Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “biology”
Ok this article just blew me away because since evolution means that oranisms adjust over time to the environment they are in and the forces upon them there is new evidence that cells “When the cells are placed on a flat surface, they align themselves and form structures similar to a field of wheat where the wind has passed through: …
This last year I discovered a wonderful podcast that opened my eyes to what my vision is truly capable of. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 8 or 9 I think and this podcast is the first to really connect with how glasses and bad eyes in general separate you from the world and change the way you live. …
In this engaging lecture the speaker Eleanor Maguire explains through demonstrations some of the peculiarities of memory to show that we often do not remember things exactly as they occurred yet we often believe we do. I learnt a lot about human memory years ago at school and it has stuck with me ever since because I know what it …
Oh my am I loving this lecture from the royal institute and Daniel Dennett. It is bringing to life so many of the thoughts and ideas I have had over the years of learning how humans work. How the brain works is just such a fascinating topic and Daniel has taken a unique and engaging approach to presenting his ideas. …
A friend of mine ask me about GORD and I have to admit I had no idea what it is so after my friend explained what it is I naturally went and did a little research. Heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) according to NIDirect.gov.uk is: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common condition, where acid from the stomach leaks …
Just WOW!!! After reading this article Scientists Discover That Chromosomes Are Fluid I cannot see genes and chromosomes the same again. Through these experiments, the scientists were able to see that the range of forces exerted naturally in the nucleus – for example by enzymes replicating DNA – is sufficient to substantially alter the conformation of a chromosome. This major …
I’ve always wanted to understand how the body works. The more I understand my body the easier my life gets. That’s what I’ve found. I’ve always wanted to share this knowledge but I’ve found it really difficult because the tools to do so just aren’t there. For example I always like to show how a little activity each day helps …
Over time I am learning that I can’t prevent colds but I can make them infinitely more bearable. All the main symptoms of cold that make them so difficult come not from the cold itself but the bodys immune system response to it. Essentially it’s the build up of phlegm and it’s removal that cause most of the aches and …
TWIV is short for This week in Virology and is a podcast I have been listening to for years. Hosted by Vincent Racaniello it covers any thing related to viruses and this episode with Cedric Feschotte specifically explore the latest research on horizontal gene transfer which Cedric is calling mobile DNA. Horizontal gene transfer is now considered a key part …
I have a ton of research and links on this site about the brain, mind, brain health, sleep and so many other things brain related but I do not have a central introductory post on the brain that acts as a starting point links to everything else. So here it is. Even writing this basic stub I notice how much …
My knee has been clicking a lot recently and so to reassure myself I had a quick google and thankfully this time I got a more detailed answer than I expected with key new research that built on the myths we all know of bubbles popping and other things. I titled this article joints and not knees because I feel …
Immunity is very much a hidden super power which we only really appreciate when we get sick. It is a shame because without our immune system working around the clock in every part of our body we just would not be able to survive. Most people know that their immune system fights off the common cold and basic infections but …
Time is my enemy right now but I wanted to share the article how Abnormal metabolism is at the heart of some serious health problems (such as obesity, diabetes and cancer) as a reference others will find useful. My intention is to review this seminal article but I just haven’t had the time. It is also behind a pay wall …
I found this fascinating article In the Human Brain, Size Really Isn’t Everything – NYTimes.com in the NY times describing research by a couple of brain researchers with a theory to explain why human brains are different from mammalian brains. It is not proven but it is fascinating to think about the reasons why we humans are that bit special. …
Workouts are how you get strong right? Wrong!!! Yep, despite all the emphasis on lifting weights, running and all manner of ways to push your body not one of these things actually makes you stronger.
Cholesterol gets a lot of bad publicity but the truth is that it is an essential part of all cells and so it is no real surprise that it is abundant in the human body. The prevailing theory is that cholesterol is the cause of modern diseases but how strong is the evidence to support this theory? and what, if anything …
How and why we move is a fascinating topic. We have long known that muscle movement is coordinated through systematically triggering muscles. The trigger pattern determines the type of movement produced. New research has uncovered how this pattern is widespread throughout the brain structures involved with movement. Synchrony is critical for the proper functioning of the brain. Synchronous firing of …
In the last post I asked Why train your nerves? It was a precursor to explaining the value of a healthy and strong nervous system to athletic performance. In fact it is little known that the reason sedentary people improve so much when they begin exercising is because their nervous system adapts very quickly. The reason for the inevitable plateau is …
For many years I’ve noticed the forgotten aspect of training your nervous system and the adaptations it makes to support your activity underpins all the improvements you see. I read a beautiful research article named how brain cells change their tune and I felt it was time to explain mytheory that learning a skill depends on training our nerves.
Everyone seems to assume that your mind must degrade with age. I’ve never seen convincing evidence for that. I simply see that increasing age requires increasing maintenance since our parts and code get old. In otherwords, You are only as old as the lifestyle you live. So it is that I am good at finding evidence that shows this to …