AskScience AMA Series: We're from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and we research pumped-storage hydropower: an energy storage technology that moves water to and from an elevated reservoir to store and generate electricity. Ask Us Anything!

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• AskScience AMA Series: We're from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and we research pumped-storage hydropower: an energy storage technology that moves water to and from an elevated reservoir to store and generate electricity. Ask Us Anything!
• Why are beta blockers restricted to prescription only?
• How does the Peltier effect work?
• Is Ceres a dwarf planet or an asteroid?
• If two tornadoes who rotate in opposite directions collide, what happens?
• I have a few questions about temperature?
• What effect does the shifting Magnetic Field(movement of Earth’s Poles) have on Earth’s Climate?
• How does relative speed at or near the speed of light work?
• To my best understanding, space is (for the most part) absent of matter, meaning the Earth has no place to conduct heat. How, then, do CO2 and other gases contribute the the Greenhouse effect, if the Earth already exists as a natural Greenhouse?
• Can someone explain the tennis racket theorem?
• If the event horizon is the region in space wherein the escape velocity of the singularity exceeds that of the speed of light, would there be a region in space beyond this wherein the velocity required to maintain a stable orbit reaches precisely the speed of light?
• Regarding the cause of climate change, why is all the emphasis on greenhouse gases? What about all the thermal energy being produced from electricity and other technology?
• How does a air cooler work?
• How does the brain decide when to do a heart pump?
• What gas is inside a sealed coconut?
• Is there anything that can make the moon red-colored aside from lunar eclipses?
• How do we take images of our own Milky Way Galaxy when we are INSIDE of the galaxy itself?
• How do we know that there aren't anti-galaxies?
• Are hypervelocity stars only possible in a binary star system?

AskScience AMA Series: We're from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and we research pumped-storage hydropower: an energy storage technology that moves water to and from an elevated reservoir to store and generate electricity. Ask Us Anything! Posted: 25 Jul 2019 04:00 AM PDT We are Dhruv Bhatnagar, Research Engineer, Patrick Balducci, Economist, and Bo Saulsbury, Project Manager for Environmental Assessment and Engineering, and we're here to talk about pumped-storage hydropower. "Just-in-time" electricity service defines the U.S. power grid. That's thanks to energy storage which provides a buffer between electric loads and electric generators on the grid. This is even more important as variable renewable resources, like wind and solar power, become more dominant. The wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine, but we're always using electricity. Pumped storage hydropower is an energy storage solution that offers efficiency, reliability, and resiliency benefits. Currently, over 40 facilities are sited in the U.S., with a capacity of nearly 22 GW. The technology is conceptually simple - pump water up to an elevated reservoir and generate electricity as water moves downhill - and very powerful. The largest pumped storage plant has a capacity of 3 GW, which is equivalent to 1,000 large wind turbines, 12 million solar panels, or the electricity used by 2.5 million homes! This is why the value proposition for pumped storage is greater than ever. We'll be back here at 1:00 PST (4 ET, 20 UT) to answer your questions. Ask us anything! submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Why are beta blockers restricted to prescription only? Posted: 25 Jul 2019 12:42 AM PDT I am struggling to find answers online as to why they are not sold over the counter. submitted by /u/dontknowhowtoprogram [link] [comments]

How does the Peltier effect work? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 03:14 PM PDT So i keep finding really general science answers of WHAT it is. But Im looking for a step by step of what is happening and why to full comprehend how heat or cold is being turned into eletricity submitted by /u/hansolo951 [link] [comments]

Is Ceres a dwarf planet or an asteroid? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:45 PM PDT I was wondering what the largest asteroid known to man currently is. Google says Ceres but often labels it as either an asteroid or a dwarf planet. I am beginning to think it is both? submitted by /u/louisprimaasamonkey [link] [comments]

If two tornadoes who rotate in opposite directions collide, what happens? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:54 PM PDT submitted by /u/FlaSHbaNG78 [link] [comments]

