How 3D Medical Animation is Changing the Way We Learn

Many of us remember taking biology and anatomy courses in high school or college. We would peer into our textbooks and try to soak in the labels attached to an illustration of an animal cell. Some of us were lucky enough to crowd around a model of a skeleton at the front of the class and watch the instructor point out important anatomical landmarks.

Those of us who were able to observe a physical model of a biological structure may have noticed that it was much easier to retain information if we could see a 360-degree view of the object. If we could hold it in our hands, turn it around to look at the front and back, and maybe take different pieces of the model apart, we were able to interact with the structure enough to feel more familiar with how it looked and what the nomenclature was.

RF and RM Videos of 3D Medical Animations

Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible for a classroom to have physical models of every scientific topic that needs to be learned. However, the birth of 3D animation has made it possible for us to watch countless structures move, be taken apart, and rotate 360-degrees.

3D animations are composed of 3D models, which in the most basic terms are digital sculptures, that are manipulated and moved around throughout the course of the video. Surprisingly, the process used to make 3D models is just as mathematical as it is design-oriented. An artist is essentially creating instructions for a computer to follow in order to create the model, thus equations and geometry are taken into account to ensure that the computer is able to process the object without experiencing glitches.

Because these models are crafted to represent 3D objects or a 3D terrain, they open up the doors to a digital world that mimics the physical world we live in. 3D medical animation can exhibit clinically accurate surgeries, obscure biological processes, and isolated molecules or anatomical parts.

Instead of staring at a book and reading complicated descriptions about how our bodies work, viewers with access to computers can now watch different parts of the brain light up in glowing colors in order to learn the nomenclature, or observe the motion of glucose molecules as they interact with other structures to pass through a cell membrane.

Studies show that if viewers can be presented with learning material that connects with their creative side, the lesson will not only grab more of the audience’s attention, but will allow the audience to retain the information better because they are having fun watching the video as more active participants.

Science coffee mugs, notebooks, tote bags, and more!

Businesses surrounding 3D animation have been responding in parallel to these communication benefits. The Market Research Gazette reports that the market has been projected to grow by 20.8% from 2016 to 2021.

As medical animation becomes more popular and receives more funding, animations will become more accessible to more learners worldwide, which will create a brighter future for our students and our healthcare.

Biology-themed Notebooks, Tote Bags, Coffee Mugs, and More

• amarketresearchgazette.com
• baltimorepostexaminer.com
• cgspectrum.edu.au
• sculpteo.com
• TemJournalAugust2018_670_677

Science in Motion – The History of Discovery in Video Montage

Have you ever wanted to step into an old etching and explore the laboratories of your favorite scientists and inventors? Short of magic, video montages provide the next best thing!

Peer into Herschel’s telescope as he gazes at the cosmos from his observatory or follow a beam of light as it refracts into a rainbow in Newton’s laboratory.

Video Montage Gallery

Beyond the fun, video montages have an educational value. By linking images together, montages provide historic continuity, allowing people to see the connections between scientific discoveries. An etching from Isaac Newton’s life may tell you something about his findings in optics, but a group of images reveals how they led to further insights into physics.

Astronomy mugs, t-shirts and more!

Montages also bring clarity to scientific discoveries. By zeroing in on a lab experiment, montages highlight key components involved in the scientific process. Panning and scrolling help viewers understand the causes and effects involved in experiments, giving them a better understanding of how science works.

As classic images enter the digital sphere, video montages are providing a unique and fun visual aid for designers and educators alike. Take a closer look below!

Astronomy Mugs, Phones Cases and Tote Bags

The Aliens are Here: Invasive Species

Diver With Lion Fish

Exotic beauty hides a deadly beast.  The lionfish is but one of over 4,000 invasive species found in the United States doing damage to wildlife, plants, our economy, and our health.

An invasive species, also called alien species, is a non-native plant or animal that may have no natural enemies and possibly possess other advantages that allow it to propagate to such a degree that it causes damage. 

This may include the killing of already endangered plants, habitat loss, damaging crops, clogging pipes in power plants or otherwise wreaking havoc.  Their success makes them impossible to eradicate and very difficult to control.

