Questions and Answers about
Science
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in ScienceWhat is an “atmospheric river”?
Answer: An atmospheric river is a phenomenon where moisture gathers in the atmosphere and moves with the wind. This forms long, narrow bands that transport significant amounts of moisture. These rivers in the sky are crucial in determining global precipitation distribution. “Pineapple Express” refers to a specific type of atmospheric river that brings warm subtropical…
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in ScienceWhat is an enlarged prostate?
Answer: An enlarged prostate, medically known as benign prostate enlargement, was brought into the limelight by King Charles in January 2024.
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in ScienceWhat cosmic treasure is contained in this NASA container, recently opened after a stellar journey?
Answer: These samples were gathered by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which embarked on its grand cosmic adventure on Sept. 8, 2016. OSIRIS-REx made history on Oct. 20, 2020, by grabbing a piece of the space rock. The Sample Return Capsule landed back on Earth, specifically in Utah, on Sept. 24, 2023.
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in ScienceWhy did Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023?
Answer: Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pivotal discoveries concerning modifying nucleosides in mRNA. These discoveries significantly impacted the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. This dynamic duo, who began their journey together in 1998, unlocked the secret to preventing the immune system from attacking…
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in ScienceWhat is Tourette syndrome?
Answer: Tourette syndrome is a condition that affects the nervous system and causes people to make sudden sounds or movements that they cannot control. such as blinking, coughing, swearing, or repeating words. It usually starts in childhood and varies in severity and frequency. There is no cure for Tourette syndrome, but some treatments can reduce…
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in ScienceWhat is the cosmic dawn?
Answer: The cosmic dawn is what astronomers call the time when galaxies first formed in the universe, about 500 million to 1 billion years after the Big Bang. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently spotted six massive galaxies from this era that are so huge they shouldn’t exist. As reported on Feb. 22, 2023, these…
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in ScienceWas a nuclear capsule lost in Australia?
Answer: On Feb. 1, 2023, Australian authorities found the capsule containing a radioactive substance that was lost during transportation from north of Newman to the north-eastern suburbs of Perth and reported on Jan. 25, 2023. The round and silver capsule measuring 6mm in diameter and 8mm tall, was searched for along a 1,400km (870-mile) section of…
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in ScienceWhat’s Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
Answer: Justin Bieber was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a virus that affects nerves in the facial area. In a video posted on Instagram, Bieber said the left half of his face was paralyzed, and his right eye was not blinking. About 75% of patients with the Ramsay Hunt syndrome who receive early treatment, including…
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in ScienceWhat’s prosopagnosia?
Answer: Prosopagnosia (from Greek prósōpon, meaning “face,” and agnōsía, meaning “non-knowledge”) is face blindness. In this condition, familiar faces, including one’s own, become difficult to recognize, while other mental and visual processing aspects are unaffected.
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in ScienceWhat does CERN stand for?
Answer: CERN is the European Center for Nuclear Research, home to the world-famous particle accelerator – the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – that led to the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle in 2012. Now scientists at CERN say they have observed a new kind of “pentaquark” and the first-ever pair of “tetraquarks,” adding to…
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in ScienceThe monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America are concentrated among who?
Answer: In Africa, monkeypox mainly spread to people by infected wild animals in limited outbreaks. In Europe and America, 99% of all monkeypox cases were in men. Of those, 98% involved men who have sex with men.How many people have been affected so far?According to the US Centers for Disease Control, more than 16,500 cases…
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in ScienceWhat’s spastic diplegia?
Answer: Spastic diplegia is a form of cerebral palsy (CP) – a chronic neuromuscular condition. It usually involves a constant stiffness in the muscles of the legs. The word “spaz” is considered a derogatory reference to the medical term spastic diplegia.
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in ScienceIn comparison to smallpox, Western African monkeypox is what?
Answer: Monkeypox is a virus that can cause fever, aches, and a distinctive bumpy rash. It is related to smallpox but is usually milder, particularly the West African strain of the virus, which has a fatality rate of around 1%. Most people fully recover in two to four weeks. The first human case of monkeypox…
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in ScienceWhat’s the US death toll from COVID-19 as of mid-May 2022?
Answer: The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 1 million on May 14, 2022 – roughly the number of Americans who died in the Civil War and World War II combined – according to death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. has the…
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in ScienceWhat is the median age of US women giving birth?
Answer: US Census Bureau data released on Apr. 6, 2022, shows the median age of new mothers has risen to 30 from 27 three decades ago, the highest in history. Between ages 20 and 24, the fertility rate declined by almost 43%, and between 25 and 29, it dropped by more than 22%. Meanwhile, fertility…
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in ScienceMenthol cigarettes make up how much of the US cigarette market?
Answer: Menthol cigarettes make up about one-third of the $80 billion US cigarette market, and about 18.5 million Americans smoke them._x000D_
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in ScienceHow old is the oldest verified living person?
Answer: At the age of 118 years, 76 days, French Lucile Randon, AKA Sister André (Sœur André), became on Apr. 19, 2022, the world’s oldest verified living person, following the death of Japanese Kane Tanaka at 119 years, 107 days.
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in ScienceAs of Apr. 2022, how many Americans have had COVID infections?
Answer: A nationwide study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued on Apr. 26, 2022, shows that some 58% of the U.S. population (and more than 75% of younger children) have been infected with the coronavirus since the pandemic started.
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in ScienceWhat’s Trichotillomania?
Answer: Trichotillomania is a disorder that causes people to pull out their hair. During an Apr. 13, 2022, appearance on Howard Stern’s show, comedian Amy Schumer revealed that she pulled out so much hair at the age of 13 that she had to wear a wig to school. Schumer said she still lives with trichotillomania…
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in ScienceWhat’s Aphasia?
Answer: Aphasia is an inability to comprehend or communicate because of damage to specific brain regions. Its most common causes are a stroke, severe head injury, a brain tumor, and progressive neurological conditions such as dementia, and it is most common in people over 65._x000D_
