Awesome Health

AsapScience suggests things you can do if you always feel tired even though you’re getting enough sleep. It could be as simple as performing light exercises and staying hydrated. Or perhaps it’s time a doctor to see if it’s a symptom of something else.

We all know that sleep is an essential part of keeping our minds and bodies sharp and restored. But is the typical 7 or 8 hours more or less than we should get? Life Noggin explores the human body’s need for rest, and how it changes as we age. TL;DW: Go take a nap.

It may look like a kid’s toy, but this simple contraption made from paper and string provides scientists in less developed areas with access to a critical piece of lab equipment at virtually no cost, and with no need for electricity.

Find out what you’re really breathing in with this high-tech indoor air monitor that can analyze and track chemicals, dust, CO2, humidity, and temperature. Its companion mobile app then makes recommendations, and can even control other smart devices to help improve air quality.

Kurzgesagt talks about Neglected Tropical Diseases or NTDs. These communicable diseases affect over a billion people in 149 countries, mainly indigents living in remote areas. Fortunately, we have shown that we can eradicate NTDs by working together.

(Gross) After drinking poop water, Microsoft founder Bill Gates smelled poop perfume. Perfume and flavoring company Firmenich made up the foul mixture so that they could create a neutralizing fragrance that could someday be used in public toilets.

“In 2040, you will be able to sail over the North Pole.” Fisher Stevens’ documentary about Leonardo DiCaprio’s three-year journey to enlighten himself about climate change is currently available on National Geographic’s YouTube channel for free.

There are plenty of gadgets on the market which can tell you your body mass index, but SKULPT’s scanner tech is different, offering detailed insights on muscle quality throughout your body, and providing fitness advice through its companion mobile app.

“Maybe if you take Hortiolis, the weather will change. But you know, it won’t.” There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for clinical depression. But as Cracked shows, antidepressant medicines are marketed in the US as if they were simple painkillers.

“Gut feeling” may actually exist, but not the one that has a knack for making good decisions. AsapScience points to the enteric nervous system, a division of the nervous system that governs our digestive organs, and perhaps to an extent our emotional well-being as well.

Kurzgesagt presents a vexing conundrum. Scientists have created genetically-engineered mosquitoes that are immune to the microorganisms that create malaria. But we don’t know if letting these “newsquitoes” loose has dire consequences.

Adam Ruins Everything washes out a seemingly harmless piece of advice: drinking 2L or eight glasses of water a day. It turns out no study has conclusively proven that standard. So why are we often told to stay hydrated? Because money.

The plight of Flint, Michigan’s residents made lead poisoning a hot topic, but Last Week Tonight reminds us that deadly lead is still in the paint inside millions of homes. John Oliver’s new neighbors dropped by to help him wake up lawmakers.

Retro Report chronicles the continuing development of the artificial heart. Today, the life-saving device serves as a stopgap while patients wait for a donor heart, but experts continue to work on a surrogate heart that can be used permanently.

Veritasium breaks down the most requested cosmetic procedure. The melanin in our hair (and skin) protect us by absorbing light. Laser hair removal takes advantage of that by overloading hair with short bursts of heat, enough to damage the cells that produce hair.

Kurzgesagt looks at the problem that science has created with the very cure that has saved millions of lives. The widespread use of antibiotics is resulting in evolutionary changes that are creating antibiotic resistant “superbugs.”

Low-cost electrocardiogram developer MobileECG created this awesome business card which uses two thumb sensors and a tiny OLED display to display a real-time ECG of its holder. While not diagnostically accurate, it’s still awesome.

The so-called war on drugs is about short term gains and check marks for politicians. It goes after suppliers, but drugs are addictive. Users are willing to pay high prices for drugs, which encourages suppliers. The solution is to alleviate the demand for these substances.

The ZappLight is a compact bug zapping lamp. It fits in most light bulb sockets and consumes only 10W of power. You can toggle between the white LEDs, the zapper or both of them turned on.

An improved version of the instantaneous water filter. Aside from the bacteria filter found in the original, LifeStraw Steel also has a carbon capsule that filters organic compounds such as herbicides and pesticides. It also has a durable steel body. Skip to 1:29.

Retro Report looks back at Ray Mancini’s infamous bout with Duk Koo Kim and wonders if American football is close to a similar tipping point, as the NFL continues to deny the mounting medical evidence of the sport’s serious health risks.

Instant is a self-improvement app for iOS and Android. It keeps track of both your physical activity and mobile device usage. You can then set a time limit and be notified when you need to lay off your device.

The Kickstarter-funded Maxx Bench is an exercise bench with a foot-operated hydraulic system that lets you adjust the height of the bench or lower it completely should you get stuck under weights. The bench automatically returns to its default height after use.