Sharks get a bad rap in most media. On the very rare occasions when a shark attacks a human, even when there are warnings that sharks are in the area, the sharks are at fault and anti-shark campaigns show up all over the place. Yes, sharks do attack humans and it's often a very sad and tragic event. However, numerous myths surround just who sharks truly are. And, there are many different species of these incredible fishes, 509 as of now, so speaking about "the shark" is very misleading. Only around 30 of these 509 species are known to have bitten humans without provocation and only 11 species have been identified as causing fatalities. I always want to learn more about sharks, so I was pleased to receive a new book by marine biologist and shark expert Dr. Blake Chapman titled Shark Attacks: Myths, Misunderstandings and Human Fear . Source: With permission of the publisher I reached out to Dr. Chapman to see if she could take the time to answer a few questions and … [Read more...] about Shark Attacks: Myths, Misunderstandings, and Human Fear
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Will AI Replace Coaches and Psychologists?
Empathetic AI? Source: Photo by Owen Beard on Unsplash with Meg Price I recently heard that coaches and helping professions like social workers are considered the last refuge against the ‘fact’ AI. But now AI is learning so fast it can theoretically learn and replace any human task. Even being empathetic ! Research from Harvard University recently suggested coaching can soon be automated. AI comes in many forms, from those little chatbots on websites to Alexa and many other automations that are proactive like the programs in Tesla that the driver talks to. But advances in conversational AI means we can now have conversations with technology that makes us ‘feel’ we are talking to a human that really listens and responds ‘intelligently’. So what? People still want to connect to people! The work of a coach or health care professional requires extensive professional, empathic, psychological, and other skills like human intuition . How could these … [Read more...] about Will AI Replace Coaches and Psychologists?
The Connection Between CLOCK Genes and Binge Drinking
Binging Source: Joseph Mazur Many organisms perform best at certain hours of the day. Almost all animals, insects, and plants rely on some internal rhythm that we could call an internal clock that connects to the external events of sunlight and moonlight. Bees know the time of day purely from the sun’s position even though their movements change from day to day. Birds use innate migration routes to navigate, and so do many insects. There are trees whose leaves close at night, open at sunrise, and completely unfold by noon. The physiology of many organisms follows the time of day without external cues. And we know that all organisms adjust to seasonal variations of daylight from hidden cues. We are a bundle of clocks built from a feedback loop system that operates by a specific gene expression with a relatively short half-life. In essence and generality, the loop simply behaves like this: The quantity of A molecules increases, reaching a threshold that creates B molecules … [Read more...] about The Connection Between CLOCK Genes and Binge Drinking
Does Dementia Cause Falls?
Falls are due to medical or environmental causes Once you consider all the different reasons that individuals may end up falling, it’s actually remarkable that it doesn’t happen more frequently. Falls are no laughing matter. When someone falls and breaks a hip, it all too frequently leads to a downward spiral ending in disability and possibly even death. Below are just some of the reasons that older adults might fall even if they don’t have dementia . Medical causes Medication side effects Drowsiness Poor vision Dizziness, vertigo, and inner ear disease Muscle weakness Neuropathy Strokes affecting balance or walking Parkinson’s disease and related disorders Forgetting to use cane or walker Poor judgment of when it is safe to walk Needing to move quickly, such as to the bathroom Fainting or near fainting from any cause, including standing up too quickly Heart problems Arthritis Environmental and other causes Reaching for items on top … [Read more...] about Does Dementia Cause Falls?
Social Anxiety’s Newest Theory and the 7 Links to Depression
Source: pathdoc/Shutterstock You may feel that you will never be the life of the party, but you’d at least like to be someone who is able to get through social occasions without feeling stymied by anxiety. Indeed, you’d like to be able not only to make it through these situations, but actually have a good time. Unfortunately, your past record isn’t all that good. Recently, there was a celebration for a beloved office mate’s retirement , and you wanted to be there to honor this person, but you couldn’t overcome your fears that you might have to make a speech, and so you stayed home. At the last holiday family gathering, you were prepared to join in the fun, but the thought of sitting around the table with extended family members led you to opt out instead and spend the evening watching reruns of your favorite show. People with social anxiety disorder experience extreme fears about being evaluated by others, causing them to feel so distressed that they readily can become … [Read more...] about Social Anxiety’s Newest Theory and the 7 Links to Depression