In December 2015, the Pentagon changed a rule to allow American women to serve for the first time ever in front-line ground combat troops. Women have fulfilled many military roles throughout history, including nursing; driving ambulances; handling administrative duties; working as mechanics; and serving in the WASPs, WACs, WAVES, and SPARS. More recently women are flying jets, conducting surveillance, commanding naval ships, and now fighting on the front lines. Yet no matter their official...

Stigma is everywhere around us.People may mistrust the unhoused or discriminate against those suffering from an addiction. They may change the way they interact with someone after witnessing a panic attack from anxiety or PTSD. Or they may judge others for their appearance and their weight.Stigma leads to harmful stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. It can keep people from seeking the help and support they need. They may internalize others' stigma and...

Young adults need eight to ten hours of sleep each night, yet nearly half fail to get the sleep they need, and nearly a third have fallen asleep in school due to insufficient sleep. So many Americans—both teens and adults—lack quality sleep that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls sleep deprivation a public health epidemic. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to poor performance during the day and impacts stress levels, academic performance, and physical and mental health. The...

For more than five thousand years, people all over the world have worked with pigeons to send and receive important messages. These birds carried weather reports in ancient Egypt, letters between Mongolian warriors in the 1200s, news in nineteenth-century Europe, and more.Homing pigeons became especially important during World Wars I and II. From famous pigeons such as Cher Ami and GI Joe to lesser-known birds such as No. 48, these avian heroes were crucial to war communications. T...

“The common perception of Alzheimer’s from people who haven’t experienced it is that it’s more like a ‘quirk’ which all elderly people experience at some point. But Alzheimer’s is so much more than simple forgetfulness. With the memory loss comes confusion . . . What was once the bedroom turns into a frightening place . . . . They may not recognize family members and instead see them as strangers with unknown intentions. This gives them so much stress every day that they may lash out or be...

In the twenty-first century, military marine mammals detect lost equipment and underwater mines. Large rats are trained to find land mines in more than 80 countries. Military working dogs search for explosive devices and other weapons and are trained to take down enemy combatants. In earlier centuries, military fighters rode horses into battle, relied on elephants to haul supplies, and trained pigeons to carry messages. Even cats, goats, and chickens have served in wartime—as mascots! Lear...

Drug overdosing and death from prescription painkillers and heroin are at epidemic levels in the United States. How do people become addicted to opioids and other dangerous drugs, and why? Meet the experts who study the neurology of addiction. Hear stories of addicts in recovery, and of loved ones left behind by those who died from overdosing. Discover more about the social and economic costs of overdosing and learn about scientific research to decrease it. Learn about the connection betwe...

While many scientists believed influenza would cause the next great pandemic, no one was prepared for the new strain of coronavirus that appeared in 2019. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has infiltrated every country and put global public health and the economy at risk. Health-care systems have been pushed to the limit as protective gear, life-saving equipment, tests, and vaccines are scarce and in high demand. From the initial infection to the widespread impact on daily life, ...

Throughout history, several deadly pandemics brought humanity to its knees, killing millions, and recent outbreaks of Ebola and Zika took coordinated international efforts to prevent them from spreading. Learn about factors that contribute to the spread of disease by examining past pandemics and epidemics, including the Bubonic Plague, smallpox Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Zika. Examine case studies of potential pandemic diseases, like SARS and cholera, and find out how pathogens and antibiotics w...

While in a war zone, a military working dog (MWD) and its handler live together, eat together, play together, sleep together, and risk their lives for each other every day. The dogs work with handlers in every branch of the US military. They guard military bases, sniff out concealed explosives and other weapons, and alert their handlers to hidden enemies.Learn how the military selects these special dogs and trains them for the many tasks they perform while on duty. Meet Rex, Clipper...

Are you looking for a healthy body? Quick weight loss with no dieting? Top athletic performance without breaking a sweat? Websites, infomercials, magazine ads, and celebrity tweets make an astonishing array of claims about the improvement to health and performance that will come from using dietary supplements.If you take supplements, you're not alone. The majority of Americans take at least one dietary supplement every day. Consumers have tens of thousands of supplements to choose ...

What ten things do cats collect? Never mind cats can only count to nine.