Science REALLY Says

Many entrepreneurs are excited to potentially feed nearly half a million Americans yearly with a single animal cell – a possible technological solution to address mounting global protein demands. Several products have emerged to fulfill the rising need for additional protein to support a growing, hungry and increasingly upwardly-mobile population. This has resulted in more than $19 billion in investments for plant- and animal- based protein alternatives over the last decade. Through innovative animal tissue culture technology, scientists have generated samples of animal cell-based meat. Follow along with Mishi Vachev as she dives into the world of animal cell-based meat technology and progress.

Plant-based milks are non-dairy beverages made from a water-based extract of crops like soy, oat, rice, and almonds. While liquid milk is “the most consumed, processed and marketed dairy product,” the sales of alternative milks have more than doubled in the last decade. Their rise in popularity is driven further by companies claiming that their alternative milk products are more sustainable, but how do plant-based milks impact the environment, and how does that compare to dairy?

Flu season can be stressful, especially if you’re afraid of needles. But what if you could receive your flu shot as a nasal spray instead? Research shows that this may be possible for flu vaccines and other medications.

Electronic cigarettes’ popularity has sky-rocketed in the last few years, though many fear that their use poses just as large of a health concern as smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes. Others argue that vaping is a casual hobby with little to no health risk. Recent research suggests that metal may be leaching into the inhaled vapor, contributing to the health risk of e-cig use.

Trillions of microbes are in, on, and around your body. A recent study went so far as to claim that the bacteria in an infant's poop can predict cognitive development. Studies like these are often oversold, and science really says that there may be an association between the microbiome and cognitive abilities.

A few articles cited scientific theories as proof that talking to a pet indicates higher than average intelligence. Unfortunately for pet owners, talking to your pet does not indicate either higher than average intelligence or creativity. What it does signify is that you are human, and you are expressing an ancient human behavioral trait – the ability of humans to project human emotions and intentions onto non-humans.

Saying that a baby can be racist misunderstands racism and child development. The science behind these racist babies headlines is much less terrible and much more interesting. A baby's world during the first year of life is typically populated with same-race individuals, therefore exposure to a diversity of races reduces implicit bias in children and improves their ability to distinguish personal characteristics in other race individuals.

"Drinking wine makes you smarter!" As graduate students, we wish! Articles with this headline ran away with neuroscientist Dr. Gordon Shepherd's take on the complex nature of taste. His book instead investigates the intricate science of tasting.

Gluten-free diets are all the rage. Unless you're one of the less than 2% of people with Celiac disease or a wheat allergy, you probably don't need to worry about gluten. Contrary to some claims that gluten is a byproduct of modern "genetic tinkering," we've been eating gluten since the dawn of wheat domestication about 10,000 years ago. We've only been digesting gluten-related news hysteria for about the last 6 years thanks to a book called Wheat Belly.

Aging is complicated, and the majority of your cells are in constant flux. Consistent DNA replication causes the ends of the strands, called telomeres, to fray. The shorter the telomere, the older the person. But is there an association between telomere length and fertility?

News outlets reported that drinking a beer a day could prevent heart disease and stroke, however the articles missed major points about alcohol and health. While several studies have found correlations between beer or wine and good health, it's important to remember correlation does not mean causation.

Media outlets reported that mixing caffeine and alcohol has the "same effect" as cocaine. While there may be long-term consequences, this can only be ethically interpreted from studies using mice. The results from this research are therefore an approximation of what might happen if you consistently drink Vodka-Red Bulls.

Heating, refining, or storing oils can break break them down into different chemical compounds, some of which are considered carcinogenic. These compounds are not unique to oils, and studies generally focus on measuring the levels of these compounds in oils rather than determining the health risks associated with consumption.

Intelligence is hard to define and the X-chromosome is clearly important for brain development. But the inheritance of complex traits like intelligence can't be boiled down to a simple statement like intelligence is inherited from mothers.