As science progresses and changes the world around us, our food changes with it as well. Some of these changes have been beneficial. For example, technology has helped increase crop yield and make fresh produce readily available. An increased understanding of agriculture has allowed us to develop sustainable farming products. Food fortification products have become increasingly common to decrease dietary deficiencies. Yet not all advances have proven to be healthy for the body. Artificial sweeteners, which many turn to as a low-calorie solution, have been proven to be a hazard to the body.

The most basic aspects of humanity like how we walk and how we speak are the result of evolution. Around 6 million years ago, early hominins began to walk on two legs rather than four. The human brain evolved to become larger and more complex, allowing for sophisticated language and tool-making. The way in which humans have evolved explains how we live today. However, the general conception that evolutionary changes occur over millions of years is only sometimes true. Evolution can occur in under a decade which is known as microevolution.

The human body is equipped with a line of warriors to combat all types of harmful molecules and substances that the body could encounter. One of the fiercest warriors the body has to offer are T cells. T cells are white blood cells that develop from bone marrow. They play a central role in protecting our body from infection.

Scientists at UC San Diego have developed an extracellular matrix, which is basically a bunch of proteins that work together to surround the heart. Once this matrix surrounds the heart, it protects it from inflammatory cells that would ultimately damage the heart more. In this way, the material reduces inflammation in the heart and encourages the heart to repair its cells, which ultimately helps repair the scarred tissue. The scientists' trial has shown success in both rodents and pigs. This gives the team hope that a human clinical trial will be successful and are looking to start the trial as soon as possible. This treatment is so revolutionary because permanent scarring from a heart attack can occur in under six hours from when a patient first experiences that attack.

It’s become common knowledge that the keys to a healthy life include a healthy diet, consistent exercise, and reduced stress. These three practices have become gospel for doctors, nutritionists, and fitness influencers alike. However even when you factor in diet, exercise, and stress, there is something that still stands in the way: genetics. No matter how much you change your lifestyle, you can’t do anything about what’s in your genes. Or can you?

Penicillin is arguably one of the greatest human inventions. Prior to its discovery in 1928, ear infections and strep throat were considered fatal. We no longer consider an irritated ear or a scratchy throat life-threatening, much in part to our ability to fight bacterial illnesses with antibiotics. But just as humans have adapted to the threat of bacteria, bacteria have also adapted to the threat of antibiotics. In fact, Bacteria have evolved to resist the effects of antibiotics.

A genome is a complete set of DNA found in each cell and contains the information for a person’s development and function. In the past 20 years, scientists have learned that many chronic illnesses stem from a person’s genes. Thus, by sequencing the entire human genome scientists may have opened the door to earlier detection and improved treatment when it comes to diseases.

Reading minds seems like something out of a sci-fi or superhero movie. However at a lab in University of California this past fall, scientists devised a way to read words directly from a person’s brain. Scientists used electrodes, a type of brain implant, to detect neural signals that are associated with words and thoughts.

How many times have you been told you look just like your mom or dad? Familial resemblance stems from inherited characteristics, or traits. The study of trait inheritance is genetics. DNA, central to genetics, allows for traits to be passed from parent to offspring and regulates the expression of such traits. So, one would think that all DNA codes for either a trait or a function. However, as scientists have gained a deeper understanding of DNA, they have found that in fact 98% of our DNA doesn’t code for anything. This type of DNA has been dubbed “dark DNA.”