characteristic that sets us apart from many other mammals is we walk on two legs. How that happened is probably not something you think about every day, but some scientists do. And recently those scientists have included astronomers. A paper published May 28, 2019, in the Journal of Geology advances the theory that we
I recently saw this photo on Facebook. Cute! About two days later, I ran across a newspaper article: “Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Or compost.” Apparently there really is a third way, although the shredding part is a bit extreme. Legislation has been signed in Washington state to allow human remains to be turned