By Anastasia Mills Healey Artwork by Justin Negard We all know overachievers. A National Merit Scholar who pitches for the state champion baseball team while also starring in the school musical, working in the office of an elected official, and discovering an enzyme critical to understanding a disease. This type of multi-talented student is what Lisa Bleich, the author of ...

Understanding the Fear Free philosophy By Dr. Sarah J. Cutler Artwork by Valeria Raymond We’ve come a long way in how we treat our pets. Over the past few decades, we’ve raised the standards and awareness about how pets are treated in the veterinary setting, at home, during grooming and in training. The Fear Free philosophy was created to train ...

Our brains can learn and change at any age, and lifelong learning helps improve resistance to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease. By Gia Miller Artwork by Eliyahu Greenwald In December 2011, Eleanor Maguire, Ph.D., a cognitive neuroscientist at the University College London, published the results of a groundbreaking four-year study she conducted on “average-IQ adults” studying to become London ...

A sequel to our life skills course. By Ava Elghanayan Artwork by Aeneas Eaton Editor’s Note: Our last education issue (Sept./Oct. 2023) featured a life skills course that encouraged parents to teach teens about essential life skills that aren’t covered in the classroom. We explained how to teach everything from personal finance and grocery shopping to home repairs and job ...

Here’s how you can go to school without going to school. Writing by Kayla Schmidt Artwork by Anne Kennedy Have you ever wanted to learn the inner workings of an electrolytic cell? How to make the perfect crème brûlée? Or how to solve a quadratic equation with your eyes closed? Well, you’re in luck. With just a few clicks of ...

Rhythm starts with trust, not talent By Max Chwatko Artwork by Molly McGarvey I've always been the kind of person who claps on the wrong beat at concerts. It’s not that I’m rhythmically hopeless—my limbs just haven’t caught up with my ears. So, when I set out to write about beginner dance, I was stepping into an unfamiliar world. I ...

Music can regulate the nervous system, reduce pain and heal trauma Writing by Anastasia Mills Healy  Artwork by Justin Negard As a graduate student in 1978, when Dr. Concetta Tomaino was assigned to play atmospheric music for the mostly nonresponsive residents of a nursing home in Brooklyn, the staff who fed them through tubes and tied them to their wheelchairs ...

Writing by Kayla Schmidt Artwork by Molly McGarvey Reports of suspicious activity amongst the county have surfaced; citizens claim the water is “unsafe.” But who is the perpetrator? Well, it’s not really a question of who, but what. And that “what” are forever chemicals known by the name of PFAS. PFAS 101 Let’s start with the basics. What are PFAS? ...

Why Your Dog Hates Goodbyes Writing by Dr. Sarah J. Cutler Artwork by Molly McGarvey When you leave your dog home alone, what happens? Do they look out the windows or stand at the door anxiously awaiting your return? Do they ignore their food or chew items that smell like you, such as remote controls, doorknobs or pillows? Are they ...

Writing by Susan Trumpdour Artwork by Justin Negard We’ve all met “natural” enthusiasts who proudly slather their faces with mysterious plant concoctions, strictly follow the latest clean-food fads or promote the benefits of consuming raw milk as a life elixir. Many believe anything labeled “natural” guarantees better health, happiness and a thriving gut microbiome. But the truth is, just because ...

Writing by Alina Mata Artwork by Aeneas Eaton Remember learning that eating carrots would improve your eyesight? Or that, according to the Kardashians, SugarBearHair gummies could give you stronger and shinier hair? What about when Prevagen claimed it could improve your memory? These claims, along with hundreds of others (Cheerios, Skechers, vitaminwater, etc.), were false. But don’t feel embarrassed if ...

Writing By Emma Lazar Artwork by Tricia Caracappa Modern life moves fast. Between work, school, family and the constant pull of screens, it’s easy to feel like there’s no time to take care of your health. But wellness doesn’t have to mean hours at the gym or a complete lifestyle overhaul. Sometimes, the most effective changes are the smallest ones—especially ...