The 150-Year Pursuit of British Authorities for a Technique to Measure Longitude at Sea: From the Creation of the Royal Observatory to the Disbanding of the Board of Longitude

The 150-Year Pursuit of British Authorities for a Technique to Measure Longitude at Sea: From the Creation of the Royal Observatory to the Disbanding of the Board of Longitude

In 2010, the University of Cambridge and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich initiated a six-year research project named ‘The Board of Longitude 1714–1828: Science, Innovation and Empire in the Georgian World.’ Directed by Simon Schaffer, Richard Dunn, and Rebekah Higgitt, the objective was to create the first thorough history of the British Board of […]

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"Research Uncovers Influence of Full Moon on Sleep Patterns: Extended Sleep Onset, Decreased Depth, and Diminished Melatonin Levels Observed in Regulated Laboratory Setting"

“Research Uncovers Influence of Full Moon on Sleep Patterns: Extended Sleep Onset, Decreased Depth, and Diminished Melatonin Levels Observed in Regulated Laboratory Setting”

The full moon has been associated with insomnia for ages, often supported by more folklore than empirical evidence. However, a laboratory investigation from the University of Basel made this longstanding assertion more challenging to dismiss. In a controlled sleep study, participants during the full moon took longer to fall asleep, experienced less deep sleep, and […]

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Research Shows 1.6 Micrograms of Plastic per Milliliter in Human Blood, Mainly from Disposable Bottles and Food Packaging

Research Shows 1.6 Micrograms of Plastic per Milliliter in Human Blood, Mainly from Disposable Bottles and Food Packaging

Extract a blood sample from a healthy adult feeling perfectly well, process it, and analyze it using a pyrolysis gas chromatograph, and you’ll discover, on average, trace amounts of plastic in the bloodstream. The polymers that appear most consistently are polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, and polystyrene — the same three plastics used in water bottles, shopping […]

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Bananas' Innate Radioactivity Clarified by Their Potassium Levels and the Notion of 'Banana Equivalent Dose'

Bananas’ Innate Radioactivity Clarified by Their Potassium Levels and the Notion of ‘Banana Equivalent Dose’

**The Banana Equivalent Dose: Grasping Radiation Through Familiar Comparisons** The term “banana equivalent dose” emerged in the 1990s to assist the general public in grasping radiation in a more comprehensible manner. The analogy was straightforward: eating one banana subjects you to approximately 0.1 microsieverts of ionizing radiation due to potassium-40, a naturally occurring radioactive isotope. […]

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Columbia Research Reveals Common Antidepressants Associated with Faster Deterioration of Heart Valves in Individuals with Existing Valve Damage

Columbia Research Reveals Common Antidepressants Associated with Faster Deterioration of Heart Valves in Individuals with Existing Valve Damage

**The Role of Serotonin in Heart Valve Dysfunction: An Emerging Connection** **Introduction** New studies have revealed an intriguing association between serotonin signaling and the advancement of degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR), a common heart valve condition. This finding underscores the potential impact of a neurotransmitter typically linked to mood control on the timing of heart valve […]

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