Tag Archives: biology

Why Are the Oceans Salty? Because People Have Been Peeing for 10,000 Years, Obviously.

My wife and I were sitting in a restaurant when the kid at the next table asked a perfectly reasonable question. “Why are the oceans salty?” It’s a good question. It’s the kind of question that has occupied geologists, oceanographers, … Continue reading →

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Immortality: The Hidden Subtext

A friend of mine recently asked me a question. “You’ve been writing a lot about longevity, immortality and life expectancy lately. Is there a hidden subtext?” I stopped for a moment. I had to think about that. I didn’t think … Continue reading →

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Paleolithic Software and Molecular Magic: The Biohacks of 2126

In response to my A Second Look at Life Expectancy: What the 1918 Flu Tells Us About the COVID-19 Pandemic, I received a fascinating question: “The 1918 flu had no ICU, no mRNA platform, not even a flu shot. We … Continue reading →

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The Age of Re-Engineering: How Science Is Rewriting the Limits of Human Life

Just a century ago, the average human life expectancy in the United States hovered around 65 years. When the Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935, that exact age was chosen as the baseline for eligibility. The choice … Continue reading →

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The Science Whiplash: When Science Fights Itself

If you’ve lived long enough to read headlines, you’ve probably experienced nutritional whiplash. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and open your phone only to see a headline screaming that caffeine is the secret to eternal youth. You … Continue reading →

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Why Your Skin Is Not a Canvas: What Science Really Says About Tattoos, the Immune System and Long-Term Risk

A good friend of mine recently announced his intention to get a sleeve tattoo later this year, a full, vibrant mural on his arm. As an admirer of art, I can appreciate the creativity and the impulse, but I’ve always … Continue reading →

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