Greg Laden is a blogger, writer and independent scholar who occassionally teaches. He has a PhD from Harvard in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology, as well as a Masters Degree in the same subjects. He is a biological anthropologist, but for many years before going to graduate school to study human evolution, he did archaeology in North America. He thinks of himself as a biologist who focuses on humans (past and present) and who uses archaeology as one of the tools of the trade. Greg blogs regularly on ScienceBlogs at http://www.scienceblogs.com/gregladen/.
Dr. Joseph J. Salvo attended Phillips Andover Academy, received his A.B. degree from Harvard University and his Master and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University. Dr. Salvo joined the GE Global Research Center in 1988. His early work focused on the development of genetically modified bacteria and fungus, for the production of novel high performance polymers. In the mid 1990's he turned his group's efforts towards developing large-scale internet-based sensing arrays to manage and oversee
business systems. Most recently, he and his team have developed a number of complex decision engines that deliver customer value through system transparency and knowledge-based computational algorithms. Commercial business implementations of his work are currently active in Europe, and Asia as well as North and South America.
Dr. Peter Tu received his undergraduate degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and his doctorate from Oxford University England.
In 1997, he joined the Visualization and Computer Vision Group at the GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna, NY. He has developed algorithms for the FBI Automatic Fingerprint Identification System. He is the principle investigator for the ReFace program, which has the goal of automatically computing the appearance of a person’s face from skeletal remains. Dr. Tu has also developed a number of algorithms for the precise measurement of specular and high curvature objects. His current focus is the development of intelligent video algorithms for surveillance applications.
This is the seventh daily question on the Collective Imagination blog.
Every day, respond to the question (or another commenter's answer) and you will be eligible to win a custom ScienceBlogs USB drive. We'll announce the previous day's winner in each daily question post.
Yesterday, we asked what kind of health information you would like to see available in a mobile app. You had several creative suggestions (are you listening, app developers?): digital file copies of X-rays and MRIs, basic instructions for CPR and other first aid procedures, price comparisons for different pharmacies, medical dictionaries that translate between languages, and more.
We randomly selected Mu, who suggested a mobile
emergency health bracelet, as our daily winner. Mu, email us at [email protected] to claim your prize.
We'll be giving out USB drives daily through the end of March. To get your own, answer today's question in the comments below:
What one thing could you do today to improve your personal health?
For more information about health care and technology, check out GE's healthymagination.
Medicine & Health
Comments
According to my doctor, burning 8000 extra calories a day for 3 month would be a good start. Or, as he put it more directly, get off your axx and stop surfing the net.
Posted by: Mu | March 9, 2010 11:00 AM | Reply
If I stopped eating, my health would improve greatly.
At least for a short time.
I'm plagued by an as-yet-undiagnosed (several previous misdiagnoses) intestinal illness. If I could get all my nutrition through a daily injection I would do so in a heartbeat, and forego food for the rest of my life.
Posted by: Mike Wagner | March 9, 2010 11:00 AM | Reply
Wow Mike, that is very sad. Have you tried probiotics? You probably have. I hope you get this resolved soon. Maybe some very smart and very nice doc will read this and help you. Good luck!
Annette Saccoccio replied to comment from Mike Wagner | March 9, 2010 11:05 AM | Reply
I would try to remind myself to breathe more deeply and slowly several times during the day to help minimize the stress I feel often throughout my work days,leading to shallow and uneven breathing. Simple,yet complex!!
Posted by: Tenley Toppins | March 9, 2010 11:06 AM | Reply
Excersise more
Posted by: Mike Phillips | March 9, 2010 11:07 AM | Reply
You asked for one, but I'll give a twofer:
Eat less, exercise more.
Posted by: NewEnglandBob | March 9, 2010 11:17 AM | Reply
eliminate major stressors from my life. not live in a city. get out and take a hike in nature every day. grow a garden. not have to work in an office.
Posted by: Shannon | March 9, 2010 11:19 AM | Reply
I could -- and will -- go for a walk again this noon. I had started swimming again during noon hours, something I used to do regularly to keep in shape, but then I hurt my shoulder and the swimming aggravated the injury, so I switched to walking instead. I haven't gone back to the swimming, 'cause it's BORING, but I still walk at least half an hour every noon; outside, weather permitting. Now that spring is near, I'll be bicycling regularly too . . . .
Posted by: Don | March 9, 2010 11:21 AM | Reply
Eat more kale!
Posted by: kristopher hite | March 9, 2010 11:21 AM | Reply
Drink less coffee, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
I think I'm basically healthy, but these little things (yeah, I put up 2, as well) would almost certainly be improvements.
And now back to drinking coffee, and looking forward to a lunch devoid of freshness.
