There’s Lead in Your Mardi Gras Beads + Other Stories
We’ve corralled the best wellness reads from around the internet—just in time for your weekend bookmarking. This week: the scary chemical that could be lurking in those Mardis Gras beads, insights into the orgasm gap between men and women, and how colon and rectal cancer are on the rise in a surprising population.
This Battery Runs on the Power of Estuaries
Civil engineers at Penn State have developed a system that capitalizes on the convergence of fresh and saltwater ecosystems to create pollution-free energy. The next challenge: Making it viable.
Colon and Rectal Cancers Rising in Young People
Though colon and rectal cancers have generally been going down, public health professionals have documented a strange uptick among patients in the under-50 set—a particularly frightening statistic, as most doctors don’t start recommending regular colonoscopies until age 50.
Do You Really Have That Disease?
Astrophysics professor Adam Frank digs into the statistics behind false negatives, and why might (strangely) be in your favor.
Rates of Orgasm by Sexual Orientation and Gender
Social psychologist Dr. Justin Lehmiller’s infographic breaks down fascinating research revealing that the well-documented orgasm gap between men and women may actually be limited to heterosexual relationships—with some helpful takeaways.
The Destructive Life of a Mardi Gras Bead
At the risk of sounding like serious wet blankets, who knew that Mardis Gras beads had lead in them? Luckily, one cool New Orleans company is hoping to change all that.
Drug-Resistant Bacteria Pose Health Threats
The World Health Organization recently published a list of the drug-resistant bacteria they deem most dangerous to human health. Unfortunately, as this article shows, attacking them makes little business sense.