While walking through Santiago, Chile, you are likely to come across at least one of the countless wandering dogs that live on the busy streets. Homeless dogs are a normal part of Santiago’s culture. They are quick to make friends with anyone who offers a welcoming hand or food. They are not quick, however, to … Continue reading Dog Gazing: Attachment between Hound and Human
Animals
What Animals Can Teach Humans about Muscle Maintenance
We all know the saying “use it or lose it.” Your muscles and nerves are no exception. When people are not active, whether it’s because of bed rest, spinal cord and nerve injury, or other reasons, two big problems arise. First, the muscles shrink by losing protein (a state called atrophy). Second, nerve cells have … Continue reading What Animals Can Teach Humans about Muscle Maintenance
Not Horsing Around: Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding
Choosing your favorite part of a trip can be a difficult decision for travelers. I had countless unforgettable and unique experiences during a recent four-week trip to Chile. One excursion that stands above the rest was a weekend trip to San Pedro de Atacama in Northern Chile. I was studying with a group of students … Continue reading Not Horsing Around: Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding
Bring on Winter! (But Stay Safe and Healthy)
Winter officially begins next week with the winter solstice—the day of the year with the fewest hours of sunlight—on Dec. 21. With the cold weather and shorter days, you might be tempted to curl up under a blanket until the spring thaw. Whether you plan to hibernate or get outside to enjoy the chill, … Continue reading Bring on Winter! (But Stay Safe and Healthy)
If Only Birds Could Compete in the Summer Games
Endurance is a hard-won characteristic of many elite athletes and is vital to winning most sporting competitions. If great frigatebirds could compete this summer, they would certainly take home a medal for endurance flight. Frigatebirds are large sea birds with wingspans of more than six feet across. They are really good at gliding and can … Continue reading If Only Birds Could Compete in the Summer Games
The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
Rapamycin, a drug used to prevent organ transplant rejection, may also turn back time—in dogs at least. A study is underway to see if rapamycin can delay aging in dogs, and the puppy-like energy of one canine participant, eight-year-old Bela, gives some hope that the drug might work. Rapamycin is one of several drugs prescribed … Continue reading The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
Running a Thousand Miles Can Be Exhausting. How Do Iditarod Sled Dogs Do It?
Have you ever had a morning where you just did not have the energy to go out for your five-mile run? What if you woke up in New York City and had to run to Miami? That is the distance Alaskan Huskies run every year at the annual Iditarod sled dog race. How these amazing … Continue reading Running a Thousand Miles Can Be Exhausting. How Do Iditarod Sled Dogs Do It?
Football Safety Tips from Birds? How Woodpeckers Avoid Concussions after Head Impact
The NFL has been under a lot of heat over concussion injuries in its players and the long-term brain injury and health impacts. With the size of the player and the speed he runs, it’s not hard to imagine the sheer force and damage that can occur from even a single collision. Woodpeckers, though, bang … Continue reading Football Safety Tips from Birds? How Woodpeckers Avoid Concussions after Head Impact
Too Cold Outside? Try Out Polar Mammals’ Methods of Staying Warm
If temperatures in the teens (or the 50s for the warmer climates) make you grumble, be glad you’re not a mammal living in the Arctic or around Antarctica. These animals face much colder air temperatures of -40 to -76 degrees Fahrenheit. While humans bundle up with thick sweaters and jackets to get through the winter … Continue reading Too Cold Outside? Try Out Polar Mammals’ Methods of Staying Warm
A New Meaning for ‘Food Baby’: How the Burmese Python Digests Big Meals
Thanksgiving dinner can leave the stomach feeling and looking stuffed beyond capacity. The Burmese python goes beyond the post-meal bulge: Its intestines and other organs grow too, and these changes happen within days of eating. A recent study in Physiological Genomics examined how the organs can grow so much so soon. The Burmese python takes … Continue reading A New Meaning for ‘Food Baby’: How the Burmese Python Digests Big Meals