I have a few questions about temperature? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 10:55 AM PDT Does it take the same ammount of energy to heat something from 5°C to 6°C as it takes to heat that same thing from 1002°C to 1003°C? As I understand it, atoms can turn their internal energy (temperature) into photons through blackbody radiation. Is there a bottom cutoff at which temperature they dont do that anymore? And if so, what limits it? If I had a group of atoms (all of the same isotope) that I keep at a constant temperature would the photons they produce all be at the same wavelength or would their wavelengths (graphed) look more like a bell curve? (kinda related to question 2) Assume a perfect vacuum with no cosmic rays, sunlight, gravity or anything. In that empty space Ill "put" a single atom (preferably an element that wont decay soon) at 1000°C. Whats the lowest temperature itll ever reach (through blackbody radiation)? Are there other phenomena that would also cool it somehow? How long untill it reaches that lowest temperature? Is it even correct to say a single atom has a temperature like I did in question 4? Thanks for any answers. submitted by /u/Lacksi [link] [comments]

What effect does the shifting Magnetic Field(movement of Earth’s Poles) have on Earth’s Climate? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 03:01 PM PDT I read recently that there might be some correlation between Climate Change and the movement of the magnetic poles and was wondering if someone could help explain any possible effects. submitted by /u/Blkskorpion [link] [comments]

How does relative speed at or near the speed of light work? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 05:16 PM PDT If we assume there is something that is moving at 0.75c relative to a stationary frame of reference, let's assume Earth, and that a projectile is launched from it at an additional 0.75c, how is that projectile still moving slower than the speed of light? I understand that special relativity applies here but I can't quite wrap my brain around why it is like this. I also understand that there's a "speed limit" of sorts through the universe and the energy issue and such- but hypothetically, if it was possible to do such a thing... How does it work? ​ Like if a car is moving away from me at 5 mph a person throws a ball 5mph out the front, you take into account the energy that the ball already has, since it is already moving as 5mph relative to me, and then when it's thrown it gains the additional speed of the throw. submitted by /u/torohangupta [link] [comments]

To my best understanding, space is (for the most part) absent of matter, meaning the Earth has no place to conduct heat. How, then, do CO2 and other gases contribute the the Greenhouse effect, if the Earth already exists as a natural Greenhouse? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 09:00 PM PDT submitted by /u/ctcsoccer17 [link] [comments]

Can someone explain the tennis racket theorem? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 12:37 PM PDT submitted by /u/ThiccGarbageSmell [link] [comments]

If the event horizon is the region in space wherein the escape velocity of the singularity exceeds that of the speed of light, would there be a region in space beyond this wherein the velocity required to maintain a stable orbit reaches precisely the speed of light? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 06:31 PM PDT And would this allow particles to travel short distances away from the singularity above it? submitted by /u/bigmaxporter [link] [comments]

Regarding the cause of climate change, why is all the emphasis on greenhouse gases? What about all the thermal energy being produced from electricity and other technology? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:23 PM PDT submitted by /u/Bloonception [link] [comments]

How does a air cooler work? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:53 PM PDT When water evaporates, it cools something down so how does a dehumidifier male the air cool then? (or a AC unit drip out water) submitted by /u/notrealjamescharles [link] [comments]

How does the brain decide when to do a heart pump? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:53 PM PDT Is the brain just running an infinite loop in the background that sends a signal to the heart for each pump? submitted by /u/BologneseDeveloper [link] [comments]

What gas is inside a sealed coconut? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 10:29 AM PDT Assuming I understand correctly that a coconut: Is a sealed unit before it is opened Is not 100% full of coconut water (else it'd be pretty heavy, and not slosh) What is the gas? Is it a waste product of the cells within? submitted by /u/FifteenFifty [link] [comments]

