Explainers
Plain-language deep dives for public audiences
Can laughter improve health? Researchers launch study to find out
A new research initiative called the Laughter Lab is systematically investigating whether laughter can improve health and wellbeing. The study…
Editor's Top Picks
Supreme Court’s Roundup ruling exposes a fundamental divide between legal and scientific causation standards
The US Supreme Court's recent glyphosate ruling exposes a fundamental gap: courts and scientists both use the word "causation," but…
Submit Your Paper →
More form Explainers
Beyond Energy: How Mitochondrial Metabolites Control Immunity, Stem Cells, and Cancer Risk
Mitochondrial metabolites—acetyl-CoA, α-ketoglutarate, itaconate, succinate, and fumarate—function as master regulators of immune tolerance, stem cell…
How Your Cells Build New Mitochondria: The Science of Energy Production
When energy demand increases—during exercise, fasting, or cold exposure—cells activate mitochondrial biogenesis to generate new…
Light Roast Retains Most Chlorogenic Acids, But Dark Roast Offers Different Antioxidants
Light roast coffee retains 8.0 mg/g of chlorogenic acids—nearly twice the concentration found in dark…
Thyroid Health Requires Nutritional Balance: Why Iodine, Selenium, and Tyrosine Work as a System
Thyroid hormone synthesis and regulation depend on iodine (structural backbone), selenium (enzyme cofactor for activation…
How Exercise Intensity, Effort, and Physiological Stress Connect: A Unified Framework
Exercise intensity integrates objective physiological markers, subjective effort perception, and performance metrics on a shared…

