What are Dreams – and What Do They Tell Us?

Everyone loves to dream, but have you ever wondered what causes our minds to create these strange, vivid stories and what hidden meanings might lie beneath the surface? Dreams have remained a fascinating subject for centuries, even once considered to be messages from the gods. While they can be random,

The Future of Sustainable Air Travel: Can Flying Ever Be Sustainable?

Aviation is one of the largest contributing factors to climate change with almost 5% of carbon emissions globally coming from the aviation sector. To put this into perspective, this could mean 200 million people (the population of the UK, Germany and Spain combined) being displaced by climate change in 2050.

NSDR - How to Sleep Without Sleeping

Everyone loves sleep, and rightly so. Sleep has been called the foundation to physical and mental health by many experts - Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Matt Walker, to name a few. Without sleep, we become more irritable, less focused, less able to do many of the things that makes

Vitamin D and our Health

Have you ever wondered why during the winter times, you feel a little down, your bones a little sore and achy and you skin more inflamed? The answer to these problems probably lies with your low intake of Vitamin D. When we have a proper routine and meet the sun

Living together: trading genes, Allen keys and coexisting peacefully

While we think of parasites as freeloaders, who knew playing host to parasites could come with perks? From elephants and oxpeckers to worms and bacteria, nature is packed with symbiotic relationships where both parties gain from the relationship. These partnerships fall into three categories depending on who they benefit: mutualism,

The Terrifying Existence of Cordyceps

Introduction Cordyceps. A genus of parasitic fungi which is known all around due to the attention it has grabbed in the hit TV series and video game ‘The Last of Us’, showing audiences and gamers firsthand how dangerous this microscopic creature is. What most people don’t know about Cordyceps

Beyond Atoms: The Particles which Make Up the Universe

Introduction Looking around the world, we see such extraordinary creatures and objects on a daily basis. Some of us can’t help but wonder, what is everything made of? Well, lets start of with something everyone has, a human body. The human body is made up of blood, bones, organs,

The Biology of Love

Introduction Love is a weird concept. It is something that is introduced to us the second we are born into this world and it is certainly something which is different for everyone. Some people believe that it doesn’t exist, but the fact of the matter is, through science, we

The Nature of Vestigial Organs

Introduction Vestigial organs are remnants of anatomical structures that had a functional role in the organism’s ancestors. Over the course of evolutionary history, these structures have undergone significant changes, often resulting in a reduction or complete loss of their original function. Despite their diminished role, vestigial organs persist in

Stroke after Stroke: How a Stroke Happens and How to Prevent a Secondary Stroke

‘Stroke’, a word describing a string of symptoms, is closely connected with another word ‘palsy’ (paralysis), deriving from an umbrella Greek term ‘apoplexia’ (apoplexy), meaning being struck by a deadly blow. It was used by Hippocrates to describe his patients’ experiences: sudden pain, unresponsiveness and urinating without awareness. Strokes are

"Peto's paradox: how big animals don't get cancer"

There are tens of trillions of cells in our body, occasionally some of them mutate and start to divide uncontrollably, stealing nutrition from normal functional cells. These are cancer cells, and according to the NHS, 50% of us will develop cancer at some point in our lives. Statistics show that

The Truth Behind Antioxidants: What Big Pharma Doesn’t Want You to Know

Almost forty years ago, in the summer of 1981, Richard Doll and Richard Peto, epidemiologists working at Oxford University published a major paper in the science journal Nature that took the medical world by storm. Investigating multiple studies and clinical trials involving cancers of the lung as well as heart

How Can the Use of IVG be Developed Responsibly?

IVG, in vitro gametogenesis, is a frequently mentioned topic in the news and dystopian novels such as "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. But do we truly understand what it is and the potential risks that can be brought to human society? IVG is the recreated

Botox – Miracle drug or deadly bioweapon?

Undoubtedly the most popular cosmetic drug currently on the market, Botox is a trademarked therapeutic widely used to reduce facial wrinkles, but is also used in the treatment of muscle hypersensitivity, migraines and even premature ejaculation. In the USA alone, there were 7.23 million documented Botox procedures in 2017.

Chemical contortionists: the chemistry of Shape Memory Alloys

Over time, a wide variety of metals have played crucial roles in the construction of buildings and other types of infrastructure. With the constant development of modern day technology and science, the emergence of different kinds of metals such as alloys are ever-evolving, aided by the use of more advanced

Darknet: Some things you may want to know

The Internet is an ever-growing place that is often referred to as an iceberg of sorts. Above the water is the “surface web,” more commonly known as the Clearnet. This is the part of the Internet that is accessible by search engines. Every website you have visited through Google or

The Drone Penis and Friends -What Does This Tell Us About the Strange Nature of Evolution?

Before we begin, this article may come out to some people as really interesting and the rest, beyond disgusting. So if you read the title and decided it's a good idea to read the article, do so at your own risk. The whole of the article's

The Art of Tree Swinging: Why Monkeys Swing Through the Canopy

Have you ever watched in awe as monkeys effortlessly swing through the trees with grace and agility? The art of tree swinging is a fascinating behavior observed in many species of primates, serving both practical and evolutionary purposes. One of the main reasons why monkeys swing through trees is for

Pancreatic cancer and ways of treating it

Pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal diseases with a 5-year survival rate over 12% only, claims the lives of over 450,000 people every year. In this essay, we are going to dive into the origins and ways of treating pancreatic cancer.   Throughout history, the origins of pancreatic cancer

The Bioelectric Network: A New Frontier in Understanding Intelligence and Morphogenesis

Where does the line get drawn between life and machines? What is the true root of animal intelligence? Is it possible to become immortal? These are questions that are gradually being demystified thanks to the research of Dr. Michael Levin. In this article, I will go over his research, explaining

The Chemistry of Ice Cream: Achieving the Perfect Scoop with Molecular Precision

Ice cream: the sweet treat that we all love. Behind this sweet treat lies a fascinating world that bridges the gap between molecular chemistry and ice cream. There are four main components that go into the making of this treat: Emulsifiers The fat used in the making of ice cream,

Why Do Men Have Two Testes Instead of One Large One?

Introduction “Why do men have two testes instead of one large one?” This is a question that perhaps most will not have given any thought. I wouldn’t be surprised if many people live their full lives without ever even bringing this question to mind. However, it is a question

Transmitting Data Through Air: Radios

1. Introduction Have you ever wondered how wireless communication is achieved? How radio waves are used to transmit data through long distances? In this article, we will go through a brief history of radio technology, how they are invented, how they are used today, and how you might be able

The Emerging Technologies that could end the Clean Water Crisis

Introduction  Water, as we know, is simply essential for human life to function. The United Nations have even declared that the access to clean water is a fundamental human right. However, even though we may sometimes be deceived into thinking that clean water is largely accessible, especially since that more

Was Mathematics Invented or Discovered?

As human beings, we have often begun to take for granted our ability to understand and use applied mathematics. It may sometimes be difficult to comprehend how we are capable of understanding our number systems and what they represent (albeit to varying extents) whereas all other species on this planet,