Autistic Barbie
Mattel has launched Autistic Barbie. Because children with autism should be visible, including to themselves. ‘Every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.’ So goes Mattel’s blurb. It is a theme of our times: being visible, seeing ourselves, coming-out into the light. Launched in the domain of what is called ‘sexuality,’ it is now a general possibility with multiple pathways. And everything gives way before it. There can be no objection to coming out. It can only add to the supply of what is good. It is a lie, destructive of health and happiness. Out is truth, and promoting of health and happiness. But while we busy ourselves with one or other modes of coming out, we overlook the...
The intensity and perfectionism that drive Olympic athletes also put them at high risk for eating disorders
Several Olympic figure skaters have spoken publicly of their eating disorders in recent years. aire images/Moment via Getty Images ~~~~~ Olympians – athletes at the top of their sport and in prime health – are idolized and often viewed as superhuman. These athletes spend their lives focusing on building physical strength through rigorous training and diets that are honed to provide the nutrients necessary to excel at their sport. However, athletes are at considerable risk for eating disorders and having an unhealthy relationship with food and their bodies. The distinctive lifestyle of elite athletes can create a hotbed for eating disorders and disordered eating, meaning restrictive,...
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The secret weapon: When to choose a trade secret over a patent
Introduction In the world of intellectual property, the patent is king. It is the shiny, government-stamped document that investors love to see. But sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to tell the world how you did it. sometimes, the best protection is silence. This brings us to the trade secret, the quiet, often misunderstood sibling of the patent family. While patents grant you a monopoly in exchange for public disclosure, a trade secret offers potentially infinite protection, provided you can keep your mouth shut. For innovators in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, the choice between these two paths is a high-stakes gamble. Do you lock down a 20-year monopoly, or do you roll the dice on...
Beating back the Aedes aegypti mosquito
Scientists are taking a multipronged approach to tackle this dangerous carrier of dengue, yellow fever and other noxious viruses Deep in northwestern Africa, a high-pitched hum pierces the moist forest. It is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, laying its eggs inside water-filled tree holes and feeding on various animals, posing little danger to any person it encounters. But that is a scene from the distant past. Everything changed about 5,000 years ago, scientists reckon, when the African climate shifted, and this area — the Sahel — like the Sahara region farther north, became a drier place. Even A. aegypti, whose eggs can dry out and survive for months, couldn’t tolerate nine months of hot, dry...