One example, the lionfish, is of great concern in the Southern United States, killing off 65% of the local fish population within two years. Some of these prey fish are critical for cleaning the coral, so the coral reefs are also dying off.

Stock Images of Invasive Animals & Plants

It's believed this invasion was caused by a few pet lionfish owners releasing them into the wild from their home aquariums.  

The lionfish has no natural predator in the United States. It is carnivorous and eats voraciously. A single female lionfish can lay over two million eggs a year. 

Lionfish are difficult to eradicate because they hang out on the sea floor, up to 1,000 ft down.  They cannot be caught by nets, nor by fishing hook and line. A diver needs to spear them one at a time. Their venomous sting is 50 times more painful than a wasp's and can take months to heal. Divers need to carry special hard-shelled containers for their catches to protect themselves from the lionfish barbs. 

This is one of approximately 4,300 invasive species currently causing loss of wildlife and income in the United States.

Fun Gifts of Scary Invasive Species

How do invasive species get here? People, and the goods we use, travel around the world very quickly and often carry uninvited species with them.

As people become more aware of invasive species and how to prevent them, the situation can improve.

In the case of the lionfish, people have discovered it is delicious to eat. High demand from restaurants is now putting a dent in the lionfish population. The lionfish will never be eradicated, but as long as we have hungry diners, there's a chance of getting them under control.

• bbc.com
• earthrangers.com
• washingtonpost.com
• wikipedia.com
• sailorsofthesea.org
• oceanservice.noaa.gov
• pbs.org
• nationalgeographic.com

The Fascinating Journey of Blood Through Your Body

Did you know that your body houses millions of vessels that are circulating blood at this very moment? In fact, if all the blood vessels in the average adult were connected in one line from beginning to end, they would stretch 100,000 miles. The circulatory (or cardiovascular) system carries blood all throughout your body to transport nutrients, allow for essential body functions like breathing, and maintain an overall homeostasis.

Arteries, veins, and capillaries are the three different types of blood vessels that make blood circulation possible. Veins transport deoxygenated or waste-rich blood that will eventually be filtered, and arteries carry the filtered, oxygenated blood. Capillaries are the middleman of blood circulation, as they enable the exchange of blood between arteries and veins.

Stock Video of Blood Flow and Circulatory Anatomy

Blood Drop on Finger

There are two types of blood circulation: pulmonary and systemic. Pulmonary circulation is the transportation of blood to the lungs so that the blood becomes oxygenated and can return to the heart. This oxygenated blood is then used within systemic circulation.

During systemic circulation, the heart pumps oxygenated blood out to the rest of the body through the arteries. Capillaries deoxygenate the blood by swapping out the oxygen with carbon dioxide, and they then deliver the deoxygenated blood to the veins. The veins carry the deoxygenated blood back to the heart to start the pulmonary cycle over again.

This intricate and elegant system is happening constantly within your body. Without it, you would have no digestive system or immune system, and even your hormones wouldn't be able to be expressed.

Staying healthy, hydrating, and exercising regularly can help ensure that you're taking care of your circulatory system and everything is flowing smoothly.

Circulatory System Mugs, Notebooks, and Other Custom Gifts

• fi.edu
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• innerbody.com

Wild Weather & Climate Change

As levels of CO2 in the atmosphere rise from man-made emissions, the likelihood of extreme weather is increasing. Over recent decades, scientists have seen a trend of increased storm activity along with higher temperatures.

Stock Images & Stock Video of Wild Weather

Drought, flooding, deadly hurricanes, and tornadoes are now more common around the world. Along with loss of life and property, animals are also struggling to survive.

Hurricanes, also called typhoons or cyclones, form near the equator, over warm ocean water. As the water evaporates, it creates clouds that rise, allowing cooler air to swirl in beneath them.   

As the ascending air cools, it descends, creating moving air masses.  The earth's rotation moves them, making the system spin faster.  Eventually, the air speeds up and an area of calm air forms in the center, called the eye of the hurricane.
  
The system continues to move over warm water, picking up more evaporated water and growing stronger.

