When I am asked what kind of research my lab conducts, I try not to immediately talk about the penis bone. I begin by saying I study genetics or evolutionary biology. If pressed, I specify that my project revolves around bone development. In the few cases where someone asks for details, I resignedly inform them that my specific work centers around the development and evolution … [Read more...] about Contemplating the Penis Bone: A Case for Basic Science
Archives for 2022
VR in Pain Therapy: Qualifying the Argument
There are two qualifications I would like to make to the argument for use of virtual reality in pain therapy. First, research has shown that VR on its own is not as effective, nor as immersive as it could potentially be. To have the best results for patients, it has been shown that pairing VR therapy with binaural audio is the most effective. A study by the name of … [Read more...] about VR in Pain Therapy: Qualifying the Argument
Lift and Drag: A Deeper Dive Part 2
Last week, we saw how we can approximate an airplane’s lift coefficient at any small angle of attack. Now, we can zoom in on drag, looking at how the drag coefficient depends on the lift coefficient and how this information can further inform aerospace engineers on how to design planes. It turns out that an airplane's drag coefficient, CD, has a quadratic relationship … [Read more...] about Lift and Drag: A Deeper Dive Part 2
VR in Pain Therapy: A Deep Dive
The certain sense of awareness we have about the way our bodies look, feel, and function is defined by many psychologists as “embodiment”. We are able to tell that our hand is a part of our body, and innately understand how to use it as a tool. However, we are also able to distinguish this from a pencil that we may hold between our fingers, which we recognize as being an entity … [Read more...] about VR in Pain Therapy: A Deep Dive
The History of: Cappuccino
Ordering a Cappuccino is the way many people go when they’re starting out their coffee journey, or if they’ve been on it for a while. It’s a safe go-to, that will always do what you need it to. The original Cappuccino was the 'Kapuziner’, which originated in Vienna. The Kapuziner was made with coffee, cream, sugar, and spices. Italians took this and put their own spin on … [Read more...] about The History of: Cappuccino