The sensation of sound occurs when the vibrations from sounds enter our ear and cause little hairlike structures – called hair cells – within our inner ear to move back and forth. The hair cells transform this movement into an electrical signal that the brain can use.
Why the US has higher drug prices than other countries
Spending on pharmaceuticals is on the rise worldwide. And it well should be. Today, we are able to cure some diseases like hepatitis C that were virtual death sentences just a few years ago. This progress required significant investments by governments and private companies alike. Unquestionably, the world is better off for it.
Did we evolve to pick our phones over our partners?
How much is a robot life worth?
How your genes could affect the quality of your marriage
A pill for loneliness? If only it were that simple
Does cannabis cure cancer? We asked an expert
For thousands of years people have used cannabis for recreational, ritualistic and medicinal purposes. In the modern era, the latter property excites a lot of people, and there is no shortage of wild claims about the supposed medical benefits of the plant. Of all the claims, perhaps the most bold is the assertion that cannabis can cure cancer.
Our artificial cornea breakthrough could lead to self-assembling organs
Beer before wine and you’ll feel fine? No you won’t says new study
Skipping breakfast may help you lose weight - what hunter gatherers can teach us
Breakfast, we are told, is the most important meal of the day. Over the last 50 years, we have been bombarded with messages extolling the health benefits of processed cereals and porridge oats. We are told breakfast helps us reduce weight by speeding up our metabolism – this helps us avoid hunger pangs and overeating later in the day.
New pill can deliver insulin
Health Check: do we really need to take 10,000 steps a day?
Regular walking produces many health benefits, including reducing our risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. Best of all, it’s free, we can do it anywhere and, for most of us, it’s relatively easy to fit into our daily routines. We often hear 10,000 as the golden number of steps to strive for in a day. But do we really need to take 10,000 steps a day?
Want to improve your mood? It’s time to ditch the junk food
What causes depression? What we know, don’t know and suspect
Alzheimer’s is linked to gum disease – but bad oral health is not the only culprit
Researchers find that sea air might help in the fight against cancer and cholesterol
What would happen if hospitals openly shared their prices?
Antibiotic resistant ‘superbug’ genes found in the High Arctic
Eight myths about meal-replacement diets debunked
Meal-replacement diets, where some meals are replaced with soups, shakes or bars, have been making a comeback. They first took off during the early days of space travel when the public became obsessed with the idea of a nutritionally complete meal in a single drink or bar. These products remained popular for most of the 70s and 80s, but gradually fell from favour as people began to question the health benefits of these diets.
Morning or night person? It depends on many more genes than we thought
Do you prefer to rise early with the lark or stay up late with the owl? Your preference turns out to be partly decided by your genes. Our genetic study of nearly 700,000 people has revealed new insights about the genetics of chronotype – our preference to rise early or sleep late – and how it influences our mental and physical health.