/oss/taxonomy/term/2330/all en /oss/article/medical-student-contributors/physician-only-natures-assistant <p>Although warm foods are not likely to cause the production of yellow bile and hot winds are unlikely to be the cause of your digestive issues, Greek physician Galen of Pergamum contributed significantly to our understanding of the human body and left a lasting mark on the practice of medicine. He played a strong role in establishing the experimental method in the medical field.</p> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:20:02 +0000 Daniela Padres 9817 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-medical-general-science/nobel-prize-committee-sends-message-messenger-rna-research-merits-sciences-highest-honour <p>The wall above that photocopier located at the University of Pennsylvania may eventually feature a plaque that reads something like “it was here that Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman met in 1998 and forged a partnership that would lead to millions of lives being saved by modified RNA Covid-19 vaccines and result in the duo being awarded that 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.” </p> Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9671 at /oss /oss/article/medical-history/first-canadian-nobel-prize <p>As we approach the week during which the 2023 Nobel Prizes will be announced (October 2-9, 2023), it is perhaps timely to consider the events that surrounded the first Nobel Prize awarded to a Canadian. Exactly 100 years ago, Frederik G. Banting and John R.R. Macleod, were awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for the discovery of insulin” at the University of Toronto.</p> Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:40:37 +0000 Patricia Brubaker, Ph.D., F.R.S.C. 9667 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-general-science/how-cell-makes-living <p>What is the smallest unit of life? If a living thing is like the rain, what are the raindrops it is made of?</p> <p>This question has led thinkers over the centuries to posit the existence of exotic-sounding concepts. Entelechy, monads, infusoria. If you are writing a fantasy novel and need words to describe its magical elements, taking a look at the hypotheses on the substance of life will prove inspiring.</p> Sat, 12 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9049 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-general-science/every-day-our-body-needs-demolish-billions-houses <p>Imagine waking up one day to a constant racket. You walk out of your house and see that your neighbour’s townhouse is being deconstructed. A crew is disassembling that house item by item, some of which will be reused somewhere else. You think to yourself, “At least they didn’t use a wrecking ball or my own house might not have been spared.”</p> <p>Every day, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrc2663">tens of billions of our cells</a>—the cells that make up our brain, our heart, our skin—die in a very similar process of deconstruction.</p> Sat, 19 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9032 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-health-and-nutrition/great-covid-19-immunity-test-kit <p>The kit arrives in the mail. You swab the inside of your cheek and mail it back. Two weeks later, the company emails you a report. You are told you have a 2% risk of getting COVID-19 and a 5% chance of passing the virus on to another person. The report claims these risks will never change. You decide that the risk is low enough and return to your pre-pandemic lifestyle.</p> Sat, 23 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8907 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth <p>It is a common belief that you have to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Almost everyone has heard this recommendation at some point although if you were to ask someone why you need to drink this much water every day, they probably wouldn’t be able to tell you. There is usually some vague idea that you need to drink water to flush toxins out of your system. Perhaps someone will suggest that drinking water is good for your kidneys since they filter the blood and regulate water balance.</p> Thu, 31 May 2018 18:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 7115 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/rabbits-have-hinged-skulls-and-three-eyelids <p><span>Rabbits and hares are pretty cute, but they’re also fascinating. </span></p> Thu, 29 Mar 2018 22:42:34 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6980 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/food-babe-has-no-idea-how-physiology-works <p><span>Our good friend the Food Babe has published an interesting piece of pseudoscience writing entitled ‘</span><a href="https://foodbabe.com/natural-flavors-really-bad-must-watch/">Are Natural Flavors Really That Bad? (MUST WATCH)</a><span>’. If you’re looking for the quick answer to this superfluous, click-bait title, let me tell you that it’s no: natural flavours are perfectly safe and healthy. But if you’re looking for an explanation of how taste actually works (and why her claims about natural flavours are utter nonsense), then please read on!</span></p> Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:42:03 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6927 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/instances-itching <p>The sensation of itching used to be thought of as a sort of low-grade pain response, which was detected by the same nerves responsible for finding bodily injuries. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3670709/">Recent research</a>, however, has identified special neurons that detect itching and release a signalling molecule called natriuretic polypeptide B (PPB). When this peptide was suppressed in mice, they showed no signs of itching whatsoever.</p> Wed, 10 May 2017 18:49:02 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2431 at /oss /oss/article/uncategorized/what-meant-digestion <p>The path upon which food travels, beginning with ingestion and ending with excretion, is complex and highly organized. While the body is controlled by the central and autonomic nervous systems, the gastrointestinal tract is unique as it possesses its own network of nerves: the enteric nervous system. Although the enteric system functions independently, many of the processes are highly regulated by the central and autonomic systems. Working together, these systems control our digestion abilities.</p> Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:05:52 +0000 Amanda Dunec 1646 at /oss /oss/article/general-science-you-asked/hydrogen-peroxide-bodys-best-defence-system <p>Enzymes are special protein molecules that speed up chemical reactions. But why should liver contain an enzyme that helps degrade hydrogen peroxide? Because hydrogen peroxide actually forms as a product of metabolism and can do some nasty things. It can break apart to yield hydroxyl radicals that attack important biochemicals like proteins and DNA. To protect itself, the body makes catalase, the enzyme that decomposes hydrogen peroxide before it can form hydroxyl radicals.</p> Wed, 18 Jan 2017 18:47:42 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1383 at /oss