Pandemics

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Medicine

The 1918 influenza pandemic, often called the Spanish Flu, infected an estimated 500 million people—about one-third of the world's population at the time. elaborate share

Neuroprosthetics

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Medicine

Some neuroprosthetics use machine learning algorithms to improve their control and responsiveness over time, effectively "learning" from the user's brain signals. elaborate share

The placebo effect, where a fake treatment improves a patient's condition simply because they believe it will, can be surprisingly powerful, sometimes achieving 30% or more of the effect of an actual medication. elaborate share

Venereology

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Medicine

The term "venereology," the study of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), comes from Venus, the Roman goddess of love. elaborate share

Psychiatry

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Medicine

The first psychiatric hospital in the United States, the Pennsylvania Hospital, opened in 1751. elaborate share

Vaccines

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Medicine

The word "vaccine" comes from the Latin word *vacca*, meaning "cow," referring to Edward Jenner's use of cowpox to vaccinate against smallpox. elaborate share