A concussion is a discomposing slog to your brain, so it makes intuitive sense鈥攅ven to the medical community鈥攖hat lying very, very still should provide the fastest recovery. But concussed patients whose symptoms last longer than three weeks .

Past studies have shown that exercise helps cognition and reduces symptoms of depression, and we know it improves balance , says Karl Kozlowski, the researcher who spearheaded the study. “Then the researchers at Canisius College and I thought, those are the same symptoms of a concussion.”

Thirty-four study participants with ran on a graded treadmill for 10-minute durations while Kozlowski and his co-researchers monitored their self-reported symptoms. Participants reported their symptoms had reduced during and after exercise. Kozlowski and his colleagues thereby concluded that regular, low-level aerobic activity, lasting between 10 and 20 minutes, can alleviate long-term concussion symptoms and actually expedite recovery.

“With exercise, the brain regains the ability to auto-regulate blood flow in the brain,” says Kozlowski, noting that a concussion causes the brain’s blood flow to fluctuate, resulting in headaches and dizziness.

Of course, recommencing exercise too quickly, and too rigorously, makes symptoms worse, as our experience with athletes tells us, says Kozlowski. But exercising minimally, so one’s heart rate stays at 70 percent its maximum鈥�20 percent below the heart rate at which blood pressure exacerbates PCS symptoms鈥攃an help maintain healthy circulation to the brain.

For the medical community to act upon these findings, a longer clinical trial is needed. Until then, Kozlowski recommends talking with a physician in the event of a concussion, and, if symptoms do not resolve within seven days, seeing a neurologist.

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Valentine's Day is a day for courtly love. Yes, that old paradox鈥�”a love at once illicit and morally elevating, passionate and聽, humiliating and exalting, human and聽,” as F.X. Newman wrote in . What does this mean for you? Maybe (probably) nothing. But, hey鈥攖here's a cake for that.

A chocolate cake that is at once flourless and rich, prudent and sinful(!), illicit and morally elevating鈥攁 chocolate cake that is at once a chocolate cake (for your lover and/or self) and a smart alternative to the average cup-o'-sugar stodginess.

And why is it a good alternative, you insist on asking? Well, modern take on the term “courtly love,” it's because this cake, while not all that transcendent, is much less bad than it could be. It only has a fourth cup of sugar, only uses eight ingredients, and is not at all “human” or “humiliating.” So stop Googling “easy kale desserts+chocolaty+romantic?” and settle for something that's really no better than better than usual.

That Was A Little Depressing

Then make this cake to cheer yourself up! (See? This doesn't even have to be about Valentine's Day.)

But first: Here are the nutritional facts, per serving (out of 12 servings):

439 calories

30 grams of fat

152 milligrams of sodium

32 grams of carbohydrates

0 grams of fiber (yes, yes; boo-hoo)

5 grams of protein

Now, Let's Get Started

You'll need these ingredients (for 12 servings, remember):

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 录 cup liquor (use your favorite)
• 10 large eggs
• 录 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 陆 teaspoon salt
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Then, you'll do this (30 minutes):

1) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or use foil cupcake liners in the tin.

2) Put water in bottom half of a double boiler, or fill a small saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a gentle boil.

3) Into top of double boiler or metal bowl in sauce pan (see note below), add chocolate chips, butter, and liquor. When the chocolate and butter begin to melt, blend thoroughly. It should have an even, shiny finish. Remove from heat.

4) While the chocolate is melting, whip eggs in a separate bowl until frothy. Add sugar, vanilla, salt, and cayenne.

5) Ladle a bit of the egg mixture to the warm chocolate mixture and whisk quickly so that the eggs don鈥檛 cook. Continue adding egg mixture and whisking until about one-third of it is incorporated into the chocolate mixture. Then pour the chocolate mixture back into the larger bowl containing the remaining eggs, and stir to combine.

6) Pour batter into muffin tin, filling each tin halfway. Bake 15鈥�20 minutes. Cakes should be light and dry on the outside (with cracks on top) and dense and moist on the inside.

7) Let cakes cool to touch or chill in the fridge before serving. Add powdered sugar and fresh berries, if desired.

Note: If you don鈥檛 have a double boiler, a metal bowl that is big enough to rest on top of your saucepan will do just fine.

Recipe republished with permission of VeloPress from The Feed Zone Cookbook. Try more recipes at .

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Probiotics have made a thunderclap impression on nutrition the past few years鈥攅ver since we noticed the beneficial menagerie of bacteria in our stomachs鈥攁nd many have been choking down swarming mouthfuls of Kombucha to aid their digestion (among countless other functions, possibly) ever since.

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center are mostly behind the push but that the little we actually know about probiotics has privileged marketers to make uncertain claims about probiotic products. So, cross your fingers and plug your nose; drink up, I guess.

Or, if you have doubt, continue on the probiotic path without making potentially dubious compromises on taste, and try out this spicy soup. (It's the Pascal's Wager of probiotics.) Chef Biju Thomas has a recipe for a classic Korean restaurant tofu , low in carbs and high in protein, that's enriched with probiotics from kimchi鈥攆ermented cabbage and spices鈥攊n a decidedly culinary, non-medicinal treatment.