Is there anything that can make the moon red-colored aside from lunar eclipses? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 10:41 AM PDT I live in Japan and tonight I observed a reddish-colored moon, similar to what I've seen during lunar eclipses (here's my attempt to capture it with my phone). It seems that the last lunar eclipse was about a week ago from now, so I am somewhat puzzled. What am I seeing? What makes the moon appear red this time? Another interesting thing is that it seems that the moon tends to appear reddish around this time of the year in japan. Here's another one I captured about a month ago on June 19th. Are these all delayed(?) lunar eclipses? Strange weather conditions? Or something else? submitted by /u/apolotary [link] [comments]

How do we take images of our own Milky Way Galaxy when we are INSIDE of the galaxy itself? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:20 PM PDT I've always wonderred about this. I understand how we can get an image of other galaxies. But how is it possible to get a full image of our own galaxy when we are inside of it? submitted by /u/eutum [link] [comments]

How do we know that there aren't anti-galaxies? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:36 AM PDT I'm given to understand that antimatter behaves with itself in the same way that the equivalent regular matter does. So a large mass of anti-hydrogen could form a star, with antiproton-antiproton chain fusion forming anti-helium. Anti-photons aren't really a thing since photons are not charged particles, so such an anti-star would produce light that appeared just like a regular star of equivalent mass. How would it be possible to tell the difference between an anti-star and a regular matter star from a distance? It's fairly safe to assume that none of the stars in our galaxy are made of antimatter as if both were present in our galaxy we'd be able to witness annihilation reactions occurring as matter and antimatter collide. Yet, it seems as though it could be possible for a faraway galaxy to exist made entirely of antimatter. How would we be able to tell the difference between this and a normal galaxy? How do we know the assumption that all visible galaxies are made of normal matter is correct? submitted by /u/Lemonwizard [link] [comments]

Are hypervelocity stars only possible in a binary star system? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 10:38 AM PDT Whenever I saw stuff about hypervelocity stars it always said they came from a binary star system and one got launched into space by a massive blackhole. Is it possible for a singular star to be launched or can it only come from a binary system? submitted by /u/fff628 [link] [comments]

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Humans have "introduced" non-native species to new parts of the world. Have other animals done this?

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• Humans have "introduced" non-native species to new parts of the world. Have other animals done this?
• When someone is dying of hunger or thirst, is there a "point of no return" after which they are still alive but if they were given food or water their body would not be able to absorb it fast enough to survive?
• Are there invasive species that benefit the local ecosystem?
• Some human organs, e.g. liver and skin, have regenerative properties. Why don't other tissues, e.g. heart or stomach, also have similar regenerative properties as the liver and skin have?
• How was the NES Duck Hunt game able to work on a tube TV with no sensor bar?
• Ask Anything Wednesday - Physics, Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Science
• Just like humans can pull muscles without proper stretching, can animals have pulled muscles with sudden movement?
• What separates a “speedy” metabolism from a “slow” one?
• Does a beard grow at the same rate everytime or is it impacted by factors such as sleep, health, diet, Etc?
• In large timescales, energy is not conserved because of the expansion of the Universe. Given energy was conceptualized before relativity, is there a way to redefine energy to keep it conserved even with GR?
• In Network Theory is their any simple way to be able to tell if you can create the network without having links overlapping each other?
• Do all brain cells contain microtubules​?
• Why is the work done during expansion greater in adiabatic process than polytropic process, but it is vice versa in case of compression?
• Is the Earth's speed of rotation always constant ? What would happen if it accelerated / decelerated randomly ? Also, if the speed went up / down, what would be some of the short and long term impacts on life ?
• Where will the "new" highest mountain-top be once Everest stops growing and eventually erodes?
• How is military-grade napalm made? How does it compare to the homemade version with styrofoam and gasoline?
• Why aren’t there more triangular shaped molecules if it is the strongest shape?
• Is there any scientific reason why the magnetic north/south has to correspond with extreme temperature?
• What are the differences between properties of cis and trans unsaturated fatty acids?

