February 3, 2018

Fact of the Day: Did you know that Jin of BTS has EDS? Symptoms include hypermobile joints, risk of dislocations, and arthralgia. In Jin's case, he has the swan neck deformity. There is also a vascular form (mutations in COL3A1 so type III collagen). Symptoms include arterial aneurysm, dissection and rupture, and bowel rupture. If I don't remember this on the day of the exam, I will be quite unhappy with myself.

August 21, 2017

Did you know that the endometrium can grow in places besides the uterus? In endometriosis, the tissue can end up growing around the vagina, fallopian tubes, bladder, rectum, and even the lungs. Normally during menstruation, the endometrium sheds and the extra tissue exists via the vagina. However in endometriosis, the tissue doesn’t always have an exit. So it ends up causing internal bleeding, tissue damage, pain, scar tissue formation, bowel and urinary problems, and even infertility. 

June 17, 2017

Did you know that in Cambodia, the level at which you hold your hands up is correlated with the amount to respect you show? Sampeah is the traditional form of greeting. You place your palms together (like for Reverse Phalen's Test). Hands are held at chest level when greeting friends, at chin level when greeting superiors and teachers, at nose level when greeting parents or grandparents, and at eyebrow level when greeting monks and royalty. So the higher the hands, the more respect. Similarly in Japan, the level at which you bow is correlated with respect. The deeper the bow, the more respect you show. Cool huh? You can also say hello and goodbye when you hold your hands up. In Khmer, hello is choum reap sor and goodbye is choum reap lir.

April 12, 2017

Did you know there is a Rat Island? Actually there are two of them! One is located in Alaska and the other in New York. The island in Alaska was named Rat Island because it became infested with rats after a Japanese shipwreck in 1780. The invasive species caused a drop in native bird populations. In 2007, the US FWS launched a campaign to eradicate all the rats. Now that the island is rat-free, it is called Hawadax Island. As for the Rat Island in New York...we're not really sure how it got its name. Some say it was where escaping prisoners (who were called rats) from Hart Island fled to. Pelham Penthouse, a quarantine hospital for yellow fever patients, was built on island in the 1800s.

April 9, 2017

Did you know that there's sushi made of fish sperm? Although the entangled appearance of shirako (白子) makes it look like a brain, it's actually the sperm sac from fishes like the cod, salmon, anglerfish, and pufferfish. It has a salty creaminess that some enjoy. Japanese cuisine isn't the only one to use milt. Herring milt is served in a traditional Russian dish!

December 29, 2016

Did you know that the largest ant in the world can grow to about an inch or inch and a half? In addition to its large size, the Dinoponera (giant Amazonian ant) is equipped with strong venom. Its sting is known to cause pain that can last for 2 days. Like with many insects, males tend to get the short end of the stick. After copulation, the queen ant will bite through the male's gaster (part of its abdomen) and pulls out the genital capsule so that it may serve as a sperm plug. Ouch...

November 16, 2016

Did you know that maggots can live in your mouth? Myiasis is a condition in which fly larvae infest and feed on the tissue of a living host. I thought this condition would only happen when there was broken skin, but apparently the mouth works too. When someone sleeps with their mouth open, the flies can be attracted to the smell of their breath. However this is more applicable in tropical areas where oral hygiene isn't important. Other risk factors include dental extractions and infections. Eeps!

November 14, 2016

Did you know that carnations are not only perfect for Mother's Day, but as a snack too? Yup! You can eat carnations. They are said to have a peppery, spicy taste. You can add them to a salad, place them in wine, or even candy them for desserts. Yum!

November 12, 2016

Did you know that there are spiders that look like the black widow? The false black widow spider is smaller and a bit paler in color than its cousin, the black widow. They are quite common in the United Kingdom and do bite humans, but only when humans disturb them. Are those bites deadly? Not really. There is swelling and pain, but the symptoms are less severe than those associated with the black widow's bite. What's so awesome about these little guys? Some of them eat the BLACK WIDOW!

November 11, 2016

Did you know that the stoat is capable of killing prey much larger than itself? The stoat looks like a large weasel with a black tip on its tail. During the winter, its fur changes from a light brown to a majestic white. As cute as it is, this little guy isn't a picky eater. It has been caught grabbing baby birds from nests and hunting down rabbits a lot bigger than itself. The stoat is known to "surplus kill" where it kills more prey than it can eat so it can store the leftovers for later.

