Troy Oakes

Why and How Often Do You Need to Wash Makeup Brushes and Sponges?

From the bristles of brushes to the porous surfaces of sponges, your makeup kit can harbor a host of bacteria and fungi. These potentially hazardous contaminants can originate not only from the cosmetics themselves, but also from the very surface of our skin. So, how can we keep things hygienic and avoid microbial growth on ...

Troy Oakes

A makeup kit.

Our Brains Take Rhythmic Snapshots of the World as We Walk – And We Never Knew

For decades, psychology departments worldwide have studied human behavior in darkened laboratories that restrict natural movements, such as walking. Our new study, published in Nature Communications, challenges the wisdom of this approach. Using virtual reality (VR), we have revealed previously hidden aspects of perception that occur during a simple everyday action — walking. We found ...

Troy Oakes

A woman walking down a country road.

MH370 Disappearance 10 Years On: Can We Still Find It?

It has been 10 years since Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014. To this day, it remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries globally. It’s unthinkable that a modern Boeing 777-200ER jetliner with 239 people on board can simply vanish without any explanation. Yet multiple searches in the past decade have ...

Troy Oakes

Malaysian Airlines plane taking off.

Why Does a Leap Year Have 366 Days?

You may be used to hearing that it takes the Earth 365 days to make a full lap, but that journey actually lasts about 365 and a quarter days. Leap years help keep the 12-month calendar matched with Earth’s movement around the Sun. After four years, those leftover hours add up to a whole day. ...

Troy Oakes

A leap year calendar.

Eating Leafy Greens Could Be Better for Oral Health Than Using Mouthwash

Over half the adult population in the UK and U.S. have gum disease from poor oral health. Typical treatments include mouthwash and, in severe cases, antibiotics. These treatments have side effects, such as dry mouth, the development of antimicrobial resistance, and increased blood pressure. Research has indicated that a molecule called nitrate, which is found ...

Troy Oakes

A head of lettuce.

Anger, Sadness, Boredom, Anxiety — Emotions That Feel Bad Can Be Useful

Remember the emotions you experienced around sadness that came with the last time you failed miserably at something? Or the last time you were so anxious about an upcoming event that you couldn’t concentrate for days? These types of emotions are unpleasant to experience and can even feel overwhelming. People often try to avoid them, ...

Troy Oakes

Different emotions.