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…
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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…
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How the body metabolises alcohol: the biochemistry behind why drinks linger
Alcohol metabolism is a three-step enzymatic pathway that generates toxic acetaldehyde and depletes NAD⁺ cofactors,…
How glycine lowers core body temperature to trigger sleep—a thermostat mechanism
Glycine triggers sleep by lowering core body temperature through activation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and…
How Creatine Actually Works: The ATP Shuttle System Explained
Creatine supplementation does not work primarily through water retention or caffeine-like stimulation. Instead, it enhances…
Why higher zinc supplement doses don’t deliver proportionally more absorption
Zinc supplements marketed at 30mg, 50mg, or higher doses deliver far less additional absorbed zinc…
Why DHA Is Not a Brain Supplement—It’s Brain Architecture
DHA is not a brain supplement—it is a fundamental structural component of brain tissue, comprising…