Humans have "introduced" non-native species to new parts of the world. Have other animals done this? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 05:33 PM PDT submitted by /u/675longtail [link] [comments]

When someone is dying of hunger or thirst, is there a "point of no return" after which they are still alive but if they were given food or water their body would not be able to absorb it fast enough to survive? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:35 AM PDT And if this point exists, would someone who's past it still be conscious/aware? submitted by /u/ArchmageIlmryn [link] [comments]

Are there invasive species that benefit the local ecosystem? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:40 AM PDT submitted by /u/SlightlyNotFunny [link] [comments]

Some human organs, e.g. liver and skin, have regenerative properties. Why don't other tissues, e.g. heart or stomach, also have similar regenerative properties as the liver and skin have? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:19 AM PDT submitted by /u/NKphantom [link] [comments]

How was the NES Duck Hunt game able to work on a tube TV with no sensor bar? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 11:25 AM PDT submitted by /u/hobgoblintariff [link] [comments]

Ask Anything Wednesday - Physics, Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Science Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:13 AM PDT Welcome to our weekly feature, Ask Anything Wednesday - this week we are focusing on Physics, Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Science Do you have a question within these topics you weren't sure was worth submitting? Is something a bit too speculative for a typical /r/AskScience post? No question is too big or small for AAW. In this thread you can ask any science-related question! Things like: "What would happen if...", "How will the future...", "If all the rules for 'X' were different...", "Why does my...". Asking Questions: Please post your question as a top-level response to this, and our team of panellists will be here to answer and discuss your questions. The other topic areas will appear in future Ask Anything Wednesdays, so if you have other questions not covered by this weeks theme please either hold on to it until those topics come around, or go and post over in our sister subreddit /r/AskScienceDiscussion , where every day is Ask Anything Wednesday! Off-theme questions in this post will be removed to try and keep the thread a manageable size for both our readers and panellists. Answering Questions: Please only answer a posted question if you are an expert in the field. The full guidelines for posting responses in AskScience can be found here. In short, this is a moderated subreddit, and responses which do not meet our quality guidelines will be removed. Remember, peer reviewed sources are always appreciated, and anecdotes are absolutely not appropriate. In general if your answer begins with 'I think', or 'I've heard', then it's not suitable for /r/AskScience. If you would like to become a member of the AskScience panel, please refer to the information provided here. Past AskAnythingWednesday posts can be found here. Ask away! submitted by /u/AutoModerator [link] [comments]

Just like humans can pull muscles without proper stretching, can animals have pulled muscles with sudden movement? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 07:55 AM PDT submitted by /u/barneyy34 [link] [comments]

What separates a “speedy” metabolism from a “slow” one? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 07:32 AM PDT submitted by /u/pedro-mcnuggets [link] [comments]

Does a beard grow at the same rate everytime or is it impacted by factors such as sleep, health, diet, Etc? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 05:44 AM PDT submitted by /u/Esnake08 [link] [comments]

In large timescales, energy is not conserved because of the expansion of the Universe. Given energy was conceptualized before relativity, is there a way to redefine energy to keep it conserved even with GR? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 08:07 AM PDT submitted by /u/tyler1128 [link] [comments]

In Network Theory is their any simple way to be able to tell if you can create the network without having links overlapping each other? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:46 AM PDT basically i was wondering if it would be possible to recreate this network https://i.imgur.com/pOIwe3L.png without having the branches over lapping (as it is kind of annoying my OCD) PS: as someone who doesnt spend to much time in this subreddit (and thus doesnt have alot of karma) having to wait 8 minutes to repost my question because the 1st time i forgot a question mark, is kind of annoying submitted by /u/D-Spark [link] [comments]

Do all brain cells contain microtubules​? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 03:43 PM PDT submitted by /u/Global-Ghost [link] [comments]

Why is the work done during expansion greater in adiabatic process than polytropic process, but it is vice versa in case of compression? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 11:32 PM PDT submitted by /u/CynicalWoof9 [link] [comments]

Is the Earth's speed of rotation always constant ? What would happen if it accelerated / decelerated randomly ? Also, if the speed went up / down, what would be some of the short and long term impacts on life ? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 03:33 PM PDT submitted by /u/Rising_phoenix23 [link] [comments]

