What Happens in the Brain After a Concussion

New scientific studies have shown what specifically happens to the brain when it is impacted by a concussion. For a long time, scientists have had great difficulty with observing the brain because of the thickness of the skull. Similarily, if one were to open the skull, the readings would no longer be accurate. But the scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have been able to uncover better observations of the brain simply by shaving the skull so that it is thin enough for microscopic lenses to be able to look through it. These new discoveries have found that brain damage occurs when the membranes surrounding the brain are destroyed, and specialized immune cells are released to the brain. However, these cells take a long time to reach the brain, and many brain cells die off by the time the cells reach the brain. Through this study, scientists may be able to understand concussions better, and be better prepared to aid someone who has one.
Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/what-happens-in-the-brain-after-a-concussion/?ref=science&_r=0

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS

We have no exact prediction about the future of our population growth. People have made guesses, but have never been correct. Thomas Malthus in the 1800s, for example, believed the human population will be always kept in check by war, pestilence, or “inevitable famine,” when the population was at one billion. Then in 1968, Paul Ehrlich published “The Population Bomb,” believing that the population will reduce significantly due to starvation. The population stood at 3.5 million at this time. However, he was wrong again. The population continued to skyrocket, and today we have over 7 billion people living on this planet. The UN believes that the estimate of humans in this world will level off at around 9 billion in 2050. Yet, we are still unsure if this is accurate enough. While we see signs in some developed countries slowing down rates of growth, some developing countries are still rising in numbers, contributing to more people on the planet.

source: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/10/24/111024taco_talk_kolbert

DDT exposure linked to obesity in later generations

As the title suggests, there is a direct link between the DDT insecticide and susceptibility to obesity. Michael Skinner of Washington State University has done research of DDT on rats, and has discovered significant increases in obese rats at the third generation of exposure to DDT in comparison to the first and second generations.  This discovery thus leads to a possible conclusion to our current problems in obesity, as well as other diseases, such as kidney disease, testes abnormalities, and polycystic ovarian disease.  According to Skinner, DDT exposure triggered epigenetic changes in rats, and altered DNA expression. This mutation was then passed on to the next generations. It is very important, however, to recognize that DDT has been able to control malaria in Africa, and the eradication of this insecticide could potentially kill millions of lives. Therefore, we must make a vital decision about the future use of this substance banned in the United States.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/23/ddt-exposure-linked-to-obesity-in-later-generations/