We all want to leave a livable planet for future generations. In doing so, there are many priorities to juggle – protecting natural ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining the “ecosystem services” that keep our air, water and soil clean. At a basic level, these seemingly unrelated priorities all center on the space we take up on this planet, and how we use it. There are other major environmental …
Pregnant and (anti)depressed – Part 3: Potential Solutions?
At this point, we know that antidepressant use is skyrocketing, there are negative health effects of antidepressant use on fetal development, and we understand some of the mechanisms for how this might happen. But how should we move forward from a scientific and medical standpoint? Science! From a scientific standpoint, future directions are straight-forward: let’s gather more relevant data! A clear gap in the …
Pregnant and (anti)depressed Part 2 – A potential mechanism?
Disclaimer: I do NOT think that women should be blamed or targeted for taking antidepressants during pregnancy. Antidepressants are absolutely necessary for many people to be mentally and physically healthy individuals. I am pointing out that there may be unappreciated health consequences to antidepressant use during pregnancy, and that these should be part of the conversation. As I discussed last time, …
Pregnant and (anti)depressed – Part 1
When it comes to pregnancy, everyone is a vocal and nosy expert. “My word! You can’t have WINE when you’re expecting!” “Are you sure you should be eating that? It’s bad for the baby!” “Oh, let me rub your beautiful baby bump. Yes, isn’t that nice?” Thus, I’m reluctant to enter the already tense conversation about what expectant mothers should do with …
Plants Without Chlorophyll: It’s Easy Being Green, But Stealing is Even Easier
Featured images, left to right: pinesap, ghost plant, spotted coralroot orchid. Photos: Katie Grzesiak Plants are Plants Plants make their food with energy from the sun; that’s what is often used to define them as plants. If I want to throw my degrees around, I call them “photoautotrophs,” from the Greek for “light,” “self,” and “feed.” Photosynthesis! It’s super neat, …
Teach the Controversy
Disclaimer: This post presents more opinion than a typical Thought and Awe post, and should be taken with a larger grain of salt. Accordingly, there are no peer-reviewed citations at bottom. One of the most exasperating battlegrounds in America’s perennial “culture wars” is the high school science classroom. Every few years, some state legislature or school board decides that science education would be much …
Young blood
Centuries ago in the dark forests of Hungary, Elizabeth of Bathory preyed upon the daughters of peasants and servants in a sadistic quest for youth and pleasure. On top of torture and murder, legend has it that she bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain her youth. Crazily, she may have been onto something. There is promising research suggesting that transfusions of …
Our Nested Origins
Cover photo: Wikimedia User Thesupermat The scientific method is a powerful tool for exploring the physical realities underpinning our existence. But there’s no guarantee that we’ll like what we find once we start the exploration. The physical relationships uncovered by scientific inquiry can be joyful or disturbing, useful or esoteric, controversial or deeply satisfying. Occasionally, science can reveal truths that are just, well, a bit trippy. Endosymbioses are long …
Love your bugs
Featured image from Kelly Brogan As much as you may want to, you can’t escape germs. In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t. Humans are populated by a rich community of about 100 trillion microbes, 10 times as many cells as we have in our bodies, and weighing an estimated 3 pounds (the weight discrepancy is due to the larger size of human …
Decoding the Stories of our Ancestors: The Mile High Club
Over the last two decades, anthropologists have been decoding the history of our species through clues etched in our DNA. By taking DNA samples of people all across the world and comparing the differences and similarities in our genetic code, they have been able to trace our origins and the patterns of migration and settlement that led us to where we are today. One of …