Where will the "new" highest mountain-top be once Everest stops growing and eventually erodes? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 06:19 PM PDT submitted by /u/dcgrey [link] [comments]

How is military-grade napalm made? How does it compare to the homemade version with styrofoam and gasoline? Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:25 AM PDT submitted by /u/-KarlMarx- [link] [comments]

Why aren’t there more triangular shaped molecules if it is the strongest shape? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 07:31 AM PDT submitted by /u/Pepperonies [link] [comments]

Is there any scientific reason why the magnetic north/south has to correspond with extreme temperature? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 03:45 PM PDT I suppose what I'm asking is if the rotation of a planet is always aligned with its magnetic field. For example, would it be possible for the equator to run north to south? submitted by /u/Pandemic589 [link] [comments]

What are the differences between properties of cis and trans unsaturated fatty acids? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 07:50 AM PDT From what I understand cis configurations are when the two hydrogens bonded to the carbons forming the C=C double bond are facing the same direction, while trans configurations are when they face opposite directions. Is this correct? What are the differences in properties that lead to the food industry creating trans fat products? Why are trans fatty acids more unhealthy than cis fatty acids? Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/_OblateEllipsoid [link] [comments]

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Does being in a caloric deficit decrease the rate at which neurological pathways are formed and/or strengthened?

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• Does being in a caloric deficit decrease the rate at which neurological pathways are formed and/or strengthened?
• AskScience AMA Series: We are vaccination experts Dr. H Cody Meissner and Dr. Sean Palfrey, here to answer anything about vaccines with the help of the Endless Thread podcast team! AUA!
• Do female to male sex reassignment patients choose their penis's size? If not what defines it?
• How are movie files not huge? (Assuming the following calculations)
• How do the various vaccinations we get affect the gut micro-biome?
• What's the reason behind lowering of immunity when a patient is diabetic?
• Would spent nuclear fuel in a dry storage cask reach criticality if the neutron absorbers were removed?
• What keeps the planets' core molten?
• Did the apollo astronauts breath 100% O2 during the travel to the moon?
• How do we know the age of a species?
• Flesh eating bacteria on the rise??
• To what extent does the body compensate for taking a supplement (vitamin, SSRI, etc.) by producing less of that substance endogenously? (during or after supplement use)
• How exactly does depression cause or increase hypersomnia (Excessive Sleep) in those with the condition?
• What part of your brain controls your aim while peeing?
• Why is fire hot?
• Do general anesthetics target a specific brain region or neuronal circuit?
• How did researchers find out that we need sunlight to produce Vitamin D?
• Why does eyebrow hair grow back when shaved but yet it remains the same length for our whole lives if we don’t ever cut it? What tells the hair to stop growing?
• What percent of sea turtle hatchlings actually make it to the ocean?
• Will/Can a carnivore eat plants if starving?

Does being in a caloric deficit decrease the rate at which neurological pathways are formed and/or strengthened? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 06:05 PM PDT What is more important for the development of neurons under normal conditions? Macronutrients or micronutrients? If being in a caloric/macronutrient deficit has a negative impact on neurological processes, does meeting your micronutrient requirements minimize that impact? How does being in a caloric deficit affect the atrophy of neurons prone to atrophy? Finally, what are the most important factors for the optimal function of neurological processes? Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/Iknowbaby [link] [comments]

AskScience AMA Series: We are vaccination experts Dr. H Cody Meissner and Dr. Sean Palfrey, here to answer anything about vaccines with the help of the Endless Thread podcast team! AUA! Posted: 23 Jul 2019 04:01 AM PDT As two doctors with decades of experience working to fight infectious disease, we want to help people understand the benefits of vaccines and getting vaccinated. We're taking a brief pause from our work to answer your questions, and if you've got questions for the Endless Thread podcast team and their series on vaccines and anti-vaxxers, "Infectious," they're here with us! You can find our bios and information about the live event we're doing in Boston this Thursday, find it here. We'll be starting at 1pm ET (17 UT), AUA! submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Do female to male sex reassignment patients choose their penis's size? If not what defines it? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 01:25 AM PDT submitted by /u/mawktheone [link] [comments]

