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The Zika virus is spread via mosquito bites and usually results in a mild illness that includes fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes (conjunctivitis) (CDC). However, preliminary data from Brazil shows a connection between rates of pregnancy complications including microcephaly and Zika virus infections. First, it is important to note that this is still preliminary data. … Continue reading
Sometimes I am surprised when science hits me over the head during an everyday activity. I was at the Calgary Zoo a few weeks ago. One would expect that some biology may creep around the corner at you, but I didn’t really expect to see such an amazing example of refraction. You can see … Continue reading
So at the moment I am teaching about momentum and impulse in my physics class. I really like these topics because they have so many real life applications that are easy for students to see. I’ve talked about car crashes, air bags, and crumple zones. I love bringing in a variety of different sports from … Continue reading
I do remember making New Year’s resolutions in the past. It seemed like the thing to do. But I haven’t bothered in many years. In the past, they often seemed doomed to failure. I mean really, don’t I need something more than just a calendar day to make me decide and then carry out a … Continue reading
Much has been written about the consequences of the phrase throw things away. The fact that “away” seems to eliminate the problem, and visibility, of waste has been accused of contributing to our typically consumptive lifestyles. However, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of research that addresses the psychology of away. One link I … Continue reading
I remember being in junior high when my skating coach asked me why it was important to pull your arms and legs in when doing a spin. I responded by talking about surface area and resistance. It was a little more technical detail than she was expecting. If I had a choice for my science … Continue reading
I don’t like dark chocolate and I don’t really suffer from migraines. But, I have heard enough people make the connection between chocolate and migraines and caffeine and migraines that I decided to do some investigation. What intrigued me from the start is that a number of headache medications use caffeine as an active ingredient. … Continue reading
I love wrapping gifts, so I always struggle with the environmental impact of it. I do things like reuse some types of wrapping paper year after year – we had some metallic paper that worked really well for this, use cloth bags that someone made me, use regular gift bags. But these are all pretty … Continue reading
As a reaction to the mass consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday people around the world started Giving Tuesday. Last year it included 68 different countries. So we all know that giving helps other people, but can we actually help ourselves by giving? There is a lot of research to indicate that there are … Continue reading
Okay so someone in my family grated their fingerprint off. That’s right, it was enough of a chunk that they had to take the piece of fingertip to the hospital with them. So, will it grow back? Yes, but it might have a scar that becomes part of the fingerprint. Fingerprint mutilation seems to be a … Continue reading
Connecting with Science 