mannamillennium

Episode 127 – ACHOO! (The Sunlit Sneeze)

Why can sunlight exposure induce sneezing? Achoo! Ever thought about why you sneezed when you stepped into sunlight? Well, this same question plagued even Aristotle himself, so much so that in The Book of Problems, he asked, “Why is it that one sneezes more after one has looked at the Sun?” His answer was thatContinue reading “Episode 127 – ACHOO! (The Sunlit Sneeze)”

Episode 123 – Why-roid

Why does an autoimmune antibody stimulate the thyroid in Graves’ disease? When we think of antibodies, such as monoclonal antibodies that target specific diseases, we often think of them as blocking receptor-ligand interactions or binding to pathogens to neutralize them. Yet in Graves’ disease, we actually find the opposite of what we would normally expect:Continue reading “Episode 123 – Why-roid”

Episode 120 – No Sleep for the Weary

Why can’t people with familial fatal insomnia fall asleep? Have you ever wondered why you feel so awful when you don’t get enough sleep? Well, that’s because it is no exaggeration when we say we need sleep to survive, so much so that we spend approximately ⅓ of our lives sleeping. Insomnia can certainly feelContinue reading “Episode 120 – No Sleep for the Weary”

Episode 118 – Extremophiles

How does a bacterial species called Deinococcus radiodurans withstand extreme levels of radiation? What comes to mind when we say tiny but mighty? Well, if Deinococcus radiodurans didn’t cross your mind, maybe it will earn your respect after this segment, so much so that it may come to mind the next time someone asks youContinue reading “Episode 118 – Extremophiles”

Episode 113 – From Vessel to Bone

Why does calcium deposit in blood vessels? Ever heard of bone forming inside blood vessels? Even if you haven’t heard it expressed in those exact words, you most likely have come across the concept of vascular calcification. And in certain instances, fully formed bone is precisely the endpoint of calcium deposition in vessels. The earliestContinue reading “Episode 113 – From Vessel to Bone”