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
Animals
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
Walking and the Brain, Aromatherapy for Horses and a Whole Lot More!
Physiology, the study of function from microscopic cells to complete organ systems, encompasses a wide range of fascinating topics. The annual Experimental Biology (EB) meeting is a showcase for thousands of researchers studying humans and animals alike. Check out some of the research presented at last month’s meeting in Chicago: Most people know that walking … Continue reading Walking and the Brain, Aromatherapy for Horses and a Whole Lot More!
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
Of Ice Swims and Mountain Marathons (and So Much More)
If you regularly read this blog, you may know that the research questions that physiologists ask relate to wide range of topics—cells, tissues and organs, insects and animals, and how the environment influences all of these things. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the annual Experimental Biology meeting. This year, thousands of physiology-based research … Continue reading Of Ice Swims and Mountain Marathons (and So Much More)
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