1921 marks the year of insulin discovery.  Exactly 100 years ago, on the 11th January 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy, was the first diabetic patient receiving insulin injection, a treatment that saved his life.  After 100 years of this revolutionary finding, many drugs on the market have been developed to help the diabetic patients …

February 2021.  Nearly 300 vaccine candidates have been under development since 2020 for the prevention of COVID-19 around the world.  As of today, 20 vaccines are in phase III clinical trials, 6 are used for limited or emergency use, and 4 have been approved for full use.  Here is a simple guide to understand the …

Plastic production and pollution has become the scourge of our society and our environment.  Innumerable global attempts have been made to change this tendency by increasing the risk awareness toward consumers.  However, since mid-nineteens, the worldwide production and consumption of plastic has grown excessively over the years, has reached more than 350 million tons1 yearly, …

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for COVID-19 pandemic.  As of today, this highly pathogenic coronavirus has definitely established his power globally, leaving behind more than 670’000 deaths and almost 18 million of infected people.  While important clues have emerged on its mechanism of action, key aspects of its capacity to infect human cells as well …

The incidence of brain metastasis among lung cancer patients varies from 10-40%, with a poor survival prognosis of less than 6 months1.  Cigarette smoking is reported to be a major risk factor associated with the development of lung cancer and correlates with a higher incidence of brain metastasis1,2.  The main component associated with the consumption …

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has emerged in Wuhan, China, and has been spreading worldwide since November 17, 2019, currently (on this day, April 12th 2020) counts 1.7 millions infected individuals, more than 100’000 victims as well as billions of people isolated in quarantine.  In order to fight the new coronavirus, responsible for the pandemic, effectively …

Have you ever seen the movie “They shoot horses, don’t they”?  Based on McCoy’s novel of the same name, this piece of cinematographic art exposes the story of a dance marathon during the economic crisis that marked the period of Great DepressionThe story talks about strength and energy to find out a way to …

According to scientists, a child laughs on average three to four hours a day, while an adult only 20 minutes.  By the way, why do we laugh and what are the main beneficial effects of laughter on our body and health? After reading the following, do not hesitate to burst out laughing! Smiling and laughter …

It is known that the sexual attributes of men are important for their ego.  The bigger it is, the better!  Still, big is not always a good sign.  An American study for the least provocative suggests that men with large testicles become less good fathers than those with small ones.  Evolutionary biologists have been observing …

Have you ever tasted Japanese Anguilla that is principally served as a sushi meal?  Very appreciated in the high gastronomy and sometimes used as a cure in Chinese traditional medicine, the Japanese Anguilla (called Anguilla japonica – see caption image) is also very interesting for biologists.  Indeed, scientists have discovered that the muscles of this …