This week saw the celebration of Earth Day on April 22. The day has come and passed. Festivities took place, fundraisers nabbed thousands of donors, hippies had drum circles. It’s a glorious day with a relatively short history, dating to just 1970. But you know whose history is incredible old, reaching back to the beginning […]
Beating Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a tricky disease to say the least. Diagnosis is based on patient history, history of the disease in the family, and by observing symptoms of neurological disorder. But even then, it could be another form of dementia. In fact, the only way to truly diagnose Alzheimer’s definitively is to examine the brain post-mortem. That is, […]
April 9 1865
Today is history. One hundred and forty nine years ago, on this day, two men sat down in a court house. Both were career soldiers, graduates of West Point and veterans of the Mexican-American War. Both by now were generals—generals of armies as opposed to divisions or brigades—and both were excellent in their own ways. The general from […]
In Pursuit of the Tooth Fairy
The history of the tooth fairy is a vague one. Compared to other mythical entities we’ve come to know and love in our youths—Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny—the tooth fairy’s origins are little known. In response to this gross lack of information, a professor at the Northwestern University Dental School, Rosemary Wells undertook a massive, […]
Need to Wash Clothes? Use Urine
The history of hygiene and cleanliness is an odd one. Throughout history, different civilizations put varying levels of importance on cleanliness. Hindu texts from ancient times have some very elaborate codes of hygiene. The religion of Islam puts a serious emphasis on cleanliness for both religious services and in non-religious settings. Still the science of […]
Can Poor Oral Health Cause Obesity?
We’re finding out more and more everyday how much oral health is related to overall bodily health. When it comes to being overweight or obese, the American public has been learning more and more about unusual, seemingly unrelated things can contribute to obesity. One of the more recent assertions is that a person’s teeth can […]
5 Ways to Use Toothpaste Off Your Teeth
We all know and love toothpaste. We don’t just mean that as a dental practice. It keeps your mouth clean, there are all types of flavors nowadays and they certainly taste better than the original toothpastes that came out decades ago. But it is a little known fact that toothpaste can do far more than […]
It’s Bloody Valentine’s Day
It’s that time of year again. The time to be in the mood for love. In 2 days, that black mark of a holiday (if you’re alone and single) arrives, and to make things worse, it’s on a Friday. But what are the origins of this magical day we call Valentine’s Day? Sure, it’s general […]
Retail Stores Go Sci-Fi
12 years ago a sci-fi movie was released. Like all sci-fi movies, it featured technology that had yet to be seen. But within those 12 years, many of the technologies in that film have become, more or less, a reality. The movie we’re talking about is Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report. No, it’s obviously not PreCrime […]
Animal Bites and Stings You Should Avoid
What animal would you most like to avoid being bitten by? Shark is natural go to. 100 years ago when malaria was still a potent killer, a mosquito bite was certainly a bite to fear. There are, of course, the animals whose sheer power in their bite instills terror e.g. the lion. There are, however, […]