Posted by: TheBrummell | March 9, 2010 11:26 AM | Reply
Practice meditation on a daily basis ..... devote a minimum of 30 minutes to recentering
my mind and body. This would go a long way to alleviating the constant state of tension that I spend my day in!
Posted by: Samm | March 9, 2010 11:27 AM | Reply
drink less at night & get more regular exercise
Posted by: anna | March 9, 2010 11:41 AM | Reply
Get 8 hours of sleep for once. Tonight counts as today, right?
Posted by: Simba | March 9, 2010 12:23 PM | Reply
Quit drinking soda.
Posted by: Craig | March 9, 2010 12:34 PM | Reply
Eat more Vitamin E. Nuts and especially sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E, but they're not foods I always want to eat. And I am very skeptical of vitamins in pill form. So before I go to bed, I'm going to have a tablespoon of Wheat Germ oil, which contains %100 of the vitamin's RDI.
Posted by: WIll | March 9, 2010 12:39 PM | Reply
I could put down and not eat this herb seasoned smoked sausage and garlic spiced eggs smothered in pepperjack cheese. But that's not likely. Still, losing weight is the best thing I could do.
Posted by: SouthernFriedSkeptic | March 9, 2010 1:08 PM | Reply
I could (and should) spend half of my lunch hour walking. Especially since I no longer have a regular workout (recently retired after five years playing roller derby.)
Posted by: echoegami | March 9, 2010 1:44 PM | Reply
I really ought to get back to walking. I took pretty much the entire winter off; it's starting to warm up again!
Steve
Posted by: Steve Catoe | March 9, 2010 2:25 PM | Reply
I really should make an appointment to go to the dentist. Unfortunately due to the recent blizzard and surgery a few months ago, I actually have negative personal time at work. I wonder if I can find a good dentist who works evenings or weekends.
Posted by: catgirl | March 9, 2010 2:41 PM | Reply
up the fiber intake
and +1 to catgirl about the dentist.
Posted by: VikingMoose | March 9, 2010 2:53 PM | Reply
Exercise. Exercise, exercise, exercise. I had an eye-opening insight into the importance of exercise this winter, and need to incorporate it into my own life more. And not let a sore knee keep me from exercising some other way...
Posted by: OmegaMom | March 9, 2010 3:24 PM | Reply
Eat more. Not more calories, my weight is fine or more than I'd like. But more frequently. Procrastinating on eating makes me crave the really calorie dense crap I don't need. And I get hella cranky when I go too long between food intake- I'm sure it's one of the simplest ways for me to get rid of some excess cortisol. I also need more liquid consumption. I have some hope doing this would make me feel more motivated to exercise, so it's not really as back-asswards as it might sound.
Posted by: becca | March 9, 2010 3:37 PM | Reply
I could persuade the FDA to ban MSG and all related "flavor enhancers" which are really "consumption enhancers" that make me and everyone else eat too much of the wrong food. Or maybe the President could issue an Executive Order. That would be awesome.
Posted by: Mike | March 9, 2010 5:09 PM | Reply
Drop out of med school...
Posted by: MS3 | March 9, 2010 8:12 PM | Reply
A lot of people want to "lose weight" and that's a fine thing, but they shouldn't forget to get stronger and increase their stamina and range of motion. Actually those may be more important than hitting some ideal weight.
What could I do? I already get lots of exercise but my diet is bad. Start a cult where the acolytes are saved if they provide me with fresh, healthy food I guess.
Posted by: george.w | March 9, 2010 11:15 PM | Reply
Laugh more with my friends
Posted by: Sharon McDonnell MD MPH | March 10, 2010 2:16 AM | Reply
Well, for the last year, as I've moved to an apartment far from my school, I've had to walk 40 mins or so round trip to get to classes, so I can't say that.
I know, get more sleep.
I am constantly tired in classes, work, whatever. I am a night person, so as soon as I hit 9:00 or so at night, I feel completely rejuvenated, no matter how much sleep I've had. I've been relying on two (or more) lattes a day to get me through life, even on days that I do get a good 7+ hours of sleep in me.
I need to cut down on my caffeine intake and reduce my insomnia so that I can sleep.
Posted by: Lyle | March 10, 2010 5:02 AM | Reply
Quit working 3rd shift. Normalizing my sleep schedule would help all important areas of my wellbeing: I eat better (and want less caffiene), I have time to exercise, I sleep better, I have drastically fewer migraines.
Posted by: Ali | March 10, 2010 6:27 AM | Reply
Stop drinking. Followed by eating less. And alongside that getting at least some minimal exercise. These three things make me feel better immediately whenever I do one or all of them for a day or two. And I feel better about myself--which is an issue for me.
Posted by: Willy | March 10, 2010 11:28 AM | Reply
Hey I feel that the old saying that
Early to bed and early to rise is the wisest one to follow....
Posted by: shivaji | March 10, 2010 1:46 PM | Reply