Biology

#861 Maurice Hilleman – microbiologist specializing in vaccinology.

During his career, Maurice Hilleman developed over 40 vaccinations. It is thought that his vaccinations save over 8 million lives every year. However, he was not interested in making a name for himself, only that his vaccines helped people. For this reason, despite having received his vaccines, very few people have ever heard of him.

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#857 What is asthma?

What is asthma? It is a lung disease where the airflow through the throat becomes restricted. It can be fatal if left untreated. To look at this question we need to look at how the lungs work and we need to look at how our body’s immune systems deal with attacks.  We have two lungs

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#856 What is VO2 max?

What is VO2 max? The V stands for volume, the O2 for oxygen, and the max for maximum. So, it is the maximum volume of oxygen your body is able to use during exercise. We need oxygen all the time, obviously. If our oxygen supply is cut off, we will develop brain damage after a

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#843 Is a killer whale a whale?

Is a killer whale a whale? Yes and no. Yes, because dolphins are technically whales. No, because a killer whale is a dolphin. They are called orcas, although they are more commonly known as killer whales. A killer whale is called a whale because of its size, but it is actually a dolphin. The orca

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#837 How do some plants move?

How do some plants move? There are three ways that plants move. Plants can move to face the sun or to move into sunlight. Plants can move when touched or stimulated in some way. And plants can move to find a structure to wrap around. Each type of movement has a different mechanism. Let’s look

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#835 What is peat?

What is peat? Peat is a layer of partly decomposed organic matter on the surface of a soil. It has a high water content and a low oxygen content.   Accumulations of peat are called peatlands and they are found in 180 countries worldwide, in different quantities. The highest concentrations are in northern Europe, northern

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