How are movie files not huge? (Assuming the following calculations) Posted: 23 Jul 2019 03:17 AM PDT Assuming a standard movie is 90 minutes. With a resolution of 1920 x 1080, 24 fps, and true 16.8 million colour range i come to the following conclusion: Every pixel needs 3 values. RGB, from 0 to 255 (8 bit). So every pixel needs 24 bits. So every frame needs 1920 x 1080 x 24 bits = 49766400 bits. Times by 24 frames per second = 1194393600 bits per second. 90 minutes is 5400 seconds. 1194393600 x 5400 is 6449725440000 bits per movie. Which is 806Gb per movie. Obviously not right. How can this be compressed so much to ~1Gb per film. The only thing i can assume is that if a pixel is not going to change at all, it doesn't need to store a value for that pixel. Alternatively maybe it saves a less detailed colour range knowing it will be adequate for viewing. ​ I understand compression exists, but how it works to this kind of measure. Not a clue. submitted by /u/nathanditzel [link] [comments]

How do the various vaccinations we get affect the gut micro-biome? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 07:17 AM PDT submitted by /u/cant_ban_me_ [link] [comments]

What's the reason behind lowering of immunity when a patient is diabetic? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 07:17 AM PDT submitted by /u/Mr_deadpool_24 [link] [comments]

Would spent nuclear fuel in a dry storage cask reach criticality if the neutron absorbers were removed? Posted: 23 Jul 2019 04:13 AM PDT As you can see in this photo Dry cask being loaded underwater spent fuel assemblies are packed very close together. Would the spent fuel reach criticality if the neutron absorbers lining the individual baskets (separating each fuel assembly) were removed? Or has the fuel been burnt up so much that it's not very reactive anymore, even when it's jammed together right next to another fuel assembly. I ask this question because I was really surprised by how close they are to each other. submitted by /u/James_New_Zealand [link] [comments]

What keeps the planets' core molten? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 01:05 PM PDT As earth ages, will the core eventually freeze? What keeps it from solidifying over time? submitted by /u/bitingpuppy [link] [comments]

Did the apollo astronauts breath 100% O2 during the travel to the moon? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 12:59 PM PDT Hello all, ​ With the 50th anniversary of the Apollo mission a question came up. What did the Apollo astronauts breath while traveling to the moon? ​ I have read many places that say they had 100% O2 at 5PSI in the cabin, but this seems wrong to me. The reason I feel this is wrong is because if you are 100% O2 for that long you get O2 toxicity. based off.. the Lorrain-Smith effect and the Paul-Bert Effect. ​ I cant find anything about what they had during the flight to the moon. The closest I have found is that they launched with a 1:4 mix, and bleed out the capsule to pure O2 at 5psi. but again, to my knowledge the human body can not survive that. ​ If anyone know where I can get more concrete answers let me know. submitted by /u/rogueengineer [link] [comments]

How do we know the age of a species? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 02:50 PM PDT I've read that sharks have remained relatively unchanged for millions of years - and I suppose we can tell by looking at very old skeletons. But then I watched Planey Eartg, and one species of larvae that also was millions of years old - this time supposedly without skeletal remains. How do we know how old a species is without looking at for example skeltons or bugs stuck in amber? submitted by /u/ratprince1 [link] [comments]

Flesh eating bacteria on the rise?? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 09:37 AM PDT Not sure if this is the right flair to use Does anyone have any scientific explanation as to why this flesh eating disease (necrotizing fasciitis) is on the rise? I have heard of cases here and there over the years, but it seems like lately you hear of a new case everyday and it is seemingly on the rise. As someone who likes to spend time in the water I now feel like beaches, rivers or lakes aren't safe. Anyone have any idea? submitted by /u/jbre11 [link] [comments]

