Biology

Photosensitive epilepsies are characterized by visually-induced seizures. Flashing-light stimuli are known to induce seizures in some (but not all) patients. My question is whether people with this type of epilepsy can self-induce seizures by rapid eye blinking?

I have previously heard that, if there are multiple simultaneous painful stimuli, the mind will only feel the sensation of pain from the most severe injury. A large amount of googling has turned up nothing and PubMed searches are proving tricky as I cant find the name of this effect (if it exists). If it does exist, is the mechanism solely effective for pain signals or would we for example only feel cold at our coldest points (i.e. from the face or the hands rather than both) on a frosty morning?

Hi, I am curious. How dangerous is to work with Bordetella pertussis? For example, I am very careful and most of the work is under the hood (except for centrifugation and spectrophotometry). But then, I need to take a small quantity of cell dispersion and carry it through the lab on a glass slide for microscopy. Is there any possibility that bacteria go into air or otherwise endanger me? Thank you.

Hi everyone I've just noticed something: Almost every blond guy I know was born in June-July-August. Almost none of the brown-haired guys were born in those months. So I've been thinking: is there, perhaps, besides the normals genetics caused by the 2 parents, a correlation between the date of birth of a person and the amount of pigment/melanine that he/she has/develops during the first days/months of his/her life? I know hair colour is caused purely by genetics, but could the months in which the child has been begotten (at moment of coitus) have an influence in those genetics? Perhaps something that enlarges the chance of a child with genotype aa is somewhat l…

While a life in the slow lane may be easier, will it be any longer? It will if you're a reptile. A new study finds that reduced reproductive rates and a plant-rich diet are responsible for the increased lifespan of reptiles. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141117111654.htm

On either side of my family which is rare but 100 percent true.

Hey everyone, I am curious as to if there may be some physiological difference in which your body handles drinking water at various temperatures. I have a feeling that this is highly incorrect, but i have occasionally imagined that your stomach is like an oven when digesting food. Breaking of chemical bonds being the "energy", and to what effect "cooling" the oven might have on digestion. In my head, drinking hot tea stimulated and aids in the breaking of those bonds and drinking ice water does the opposite. Like I stated, I know this is probably wayyy off. I also think, as an argument against my argument, that we have probably evolved to seek out colder water…

Hi there! I've seen an add this morning. It was get vaccined against VIH to help research. What I understang is we're guinea-pig. Is there anyone knowing more about that? I'm kind of ok with that but I wanted to ask you how high the risk is ? Because the VIH vaccine was really hard to create, I really wonder. It's done here by a small french society called Biosantech. But all what I can find is some articles telling things like "It's a really new initiative, uncommon way to work for the research" but not much about the product and its efficiency !

So I have studied the three main classifications of the human body's neurons but I was wondering how many different neurons there were under each of these classifications.

I'm curious to know if there is a way to measure nutrition. Say I ate a apple, is there a way to measure the effect of that apple in my body? Any help is appreciated Thanks!

First off, no matter how much I try to prove myself of being crazy it still happens. For some reason, I can control 99% of my heart (1% is I cannot make it stop pumping ) I can control my heart rate, send blood to areas of my body at will, dull pain in areas where I see fit, and can enhance muscle strength. All of which while doing practically nothing. I'm not thinking of anything, not listening to sounds, nothing. I just seem to just, do it. Like moving my arm. I would like to know if first, anyone else can do it, and second, if this is some big problem. I have been to the doctor before they seem to notice nothing wrong at all. I am also 15 years old and have been doing …

Hi, I have a question considering a swarming assay on E.coli... I did a soft agar (0.3%), in LB, and placed a drop of bacteria in the middle of a plate. But after 24h, they just grew in a small radius, like in the photo: DO you think I have non-motile E.coli? Cause I would expect a bigger circle. Or Im just doing something wrong... How is this different from a swimming assay?

Well the topic acutally says it all. I'm working on an article http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/v10/n3/full/nchembio.1433.html but i don't quite get it. Any answers are welcome.

With the media falling all over the Ebola virus coverage. I ask if the Ebola virus really is as bad as they make it seem and if so could it bring human extinction or a survival of the fittest or a genetically superior scenario? Apologies if this is in the wrong section.

I don't want to write a crappy book - but its been a while since I was at school - so I'm trying to fill in some gaps in my knowledge. If I posted some questions here, would people be able to explain a few things to me? Here is an example question: In the future, might it be possible to somehow instruct things in the blood or in cells, proteins and molecules, to break down into chemical elements and smaller compounds and then reconstruct in a different way, into potentially, a whole bunch of different stuff? thanks Clark

Can anyone identify this moth or insect please. About half inch long, bright orange, dart shaped two prominent round black spots, Found on a lavender bush.

Hey there, I wanted to ask, as I'm interested in Algae and such since a few days, if you could breed Algae and use them in a Microbial fuel cel.. Unfortunately I don't completely understand MFCs, so I wanted to ask here.. and if yes, would it be more efficient as bacterias? Thanks for replies and I hope you don't facepalm right away ^^'

I think the book is called the Evolution of Consciousness. I am hoping someone who has read this book or has come across similar knowledge that this book seems to indicate, can help me to either affirm or deny the rumors that have or have not been told as a result of such a large part of our brain being inactive. A movie just came out that centered on the possibility that if a person could have access to the full brain than that person might develop amazing abilities. From what I have read the opposite seems to be true. An infant has access to just about the full brain and as the baby matures parts of the brain are shut down to allow for learning. The best example I seem…

I am planning an experiment that attempts to prevent bacterial infections via wound sites of plants by covering the wounds with air tight sealants but wasn't sure if plants require oxygen for their wounds to be healed properly? If anyone knows anything about this I would appreciate your comments, and any literature on the topic would be great. Thanks

Can someone explain how microbial growth, genetics & nutrition are all related to one another( include gene expression, carbon/oxygen need, ATP production, enzyme use etc). Thank you

Does anyone know the mechanics as to why bindweed spirals in its specific direction?

Hello, I'm a mainly self-educated scientist at the age of 16. I have a biological question, what caused all those atoms such as hydrogen, carbon and oxygen to combine together and form an organism? How did these atoms communicate with each other to evolve, to create muscles and store fat when all they ever needed is to sit around as oceans or gases? How did these inanimate elements that we see daily come together to form life? I find it difficult to understand why something with nothing remotely resembling life can come together with other elements and see the need to eat, reproduce or anything. Does this basically mean that every atom has a mind of its own? Is a…

Hi everyone! I would like to ask for some advice concerning the work in P2 laboratory. It includes work with E. coli, Staphylo and Streptococcus. I always disinfect workplace with 70% ethanol. I also clean the floor from time to time (not really often), with some detergent. However, I am mostly concerned about airborne contamination. 1) Is it possible to breath in some bacteria when I open the ependorf containing their suspension (mentioned bacteria)? 2) Should I put a mask when I open the incubator, since I feel its humidity and warmth (when taking and placing cultures)? 3) Why is it not advised to put things on the floor? Can bacteria travel on the floor and climb up…

How to prepare immune complex at different ratio?

Hello everyone I'm new here and just started taking a interest in biology and I had a question : Do we have or will we have say in a decade or so the technology to rewire synaptic formations in the brain. Anyone who is an expert neuroscientist your answer is greatly appreciated and desperately needed. Thank you