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Stitches May Soon Be Thing Of The Past

Lasers are common weapons in science fiction movies, but soon a laser may be used to heal wounds in real life, if scientists at Tel Aviv University are successful with current tests.

As reported on the Reuters website, scientists developed an optical fiber capable of transmitting infrared light and at the same time measuring the heat of the tissue it’s pointed at. This allows them to control the laser’s power accurately and use it to “weld” tissue effectively without any burning or scarring. Collagen aids the bonding process, growing firm as the skin cools down. This laser-aided process may result in stronger bonding with fewer scars than traditional sutures. Initial tests on humans have shown successful healing with less scar tissue

You can’t get ahead if you’re not willing to take chances. Professional development coach Rich Gee suggests these two exercises for getting started on the next step in your life or career:

Explain where you are now to your past self. Pretend you can talk to yourself five years ago. Tell this past self what to expect—the bad as well as the good. You’ll gain insight into what you might have done differently that may help you in the future. You’ll also remind yourself that you can survive anything in life.
Look back from your future. Now pretend that you’re talking to a version of yourself from five years in the future. Imagine what advice you might give yourself. This will give you a positive vision and concrete goals to strive toward. With a clear view of where you want to be, you’ll be able to take specific steps to reach your professional and personal objectives.

Teach your kids to try harder, without resorting to threats or bribes to get them to perform. Try these tips:

• Focus on progress. Goals are important, but steady progress is the secret of success. Instead of insisting that your child become a star quarterback or a champion speller, emphasize improvement as he or she makes progress.

• Give them a choice. Don’t force your children into an activity because you think they should do it (or because you did it yourself as a child). If kids feel they have a choice, they’ll try harder. Point out what talents they have, provide options and opportunities, and be honest about what to expect as they try to excel in any chosen activity.

Scientists may have discovered a new human ancestor to go along with Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis female from eastern Africa. The new specimen, dubbed Little Foot because of his small bones, was unearthed in South Africa in the early 1990’s. His skeleton was almost completely preserved after he apparently fell down a narrow cave shaft and died there.

Whether Little Foot was a relative of Lucy’s or a different pre-human species has been a subject of debate among anthropologists for 25 years, but a new dating process suggests that Little Foot lived and died some 3.67 million years ago, close to the same time as Lucy.

For many people, St. Patrick’s Day provides an excuse to wear green on March 17, go to a parade, and drink some Irish whiskey. But who was St. Patrick in real life?

The most common belief is that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. Ireland probably never had snakes, though, and the myth may refer to Patrick’s efforts to stamp out the serpent imagery used by the Druids. He also may have used the three-leafed shamrock to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity to the people he was trying to convert to Christianity as a missionary in Ireland.

Once there was a dirty stream running through a town. The town council, wanting to clear their stream, hired a young man to remove debris from a spring on the mountain that fed the stream.

And so, each day with faithful, silent regularity, the young man hiked to the spring and removed the leaves that would have choked the fresh water. Graceful swans came to float along the crystal clear town stream. Profitable mill wheels turned freely, farmlands were irrigated, and the view was picturesque. The village became a popular attraction.

One key to preventing illness is keeping your kitchen clean. Follow these simple tips for maintaining a germ-free cooking space:

Wash all counter tops often with hot, soapy water and a clean sponge, especially before preparing any meals. Avoid harsh chemicals that can permeate your surfaces and get onto food.
Clean up spilled food right away to prevent bacteria from forming.
Keep your counters free of foreign objects—like mail, newspapers, and bags—that might leave dirt or germs behind.
Wash dish towels, sponges, and other cleaning items regularly. Also microwave your wet cleaning sponge for a minute before you start using it.

Here’s a story that reminds me that simple encouragement can have a more dramatic effect on performance than criticism.

Decades ago there was a group of brilliant young men at the University of Wisconsin who had amazing literary talent. They were would-be poets, novelists, and essayists. These promising young men met regularly to read and critique each other’s work.

The men were merciless with one another. They dissected the minutest literary expression. They were heartless, tough, and mean in their criticism. Members of this exclusive club called themselves the “Stranglers.”

Q: What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover?
A: A rash of good luck.

Q: What do you get when you do the Irish jig at McDonalds?
A: A Shamrock Shake

Q: Why can’t you borrow money from a leprechaun?
A: Because they’re always a little short.

Q: Why don’t you iron 4-Leaf clovers?
A: Because you don’t want to press your luck.

Walking can do more for your life than just improve your health. Here are a few additional advantages of putting one foot in front of the other for 20 minutes every day:

Ideas. They will slowly swirl up from your subconscious, boosting your creativity for problem solving and organizing
Feelings. Walking helps you work through feelings and reduce cortisol levels, helping you feel greater calm and control.
Sights. When you walk, you see things that can spark new ideas, solutions, or perspectives.
People. You might encounter other humans as you walk. Those people might think differently than your usual crowd, giving you new perspectives and even friendships.
Hormone Health. You know that walking helps you lose weight, improve your heart rate, and lower stress hormones.