When a tropical storm reaches 74 mph or higher it becomes a hurricane.  Speeds beyond 157 mph or higher make it a category 5 or Catastrophic Storm.

2017 was the costliest hurricane season on record with estimated damages at $282.16 billion. It was also amongst the most active, featuring several category 5 hurricanes.  

Art Prints of
Wild Weather Images

 

Worldwide, heavy rains, tornadoes, floods and other forms of extreme weather continue to increase.

In the Atlantic, hurricane season is from June 1st to November 30th with peaks in August, September & October. If you live or are traveling in the area, stay alert to warnings from your local weather service and be prepared. 

 

globalchange.gov
scientifiamerican.com
e360yale.edspaceplace.nasa.gov
bbcnews.com

Phytoplankton & CO2

One group of creatures produces 70% of the earth's oxygen and also consumes carbon dioxide at an amazing rate. They are phytoplankton, and most are tiny single-celled organisms.

Phytoplankton come in many shapes and forms. The majority are single-celled plants, but some are bacteria and others are protists. Common types of phytoplankton are cyanobacteria, green algae, diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophores.

Phytoplankton plays an important role in human life in that they produce 70% of the oxygen we breathe. A much greater amount than terrestrial plants.

They are part of the carbon cycle, as they consume atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 resides naturally in the atmosphere, but human beings, mostly through the burning of fossil fuels, have released ever greater amounts into the atmosphere.

Stock Images and Stock Video of Phytoplankton

Along with CO2, phytoplankton need sunlight and other nutrients to survive.

At certain times, phytoplankton grow at an explosive rate over the course of days or weeks, creating what is called a "bloom." These blooms may last several weeks, even though an individual phytoplankton lives only for a few days. Despite being of a microscopic size, Phytoplankton blooms are so large they are clearly seen and photographed from satellites.

Aside from providing oxygen, phytoplankton are a major part of the food chain which includes everything from tiny zooplankton to shrimp, jellyfish, fish and whales.

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Sometimes, phytoplankton can produce biotoxins, killing marine life and people who eat this marine life. "Red tides" are a type of toxic algal bloom. Once the bloom is over, the bacteria feeding on the dead phytoplankton deplete the oxygen in the water, thereby suffocating other animals.

These tiny creatures are truly a fascinating link in the chain of life.

www.diatoms.org

earthobservatory.nasa.gov

oceanservice.noaa.gov

Fun With Chemistry

One of the more fun classes in high school was chemistry lab, especially on the days when you made things explode or catch fire...on purpose.

Relive those good old days with our videos of exploding chemistry experiments.

Stock Videos of Exploding Chemical Reactions

The Barking Dog experiment and the Rainbow Clock were very popular. But it's hard to beat the surprisingly loud explosion of a nitrogen triiodide explosion when it's touched lightly by a feather. 

And no one expects a tiny piece of metal dropped into water to steam, hiss, dance about and eventually explode, but lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), and caesium (Cs) do exactly that.

Gifts for the Chemistry Geeks

Here's what happens in each reaction:

Let's check what happens if we would drop a pea-size piece of metal in water.

• Lithium just sizzles on top of the water, but doesn't explode.

• Sodium floats on top of the water, then ignites with a yellow-orange flame and also doesn't explode.

• Potassium floats and skitters around violently, then ignites with a violet flame, and explodes.

• Rubidium sinks, reacts very violently and then explodes.

• Caesium explodes on impact with the water giving off a huge cloud of smoke.

Kinda makes you want to go back to school and study chemistry again.

The Energy Revolution

Renewable energy is sweeping the globe, changing our economies and the way we impact the environment.

Wind farms and solar panels now power large parts of developed countries and hydropower is constantly innovating, becoming more efficient and cost-effective. Tesla's SolarCity recently released a new solar power roof, and there is talk that one-day solar panels might replace household windows, potentially reducing electric bills and carbon footprints to zero.

Stock Images and Stock Video of Renewable Energy

Since 2014, both the United States and the European Union have reduced their CO2 emissions, and many other developed nations have seen their emission rates decline or stabilize. Although some of this is due to stagnating economies worldwide, officials confirm that much of it is a result of the rise of natural gas, solar energy, and wind power.

