How does caffeine keep us awake? – Hanan Qasim
Over 100,000 metric tons of caffeine are consumed around the world every year. That's equivalent to the weight of 14 Eiffel Towers. Most of this caffeine is consumed in coffee…
How sugar affects the brain – Nicole Avena
Picture warm, gooey cookies, crunchy candies, velvety cakes, waffle cones piled high with ice cream. Is your mouth watering? Are you craving dessert? Why? What happens in the brain that…
Why is being scared so fun? – Margee Kerr
Somewhere right now, people are lining up to scare themselves, maybe with a thrill ride or horror movie. In fact, in October of 2015 alone, about 28 million people visited…
How stress affects your brain – Madhumita Murgia
Are you sleeping restlessly, feeling irritable or moody, forgetting little things, and feeling overwhelmed and isolated? Don't worry. We've all been there. You're probably just stressed out. Stress isn't always…
How the food you eat affects your gut – Shilpa Ravella
Trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi live on or inside of us, and maintaining a good, balanced relationship with them is to our advantage. Together, they form the gut microbiome,…
Which type of milk is best for you? – Jonathan J. O’Sullivan & Grace E. Cunningham
If you go to the store in search of milk, there are a dizzying number of products to choose from. There’s dairy milk, but also plant-based products. To turn a…
The dangers of mixing drugs – Céline Valéry
Which of these three people is doing something risky? Is it the one who takes their cholesterol medication with grapefruit juice? The one who takes Acetaminophen pain relievers for a…
What happens to your brain during a migraine – Marianne Schwarz
A throbbing, pounding headache. Bright zigzagging lines across your field of vision. Sensitivity to light, lingering fatigue, disrupted sleep. A migraine can include any of these symptoms. While an incapacitating…
Why do we itch? – Emma Bryce
You're standing at the ready inside the goal when suddenly, you feel an intense itch on the back of your head. We've all experienced the annoyance of an inconvenient itch,…