People tend to think that wearing your heart on your sleeve is a bad thing. For cardiovascular surgeons and patients, however, it would be a dream. Our bodies have a vested (no pun intended) interest in keeping the heart protected, and they do so with a sturdy cage of ribs. So when there’s something wrong, [...]

The bright lights shine down onto the stage. Every seat is empty—everyone is on their feet, cheering and clapping. The faint sound of a rhythmic chant begins. As the applause starts to fade, the crowd becomes louder and clearer. “Encore! Encore! Encore!” And before you can raise your drumsticks high above your head and kick [...]

Imagine building a machine that could run continuously for 80+ years with little to no maintenance. Believe it or not, everyone already has one of these on hand. It’s called the human heart and it’s the greatest pump known to mankind. Under normal circumstances, it beats at rate of 60-100 beats per minute. For most, [...]