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The cost of renewable energy has also decreased, outpacing even the decline in gas prices, making it an effective solution for developing nations and new economies. Globally there are about 7.7 million jobs associated with renewable energy, and worldwide investment for renewables reached US$286 billion in 2015.

Nature Cell Phone Case

Despite the good news, it's still unclear whether the world will reach the energy goals set by the Paris Agreement of 2016. The International Energy Agency estimates that renewable energy will only increase by 3% by 2021. The U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the U.K.'s defunding of local renewable projects are both setbacks for the Agreement but not necessarily fatal.

For the energy revolution to succeed, public support and private investment are essential.  See swell.com to find out how you can put your money towards a sustainable future.

Swellinvesting

 

• www.theguardian.com
• www.nytimes.com

Lower Back Pain? You're in Good Company

If you have lower back pain, you are in good company. According to researchers, more than 80% of all Americans will suffer from lower back pain at some point in their life. One of the reasons it is so widespread is that this pain can be caused by many conditions, some not even related to your back.

The back is a complex framework of joints, bone, muscles, and ligaments, that must coordinate to do their work. The lower back supports your upper body and provides sensation and power for movement of hips, legs, and feet. Your back also houses and protects your spinal cord.

Stock Images & Video About Lower Back Pain

This complexity makes your back susceptible to injury and disease if not properly cared for. Muscles can be pulled, sprained, become inflamed or even torn. Bones can fracture or break. The nerves protected inside your spine may swell or get pinched. There are numerous medical conditions that may contribute as well, such as arthritis, lumbar spinal stenosis, sciatica, osteoporosis, scoliosis or herniated discs. 

Your lower back may be perfectly healthy, but you may give yourself lower back pain through your actions. Take a fall, slouch, lift a heavy object, or carry too much weight and your back may be in pain.

Most frustrating of all is that lower back pain may be caused by something other than your back; this is called referred pain. Tumors, kidney infections, endometriosis, fibromyalgia are likely medical culprits.

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But do not fear, there are a number of things you can do to prevent or minimize the odds of suffering from lower back pain. Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are at the top of the list. Don't smoke because it restricts blood flow to your spine. Practice proper posture when sitting, standing and lifting.

If you do get lower back pain, it often clears up after a few days or weeks. To be on the safe side, always check with your doctor.

• Lower Back Pain, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment, spine-health.com
• Tips for Pain Relief, webmd.com
• Chronic Low Back Pain on the Rise, med.unc.edu

Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans: Stock Photography

While plastic has given much to modern society, like inexpensive products and durable packaging, it's also had disastrous consequences.

A recent study from Georgia University found that 18 billion pounds of plastic are dropped into the ocean each year. This has resulted in massive islands of waste forming at sea that destroy aquatic life and poison the water. One such island in the Pacific now equals the size of Texas.

Stock Images of Our Polluted Oceans

The chemicals in plastic often enter into fish's stomachs, making them potentially harmful to the animals that eat them, including people. "I don’t think we should be waiting for a key finding of whether or not fish are hazardous to eat,” says biologist Richard Thompson. “We have enough evidence to act.”

Georgia University reports that only a fifth of all plastic is ever recycled. The problem lies mostly in developing nations but extends globally. Major cities often create landfills by waterways where plastic blows out onto the water and eventually out to sea.

Ocean Wall Art

“Everyone is looking for a sexy answer," Ted Siegler, a resource economist, remarks. “The reality is, we need to just collect the trash."

Hope lies ahead, as countries develop more efficient systems of recycling, but in the meantime, Mother Nature is left paying the lofty price.

Find out how you can help at Earthday

• nationalgeographic.com
• earthday.org

Biometrics

Imagine never having to remember a password or enter a PIN number again. Your phone, computer, bank account and even your own front door will all be able to recognize you through the use of biometrics. Your fingerprints, ears, voice, face, iris, retina, gait and even your distinct odor can already be used to identify you.

