Fitness And Health

The anti-vaccination movement has gained steam in the last decade, but that fear around inoculation isn't just among humans. A new study published in the Vaccine journal found that a majority of dog owners are skeptical of immunizing their furry friends.  The study surveyed 2,200 people and their opinions on routine vaccinations given to pet dogs , specifically the rabies shot. 37 percent of respondents believe canine vaccination is unsafe, 22 percent feel it's ineffective, and 30 percent find it unnecessary. As a whole, 53 percent of dog parents hold at least one of these beliefs.  “We were pretty surprised because we knew that this phenomenon would exist, anecdotally we had good reason to believe that it was, but we were pretty stunned,” study co-author Matt Motta told USA Today . “The sheer volume of people who hold these opinions was quite striking…That, to me, is pretty alarming.” As for why people might hold these beliefs when it comes to their dogs, the study found...

Researchers have made a groundbreaking finding into the reproduction habits of pearl octopus, after a real life " octopus garden " inhabited by thousands of the creatures was discovered about 90 miles south and two miles deep off the coast of central California. First recorded in 2018 by scientists from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Nautilus Live, the nest—which is the largest known aggregation of octopus on Earth—was found situated on the base of an extinct underwater volcano. Octopus tend to be solitary creatures, so to see so many huddled together on the sea floor came as a shock to the experts, to say the least.  But now they know why,  according to a new study . Over the course of three years, the research team visited the underwater nest 14 times. Using a high-resolution subsea mapping system, they created landscape-scale maps and image mosaics to confirm an initial hunch. The heat seeping from the warm, underwater hydrotherma...

A major eye drops brand has  recalled four products after evidence of bacteria was discovered. Dr. Berne’s is pulling the following products: MSM Drops five percent and 15 percent solution, Dr. Berne's Organic Castor Oil Eye Drops, and Dr. Berne's MSM Mist 15 percent solution. Food and Drug Administration testing identified bacterial and fungal contamination in one of the five percent solutions. Out of an abundance of caution, the company decided to recall all of their five and 15 percent solutions. Dr. Berne’s has confirmed two reports of adverse reactions from the items, though no details were divulged. In a statement, the FDA  told consumers to immediately stop using these products, as they "could result in minor to serious vision-threatening infection which could possibly progress to a life-threatening infection." The news comes after a bevy of eye-drop recalls this year alone. In January, the CDC told consumers to stop using EzriCare Artificial Tears after...

You might want to think again before lighting up that joint.  A new study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal outlined some concerning discoveries about regular cannabis users. The team of scientists at Columbia University began their study knowing that cannabis plants can absorb heavy metals from soil, so they sought to find just how much users take in when ingesting cannabis products.  The group looked at blood and urine samples collected between 2005 and 2018 by the National Center for Health Statistics. They found that people who reported using marijuana within the past 30 days had 27 percent higher blood lead levels than those who didn't use either marijuana or tobacco . The cannabis users also had 22 percent higher levels of cadmium in their blood. Urine samples yielded similar results.  These two heavy metals can have detrimental effects on our health. Chronic lead exposure in adults increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart probl...

Is there a film genre that prods the full range of human emotion like a great  alien flick? Otherworldly as it sounds, the best alien movies tend to move us like no other tale on the silver screen. Why? Maybe because we need to get outside of ourselves (i.e. the human race) to really see ourselves? Please discuss amongst yourselves—and feast your eyes, ears, and pulses on our nominees for the 50 best alien movies of all time. Need a good cry? Clearly, it's time to rewatch  E.T. Wanna laugh? Galaxy Quest or Starship Troopers will get you there repeatedly. Yearning to be scared out of your wits and sleeping with the lights on for the next month? Start with Alien and slowly work your way up to those chilling sequels. If it’s just a great intergalactic thrill ride you’re up for, where do we even begin? The best alien movies provide the setting for some of the most exciting, spine-tingling, and cathartic film experiences out there. Whether it’s an alien invasion on Earth, h...