Piles of bodies. Coffin shortages. Mass graves. The great influenza pandemic infected roughly one in three people—and killed tens of millions of victims around the world. The virus was, in many ways, something that nobody in the medical field had seen before. Victims experienced symptoms so suddenly, and so violently, that many could pinpoint the […]
The Secret Force that Shapes Our Lives
Liars use math to trick people all the time. Knowing how to spot the potential for deception is half the battle. In The Math of Life and Death, mathematician Kit Yates demonstrates how math underpins everything from medical screening to newspaper articles. In articles and advertisements, for example, statistics might be used to inform or mislead readers. How […]
Go Ahead, Eat that Steak
In the Western world, 87.8 percent of people have some degree of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. According to The Carnivore Code, that number is a good indication of how unhealthy we are—and why we need to eat more animal foods. Think of it this way: from an evolutionary perspective, a carnivorous diet was an integral part of […]
Can Drugs Make You More Religious?
Twenty-seven percent of Americans consider themselves to be spiritual. But they shy away from organized religion and places of worship. The younger generation, it seems, is looking for something different. And experiments with psilocybin at schools like Johns Hopkins and New York University may be pointing the way toward a new mysticism based on ancient […]
Can You Spot a Psychopath?
A mysterious manuscript led journalist Jon Ronson into the heart of the “madness industry,” where he talked to some of the top psychologists and neurologists who study psychopaths. Ronson’s investigation introduced him to a researcher with an interesting idea: that murderous criminals and corporate executives share many of the same psychological traits. The main difference is […]
The Truth About Diabetes
A dietary disease requires a dietary cure. This principle is the foundation of The Diabetes Code, Dr. Jason Fung’s natural strategy for combining nutrition and intermittent fasting to address Type 2 diabetes. More than 90 percent of diabetes cases worldwide are Type 2, which is characterized by insulin resistance. When left unchecked, diabetes can wreak havoc […]
Can Dogs Read Minds?
Have you ever sensed that your dog can read your mood? It’s not an illusion—science suggests that your pet can tune in to your emotional wavelength. One reason that dogs have survived so long as a species is because they evolved to understand humans. Think about it: humans depend on the ability to read one […]
Be a Better Control Freak
Research shows that feeling in control—not necessarily being in control—helps determine how happy and successful you are. People who have a sense that their actions shape their fate are less stressed, in life and at work. Feeling in control will help you communicate better, solve problems faster, and feel more motivated. It might even improve your health. […]
Are You at Risk for a Microsleep Event?
You probably know that not getting eight hours’ sleep every night can damage your long-term health outlook. But sleep deprivation also puts you at risk for microsleep events: brief, involuntary lapses in attention that can be extremely hazardous. Microsleep carries a clear risk for drivers, but even people who seldom drive or operate heavy machinery […]
The Secret to Aging Well
Telomeres are a hot topic among health and wellness researchers. Telomeres are cap-like structures at the end of each chromosome that have the capacity to accelerate or decelerate the aging process, depending on your lifestyle choices. Diet, sleep hygiene, and exercise all play a role. Telomeres shorten as we age, with longer telomeres indicating good health, and […]
