Science Helpdesk

The top medical myths.Ten common misconceptions about health.

Top 10 weirdest prescription drug side effects.Most of us take prescription drugs: if all goes well, the drug works for you as it's supposed to. But there's no drug that works the same for everyone without any risks or side effects. Learn about some of the scariest ones.

How infectious diseases work.An introduction to infectious diseases and human body's defences.

Communicable diseases at Hillendale Health.Some basic and important facts about the germs and the danger they pose.

How do germs spread?A series of slides telling some basic and important facts about the trasmission of germs.

Flu attack! How a virus invades your body.Wondeful animation that shows you how viruses trick healthy cells to join the dark side.

AIDS at Hillendale Health.Questions and answers about the most lethal sexual communicable diseases.

How AIDS works.General information on AIDS: transmission, HIV life cycle and world impact.

Pandemic!10 of the world's deadliest diseases and why they might wipe us out yet.

10 worst epidemics.Take a look at 10 of the worst epidemics to ever plague Mankind and how each disease works.

Tuberculosis, the unromantic killer.Learn about this so-often neglected infectious disease and how it is a real threat for many people.

Cholera's prevention preferable to its cure.Learn how cholera kills by dehydration.

Killer cholera begins where other diseases end.Learn how cholera can be treated succesfully.

MicrobiologyBytes.The latest news on microbiology.

Health and immunity.Great presentation on the types of microbes, microbial diseases, microbial transmission, the skin as a barrier against microbes, the meaning of immunity and the role of white blood cells, and vaccination.

Defence against disease.Brief revision aimed to the GCSE exams. Deals with infectious microorganisms and the ways to fight them back.

Disease and resistance.Learn how your body fights harmful microorganisms from BBC Bitesize. You can take the revision test here and even try an interactive activity.

Antibiotics and drug testing.Learn the basics on antibiotics and how medicines are tested prior to be commercialized from BBC Bitesize. You can take one revision test here and even another one here.

How the world was rid of smallpox.It's the only disease that humankind has successfully wiped out - and the eradication of smallpox was brought about by Edward Jenner.

How the H1N1 vaccine is made.Learn all the efforts required to make a new vaccine against a virus and why it takes six months from start to finish.

Joseph Lister.Learn about the father of antiseptic surgery from the Microbiology Bytes podcast.

Disease defense: barriers against pathogens.Our skin is the first line of defense agains pathogens, but it can be breached. Learn more through this simple video.

Disease defense: the immune system.Very good video showing the various ways by which the white blood cells protect us by destroying pathogens.

Disease defense: immunity and vaccination.Video explaining how we can aid the immune system to do its work better by means of vaccination.

Disease defense: antibiotics.When all protective and preventive measures have failed, we can still make use of antibiotics to get rid of bacteria.

Antibody immune system response.3D medical animation that shows how antibodies stop harmful pathogens from attaching themselves to healthy cells.

Phagocytosis.Learn how the immune system's phagocytes can destroy invader microorganisms.

Digestive problems.Gases, constipation, diarrhea, acid digestion...

Heart health quiz.How much do you know about the dangers that threaten the heart, and what can you do to keep it healthy? Take this quiz to find out.

Drugs and bad body maintenance.Great presentation on healthy lifestyles, drug abuse, and the types of drugs and their effects, including alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine, steroids and more.

How does your body digest a cigarette?Not with pleasure, for sure... But still, it's interesting to know. The page also contains one video explaining how smoking damages your DNA.

Caffeine Facts.Learn how caffeine picks you up and which are its most remarkable effects on the nervous system.

This is your brain on caffeine.Learn about the effects of caffeine withdrawal.