October 4, 2016

Did you know that the tailless whip scorpion is pretty harmless? Although called a scorpion (and sometimes a spider), the tailless whip scorpion is actually an amblypigid. An amblypigid is still considered an arachnid, but it uses it's front two legs as feelers. In addition to those two front feelers, there are six long walking legs and thorny pedipalps that give the scorpion it's threatening appearance. But no worries, the scorpion produces no venom or toxins. It can bite but would prefer not to. Even if you did get bitten, it would be as if you got pricked by a thorn.

October 3, 2016

Did you know that the "Big Lick" walk, prized in horse show competitions, can be the result of soring? Some owners and trainers like to show off their horses' high kick trots. However to make the movement more exaggerated, some trainers resort to soring. This process involves exposing the sensitive tissue around the horse's feet to pressure and having them stand on platform shoes (stacks) embedded with nails for extra weight. Some trainers also rub diesel or kerosene around the ankles, and then tie weights around them. As a result, the horse kicks its feet up high when it walks.

September 13, 2016

Did you know that any female bee larvae can become queen? In fact, the selection process is pretty random. When it comes time to choosing a new ruler for the hive, worker bees select several female larvae and provide them with large amounts of royal jelly. Future drones and worker bees are only given a small amount of royal jelly. They are fed the secretion as it's produced. However the future queen bees are bathed in it and their royal jelly contains royalactin. The royalactin turns on the genes that will have the larvae develop into a fertile females.

September 2, 2016

Did you know that bear bile can be used as medicine? Bear bile has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries. It contains ursodeoxycholic acid which can be used to dissolve gallbladder stones when surgery cannot be used. However just because it works doesn't mean black bears should be stuffed into small cages and have needles poked into their gallbladder to extract the bile. Like with pangolin scales, there are herbal alternatives. Although bear bile farms have been found in both China and Vietnam, the practice is only illegal in Vietnam. Luckily in a 2011 poll, 87% of the Chinese people disagreed with the practice. Traditional medicine experts even stated that a lack of bear bile would not harm anyone.

September 1, 2016

Did you know that there are scaly mammals? The pangolin's body is covered in keratin scales (your hair and nails of made of that same material). When threatened, the pangolin can roll up in a ball. Don't confuse that with the armadillo which has a leather shell made of plates of dermal bone. The pangolin is hunted for bushmeat and medicine. Because of hunting and deforestation, many species of pangolin are endangered. Despite international efforts to ban pangolin scale and meat trade, illegal trafficking still exists in East Asia (and Africa) due to the belief that pangolin scales can cure cancer and help with lactation issues. Despite several Chinese medicinal experts listing other herbs that have the same effect, demand for pangolin scales has only grown.

August 21, 2016

Did you know that some individuals have to battle dry, flakey skin all the time? Many people have experienced dandruff and skin rashes during the cold winter, but individuals affected by psoriasis have to deal with much more. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes the skins cells to multiply rapidly, causing red plaques to form and layers of dead skin cells to build up. It is as if the skin is covered with silver scales. Unfortunately there is no cure, only treatments. Topical ointments can help promote the shedding of the scales and alleviate itching. Other treatments include phototherapy and systemic treatments (pills and injections).

August 10, 2016

Did you know that zebrafish can glow in the dark? The zebrafish is a great model organism for research. It produces offsprings every week (spawning occurs during the morning), has transparent embryo (so we can observe them), and shares 70% of our genes. It's also a popular aquarium fish because of its robust nature. To make zebrafish even more popular, Yorktown Technologies genetically modified them to be different colors and glow in the dark. Thus they are called GloFish. They are the only genetically modified animal available to the public in the US.

July 28, 2016

Did you know that Caterpie is based on the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar? Its swollen thorax is green and decorated with two large spots. These spots and the large thorax make the caterpillar's body look like a head. When the caterpillar is attacked, its osmeterium (a fleshy organ that releases smelly odors) becomes inverted and protrudes out of its head. It makes the caterpillar resemble a snake's head. Now to test if you're really a Pokemon fan...what color is the osmeterium?

July 25, 2016

Did you know that you can make ice cream out of fish? Akutaq, or Eskimo ice cream, is a traditional dish of the native people of Alaska. This dessert can be made of reindeer fat, seal oil, ground fish, snow, and fresh berries. (No wonder the name translates to mixed them together.) The dish is usually served during ceremonies. Each family has their own unique recipe and you can lose social standing if you're caught making more than one kind of akutaq.

July 24, 2016

Did you know that white tuna sushi may not actually be made of white tuna? Escolar (occasionally called butterfish) is sometimes used as a substitute. Although delicious and much cheaper than the white tuna, the escolar is full of wax esters. Those esters cannot be digested by humans, and so end up acting like laxatives. Those who have eaten the fish reported symptoms such as cramping, nausea, and explosive diarrhea. That may be why Japan and Italy banned it.