experiment

Vending Machine Device Could Spark Healthier Food Choices

An associate professor of preventative medicine at Rush University Medical Center has invented a device designed to help people make better food choices. The gadget fits inside vending machines and makes buyers who purchase unhealthy snacks wait 25 seconds before their selection drops. But people who choose healthier options – like peanuts or popcorn – get their selection immediately. [1]
Source: Rush University – Bradley Appelhans

Scientists are Growing Brains in the Lab, Like 100’s of Brains

British researcher Madeleine Lancaster is growing human brains in her Cambridge University lab. A few hundred of them, in fact. That’s about 2 million neurons. [1]
No, this isn’t a Halloween gag. This sci-fi experiment is intended to help scientists understand disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
It’s not just Lancaster who is invested in growing human brains outside of the body. It’s a project being undertaken by scientists around the world.

Got Kidney Stones? A Few Roller Coaster Rides Might Help

Most people ride roller coasters for the thrill of plunging and twirling from breathtaking heights, but it seems there might also be a health benefit to this favorite amusement park attraction: passing small kidney stones. [1]
Researchers found that riding the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster at Disney World could help ease the passage of the jagged stones, which affects 1 in 10 Americans during his or her lifetime.

FDA Will Likely Release GM Mosquitoes North of Key West

Genetically modified mosquitoes designed to limit the spread of the Zika virus will likely soon be unleashed in the southern United States, as the federal government said today decided to permit a field test in the Florida Keys.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it had made a preliminary determination that the GM mosquitoes are unlikely to harm humans, animals, or the environment.