As convenient as it sounds - since you will always have your body with you - some are concerned about the potential for invasion of privacy and also the possibility of security breaches.

Stock Images About Biometrics

If a hacker steals your password, you can create a new one. But, if the computer storing your biometric data is hacked you cannot get a new ear, iris or voice. And since biometric security opens many doors, literally and figuratively, hackers may be able to gain much more than with a single password.

Privacy advocates warn this may be the beginning of Big Brother watching you, and not just online. Facial recognition software can pick an individual out of a football stadium full of people. Security cameras are already prevalent in public places, making it possible for you to be followed by the police, the government,  companies, and hackers. This can happen as you walk down the street, shop, bike, or do anything where security cameras are located.

You may say, "I'm not going to hand over my biometric data to anyone." Well, the truth is you may already have done so.

Touch ID on cell phones and voice-controlled assistants such as Alexa or Echo collect your fingerprints and your voice print. Social media sites such as Facebook already use facial recognition software to label photos of you and your friends. Even your iris can now be scanned from up to 30 feet away without you being aware.

Biometric Coffee Mugs, Beach Towels and more

In short, it looks like biometrics is here to stay as a method of identification and for use in security. One can only hope that those with the data do the best they can to keep your personal face, ear, eye, and other biometric information safe from hackers.  

• theatlantic.com
• engadget.com
• wired.com
• scientificamerican.com

Invincible Water Bears

Although they can survive unprotected in outer space, these resilient creatures are terrestrial living beings, not aliens as some have claimed. They are found on every continent on planet Earth and they love the water, yet can be found in the desert as well.

First discovered by pastor and zoologist Johann Goeze in 1773 and later named Tardigrada (Italian for "slow stepper"), these creatures still fascinate scientists today.

Images & Video of Tardigrades

It's unlikely that Goeze knew how amazing tardigrades (also called water bears) really are. They can withstand a high temperature of 300 degrees and a low of -458 degrees F. They have also survived outer space, radiation, and six times the pressure of the deep sea.

How do they do this? When faced with adverse conditions they can desiccate - dry up - themselves. When in this state they are referred to as 'tuns' and resemble a little ball. It is a death-like state called cryptobiosis. Water bears usually only live a few weeks or months but can be revived from a state of cryptobiosis after 30 years.

Water bears need at least a small film of water to be in their normal mobile state. They suck water from the moss and plant matter they usually live in. They prefer living in the moist sediment in the bottom of lakes but have been found in arid regions as well. As long as there is just a little water, they can thrive.

Cute Water Bear Throw Pillows

Even though human beings might not survive a catastrophe such as a supernova or asteroids, it seems that water bears will be around many millennia after we are gone.

Alina Bradford, Tardigrade Facts, livescience.com
William Herkewitz,  Secrets of the Water Bear,  popularmechanics.com
wikipedia.com

Volcanic Eruptions: Kilauea and Beyond

 

A wall of lava flows down Hoʻokāpu Street on Hawaii's Big Island, engulfing cars and setting trees ablaze – one of many scenes of havoc following the eruption of Kilauea in May.

Deriving their name from the Roman god of fire, Vulcan, volcanoes live up to their reputation as one of nature's most fearsome phenomena. Literally openings in the earth's surface, volcanoes exist throughout the world, including underwater. 

Images & Video of Kilauea and Other Volcanos

Volcanoes usually occur where tectonic plates separate but they can also arise from hot spots in the earth's crust, such as in the Hawaiian Islands and Yellowstone National Park. When pressure builds up and travels to the earth's surface, an eruption occurs that can last between one hour and hundreds of years. The Island of Stromboli's volcano has been continuously active for over 2,000 years.

In addition to lava, ash and fire, eruptions are often accompanied by earthquakes, mudslides, and acid rain, causing massive damage to the surrounding environment. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens destroyed 200 houses, 15 miles of highway and 4 billion board feet of timber.

Volcanic eruptions are not solely destructive, however. The lava they produce can clear away brush and treat the soil, making the land highly fertile for new plants and agriculture.

Custom Gifts for Science Geeks

• nationalgeographic.com
• bbc.com