To what extent does the body compensate for taking a supplement (vitamin, SSRI, etc.) by producing less of that substance endogenously? (during or after supplement use) Posted: 22 Jul 2019 09:13 AM PDT I've been told (perhaps wrongly?) that taking an SSRI for extended periods of time might in the long run make your body produce less serotonin endogenously (perhaps just temporarily). I've also been told similar things about oil in the hair or on the skin/face (something like: removing oil or drying it a lot might make your body produce *more*, etc.). I know the body does have a lot of mechanisms for maintaining homeostasis, so it makes *intuitive* sense that if it has more-than-usual of something, it might change to produce less of that thing in the future; but I don't know if such mechanisms actually exist for the kinds of things people claim. (And I know usually there are multiple mechanisms at play and it's likely more complicated than any intuitive or simple explanation). So my question is basically: if I take, say, a daily vitamin supplement (e.g., very large dose of Vit D or Vit B12), could that have the effect of making my body produce less endogenously? If I stop taking those after a year of daily ingestion, will my body end up producing less than it was prior to supplementation? And does the same thing apply for medication like a neurotransmitter agonist or antagonist? submitted by /u/notthatkindadoctor [link] [comments]

How exactly does depression cause or increase hypersomnia (Excessive Sleep) in those with the condition? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 01:38 PM PDT I was looking to understand what about depression causes the balance to shift to encourage more hypersomnia and encourage the sleep state, specifically what physiological changes occur at the cellular level to cause this. Alternatively, I know that in some cases of depression insomnia is more prevalent so I suppose an additional question would be what determines which way the shift occurs - to encourage hypersomnia vs insomnia. ​ I am a physiology student and I do have some background from how sleep works on a physiological level from several courses I took in university. I understand how we have both wake and sleep centers in the brain and that particular neurotransmitters either encourage or discourage fatigue via a sleep-wake switch. submitted by /u/Fa_Ling [link] [comments]

What part of your brain controls your aim while peeing? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 09:02 AM PDT submitted by /u/toway27483926 [link] [comments]

Why is fire hot? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 03:52 AM PDT Is it the stored energy between the bonds and the "fire" is ripping the bonds apart? So then how does that work for gas. If you were burning O2 would the fire break it down to 2 Os? And if that's the case would fire be able to burn just O. I was wondering this because I was cooking and I was wondering where all that gas went. And what it became after it was burnt. Or does it straight up become energy (the heat that you feel) submitted by /u/chenchris01 [link] [comments]

Do general anesthetics target a specific brain region or neuronal circuit? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 01:30 PM PDT I understand that general anesthetics in most cases either increase GABAA activity or block NMDA channels (in the case of ketamine). But I can't find an article that talks about where they target in the CNS. Obviously, exciting inhibitory neurons in different areas leads to different effects. Do general anesthetics target specific circuits or regions, or do they affect the brain globally? In that case how do they have selective functions (ie not messing with your vitals). Please correct me, as I'm more of a cog psych person than bio. submitted by /u/schnebly5 [link] [comments]

How did researchers find out that we need sunlight to produce Vitamin D? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 09:31 AM PDT The synthesis of Vitamin D requires UV rays reaching the skin, but how did researchers discover this? submitted by /u/Purecasher [link] [comments]

Why does eyebrow hair grow back when shaved but yet it remains the same length for our whole lives if we don’t ever cut it? What tells the hair to stop growing? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 06:59 AM PDT submitted by /u/littletacobelllover [link] [comments]

What percent of sea turtle hatchlings actually make it to the ocean? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 09:38 AM PDT I always see videos of turtles being born and then they proceed to race to the ocean. The whole time they're under attack by a variety of predators, it seems like over half never make it to the ocean. While I'm sure the location of birth plays a role, I wonder if there's a rough percentage or explanation for how many even make it to the ocean in the first place. Its sad thinking they dash through all of those predators only to choke on a straw too. Thanks [link] [comments]

Will/Can a carnivore eat plants if starving? Posted: 22 Jul 2019 06:24 AM PDT Not talking about omnivores like bears but instead strict carnivores. Same for herbivores. submitted by /u/redbrickservo [link] [comments]

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