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
Physiology at Home
Exercising Is “PhUn”: What Your Heart Rate Says About Your Fitness
Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week takes physiology to the classroom through scientist-student outreach. This year's PhUn Week wrapped up last Friday, but you can still continue the "PhUn" at home. Here's an activity contributed by PhUn Week mentor Patricia A. Halpin, PhD: This is a PhUn experiment that’s great to try with second to 10th graders (but adults may … Continue reading Exercising Is “PhUn”: What Your Heart Rate Says About Your Fitness
A Berry Interesting Experiment, Indeed!
Physiology Understanding (PhUn Week) takes physiology to the classroom through scientist-student outreach. Each year, more than 14,000 students learn about physiological concepts led through interactive lab experiments, such as this one as described by middle school science teacher Anne Joy: As part of our PhUn Week activities, we talk to the students about genetics and … Continue reading A Berry Interesting Experiment, Indeed!
Physiologists Share the “PhUn” of Physiology with Students This Week
Back-to-school is an exciting time. It marks the start of another school and the start of the fall season. For some physiologists, the fall signifies it is time to plan and participate in K–12 science events, such as science day, health day, science fair judging and more. One outreach activity gaining momentum among physiologists is … Continue reading Physiologists Share the “PhUn” of Physiology with Students This Week
Ouch! How Getting Hurt Hurts
If you’ve dropped a heavy object on your toe or slammed your finger in the door, you’ll notice that a sharp pain happens immediately, followed by a dull, throbbing ache later. Why the lag? It’s because two kinds of neurons—cells that relay signals between your body and brain—are working. The key difference between these neurons … Continue reading Ouch! How Getting Hurt Hurts
Getting the Most out of What You Do: Your Body’s Strategy
Life is hectic. To keep you running, your body absorbs oxygen from the air you breathe and nutrients from the food you eat. How does your body make sure it’s getting the most it can to get you through your day? Your body increases the surface that’s exposed to the air and food. In the … Continue reading Getting the Most out of What You Do: Your Body’s Strategy
How Food Snakes and Shimmies through the Digestive System
Moving food through your digestive system is not a simple process: Food does not just drop down into your stomach when you swallow. It’s actually a controlled journey coordinated by muscle cells that line the digestive tract. These cells are organized in two directions: crosswise, circling around the tract, and lengthwise, along the length of … Continue reading How Food Snakes and Shimmies through the Digestive System