Losing a hand or an arm due to injury, disease, or congenital defect can have devastating consequences for a person’s quality of life, affecting their ability to work, play, and interact with others. But what if technology could offer a solution to this problem? What if we could create artificial limbs that could not only replace the lost functions and sensations of the natural hand, but also enhance them? What if we could utilize the power of science and medicine to transform our limitations into possibilities, and our diversity into strength?

To combat the harmful effects of stress, neuroscientists are pointing to mindfulness, defined as the practice of being fully present and aware of our external environment and our actions, while not being overly reactive or overwhelmed by external events. To shed light on this, JYI interviewed renowned neuroscientist Dr. Alexandra Fiocco, whose expertise lies at the intersection of mindfulness, stress, and cognitive aging. Dr. Fiocco currently does research at Stress and Healthy Aging Research (StAR) Lab and teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Malaria has long plagued humanity, with cases (or at least what we assume are cases based on symptoms) reported as far back as 2700 BCE. Caused by a mosquito-transmitted parasite (something humanity didn’t realize until the late 1800s), malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that presents with symptoms including high fevers, chills, and flu-like symptoms. It also ravaged much of the known world, with cases occurring everywhere from southern Europe to Eastern China, killing tens of millions in the process.