Category: science

Can You Really Get Sepsis from Trying on Shoes Without Socks?

~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

A young girl in the United Kingdom reportedly got an infection and developed sepsis — a potentially life-threatening condition — after going into a store and trying on shoes without wearing socks, according to news reports.

The 4-year-old girl, Sienna Rasul from South Wales, became very ill the day after trying on shoes in bare feet, according to The Sun. She was diagnosed with sepsis — an overwhelming immune response triggered by a bacterial infection — and spent five days in the hospital on intravenous antibiotics.

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Is Sleeping with a Fan On Really Bad for Your Health? | Live Science

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Scorching summer days can be tough without air conditioning, and you might find yourself searching for ways to stay cool, including using a fan at night. But is it healthy to sleep with a fan on?

Some recent headlines have made sleeping with a fan on sound downright dangerous. “Why Sleeping with Your Fan on Could Be Seriously Damaging Your Health,” read one recent headline from the Mirror. “Sleeping with a Bedside Fan Could Pose Health Risks,” read another, from LifeZette.

But experts say the reality is not that dire.

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Don’t Miss This Week’s Deep Red Blood Moon – The Longest Lunar Eclipse Of This Century | Forbes

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Take a moment this Friday, July 27th and look up at the sky toward the longest lunar eclipse of this century, a magical deep red blood moon. Earthlings around the world will be treated to a special event, a lunar eclipse lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes long, close to the theoretical longest lunar eclipse possible and the longest of the 21st century.As the moon rises on Friday, July 27th in 2018 you will begin to see the process by which the moon hides beneath the Earth’s shadow, what we call a lunar eclipse.

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Why Are There 9 Supreme Court Justices? | Live Science

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Supreme Court justice Anthony Kenneday said he’s retiring at the end of July, meaning the court will hold just eight justices until a new nominee gets confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Eight justices also manned the court between February 2016 when Justice Antonin Scalia died and Neil Gorsuch was confirmed on April 7, 2017.

However, it turns out, the original U.S. Constitution did not set the number of justices on the Supreme Court. Therefore, it was up to Congress to decide, and in 1801, it set the number at five. But things didn’t stay that way for long.

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The High Tech Gadgets You’ll Actually Want to Put Near Your Face | Elle

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Pros have long harnessed the power of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) for stealth skin enhancing with zero downtime. The three-minute at-home innovation we’re most excited about: DRx SpectraLite Faceware Pro (available in August), the brainchild of NYC dermatologist Dennis Gross, MD. The FDA-cleared mask is lined with the most powerful antiacne blue light allowed in DIY devices, plus four spectra of red light (infrared and deep red to boost collagen; light red and amber to keep skin cells healthy and reverse sun damage). The curvature of the mask around the eyes was carefully designed to fit all face shapes while still precisely targeting crow’s-feet.

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Experts say algae is the food of the future. Here’s why. | CNN Money

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I have commitment issues — with my diet.

Name the diet, and I’ve tried it. I’m currently a pescatarian with fish as my main protein source. But I’ve been a carnivore, vegetarian and vegan, too.

Oh, and I dabble in “menu of the future” items such as algae and bugs.

In the last month, I’ve had algae smoothies, algae protein bars and algae chips. It’s not because I’m a particularly adventurous eater or that I love the taste. I actually loathe the mossy flavor of algae.

I eat it because I’m a worry wart when it comes to our environment. We’ve gotten ourselves into some trouble. Our dining habits are a big part of the problem.

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No, You Probably Shouldn’t Follow Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Lectin-Free’ Diet | Live Science

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In a recent interview with NBC’s Today show, singer Kelly Clarkson said her 37-lb. (17 kilograms) weight loss was a happy side effect of a diet she followed primarily to overcome her thyroid problem.

“I literally read this book, and I did it for this autoimmune disease that I had, and I had a thyroid issue,” Clarkson said. “I’m not on medicine anymore because of this book.” And along the way, she also lost weight, she said.

Clarkson was referring to the book “The Plant Paradox” (Harper Wave, 2017) by Dr. Steven Gundry, which was published last year and was followed by a cookbook this April.

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Smartwatches Are Saving Lives, But Don’t Call Them Doctor (Yet) | Live Science

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James T. Green thought he was having a panic attack.

He took a break from work to walk around the block during a stressful day, and noticed he felt out of breath strolling up a slight incline. This isn’t normal, Green thought. He had become an avid cycler in recent months and wasn’t exactly out of shape. He sat down at his desk, and looked at the Apple Watch on his wrist.

His heart rate was through the roof, and the HeartWatch app he was using to check his pulse was flashing warnings. Maybe it was something more serious, he thought.

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Prof Stephen Hawking’s multiverse finale | BBC

~ jessicahwang1 ~ Leave a comment

Multiverse

Prof Stephen Hawking’s final research paper suggests that our Universe may be one of many similar to our own.

The theory resolves a cosmic paradox of the late physicist’s own making.

It also points a way forward for astronomers to find evidence of the existence of parallel universes.

The study was submitted to the Journal of High-Energy Physics 10 days before Prof Hawking died.

In the 1980s, the Cambridge scientist, along with US physicist James Hartle developed a new idea about the beginning of the Universe.

This resolved a difficulty with Einstein’s theory that suggested that the Universe began nearly 14 billion years ago but said nothing about how it began.

Instead, the Hartle-Hawking idea used a different theory called quantum mechanics to explain how the Universe arose from nothingness.

The idea tied up one loose end but created another – an infinite number some might say.

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