Surprising Science — March 7, 2014

You Are a “Planet Earth” for Microbes

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Think you’re human? Think again. You’re more microbe than human according to this animated video by NPR. Before any germaphobes jump into a bath of sanitizerknow that the kingdoms of germs that cover our bodies are good for us. Without them, we would get sick. Microbes also help us regulate our bodily functions.

Watch this video from It’s Okay to Be Smart about your countless microbes and make peace with being a host:

Image credit: Filter Forge/Flickr

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View of Earth rising over the Moon’s surface against a black space backdrop, captured during an Apollo mission.

Thinking

What if we’re alone? The philosophical paradox of a lifeless cosmos

If humanity lives in an otherwise barren Universe, we’ll have to forge philosophy that fills the void.

Five people stand or sit around a large, ominous hole in the ground, under a cloudy sky, reflecting on their struggles and supporting each other in raising mental health awareness.

Neuropsych

“Awareness” overload: How TikTok’s mental health content goes off the rails

Mental health awareness is more widespread than ever. Some professionals think it may have gone overboard — especially on TikTok.

A close up image of a group of pink bacteria on a black background.

Neuropsych

The growing link between microbes, mood, and mental health

Research suggests that to maintain a healthy brain, we should tend our gut microbiome.

a woman holding a rainbow colored kite in the air.

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: What is a woman?

If you think you know what sex, gender, and “the right thing to do” for trans youth and adults are, be sure it agrees with actual science.

Leadership

Slack’s CEO Stewart Butterfield: These questions could save teams billions of hours each year

“The digital HQ – the digital infrastructure that supports productivity and collaboration – actually became more important than the physical HQ.”

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