When the birth control pill was first released around 80 years ago, the male-dominated medical industry believed it to be unnatural for the way it prevents menstrual bleeding. To appease men and the Catholic Church (who greatly opposed the contraceptive), placebo pills were included with birth control packets to induce bleeding. To this day, hormonal birth control is still sold with a week of placebo …
Valentine’s Day is for celebrating love—between romantic partners, pals, pets or yourself. Whether you’re opposed, ambivalent, oblivious or obsessed with the holiday, treating a loved one to something special can be an undeniably satisfying experience. This year we are focusing on love from the inside out, and while self-care isn’t a shop-able product, indulging in a ritual or creating a thoughtful experience for a somebody …
A Robot That Melts and Reforms Researchers have devised a robot that can liquefy and then reform—an characteristic inspired by sea cucumbers that rapidly change their stiffness. The shape-shifting invention can move between liquid and solid states by making clever use of materials. It’s composed of a metal with a low-melting point called gallium which researchers then embedded with magnets to control movement. Through the …
