Dengue is a viral infection that is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. It mostly is asymptomatic, meaning it doesn’t present any symptoms. The most common symptoms in dengue are a high fever, headaches, and body aches that last a couple weeks. Most people do not need hospital care for this illness.  However, some people who develop severe dengue face more risky symptoms and may need to be hospitalized. This often occurs in people who have been infected

On my trip to New York City over the summer, I had the opportunity to visit Smallpox Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island in Manhattan. Although it is now an ivy covered medial style ruin, brightly lit at night to symbolize regality and sinisterness, it used to be the first hospital in the country to receive patients with smallpox. Due to the arrival of infected immigrants at Ellis Island, there was an increase in the amount of people with smallpox in the early 1800s. It wa

From the food we eat to the air we breathe, our society has become reliant on modern innovations and this has led to plastic being a permanent guest in our homes, and consequently, our bodies.  Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, typically less than 5 millimeters in size, that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products or are manufactured intentionally, such as microbeads in cosmetics. Because they are so small, they can travel through water, air, and even our