Sure, But Go Back to “Fermented Cabbage and Spices”

Fermented Napa cabbage comprises the most common version of kimchi, but you could also use radishes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and all sorts of seafood, says Biju. Napa cabbage provides a medium heat. If you prefer it spicier, include any type of fresh peppers or dried red chilies (or chili paste鈥r Sriracha). Otherwise, the stalk and tofu should mellow the heat.

What If I Don't Care About Probiotics?

You mean in relation to this recipe? Well, for approximately four servings (2 cups each), here is what else you'll get out of it:

Calories: 185

Fat: 9.5 gm

Carbs: 10 gm

Protein: 16 gm

Cool. Let's Make It.

OK. Get these ingredients to start:

• 2 cups kimchi, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart low sodium stock (any will work)
• 1 package of soft or “silken” tofu
• 1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce

Optional:

• 2 jalapenos, chopped or cut into strips
• 1 stalk scallions, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon GoChuJang (Korean Chili paste) or Sriracha
• Eggs

And the rest is very simple:

1. Mix kimchi and vinegar together
2. Add mix to stalk and tofu
3. Add any optional chopped vegetables or sauces you want at this point
4. Bring this to a low, rolling boil
5. Adjust salt to taste
6. Crack in eggs if you'd like and let them cook until the whites set
7. Put that Campbell's soup snowman kid to shame in so many ways

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The hermit crab seems unusual in its maintenance of near-constant levels of fertility and mortality. In fact, it undermines the notion that deterioration necessarily follows age.

The hydra鈥攁 freshwater microorganism鈥攁bides by the same ever-youthful aging strategy. But whereas the hermit crab typically lives , the hydra can sustain itself for . This disparity is observed in a study released by that defines the aging process as a non-standard phenomenon, possibly altering our view of evolution.

The research compared the aging patterns of 46 species and found no association between the length of life and the degree of senescence鈥攐r deterioration of mortality and fertility鈥攚ith age.

Rather, life ages on a continuum, with mammals grouped on one end, showcasing an abrupt shift in mortality, and plants on the other, touting a much lower mortality. Birds and invertebrates populate the space between.

鈥淭he [evolutionary] theories we have are applicable in lots of situations 鈥� but they can鈥檛 explain some cases,鈥� says Owen Jones, a biologist at the University of Southern Denmark and leader of the study.

, including evolutionary biologists at the University of California鈥揑rvine and the University of Texas Health Science Center, criticize the findings for being lab-oriented.

Steven Austad, biologist at the University of Texas, says the findings are “divorced from biology” and “[ignore] the impact of the environment.”

Stephen Stearns, an evolutionary biologist at Yale University, says that while the research provides a useful reminder, it does not repudiate evolutionary theory. 鈥淭hat would require difficult empirical measures of the trade-offs between reproduction and mortality,” he says, “which haven’t yet been done.鈥�

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To those on allergy-free diets: A larger number of popular, nutrient-dense foods may be available than you think. Just consider eating a part or variation of your allergenic cuisine.

Instead of abstaining entirely from eggs, for example, you may need only to shear away the egg whites鈥攐r whichever part of the egg makes you react allergically, according to a by allergist Sami Bahna last month at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Allergist Joyce C. Rabbat confirms, writing, “Certain proteins of a food are more allergenic (i.e., more likely to cause an allergic reaction) than other proteins of the same food.”

To determine which parts of a food are fine to eat and which parts will actually cause a reaction, allergists perform oral food challenges. These involve feeding a patient tiny amounts of the suspected allergenic food in increasing doses.

Noting that people with food allergies should not experiment without “proper guidance from their allergist,” Bahna, ACAAI past president, intends testing “to [reduce] the burden of unnecessary dietary eliminations.”

Cutting out fish, for example, may be a bit extreme given the number of culinary options available.

“If a person is allergic to fish, allergy testing with various types of fish can discover at least one type that the patient can eat without a problem,” says Bahna.

Allergic to milk? You could mean cow’s milk, since the milk of other animals often provides a non-allergenic alternative.

Another solution lies in the way you prepare your food. For example: Many who suffer from pollen-food syndrome and experience itchy or tingling sensations in the mouth or throat after eating fresh fruit will tolerate fruit cooked, says Rabbat. Cooking can alter the food proteins enough that your body doesn’t recognize them.

Of course, these cases vary person to person. Anyone wishing to apply these findings should see a registered allergist first, Bahna and Rabbat recommend: Before you pluck out the yolk, it’s best to know you won’t react to even a trace of the allergenic food in your meal.

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UPDATE: Following media reports on the killing of snowy owls at JFK Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has tweeted that they are working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation in order to David Karopkin, founder of , responded to the incident, saying, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to the heart of the issue. You鈥檙e not addressing what鈥檚 attracting the birds around the airport,” according to .

Port Authority workers shot two snowy owls at John F. Kennedy Airport with a shotgun on Saturday, following an order to kill any owls spotted there to ensure none flies into a jet’s engine, reports.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey issued the order after an owl flew into a plane’s engine last week while the plane was on a Kennedy tarmac. Bird interception by engines can destabilize an aircraft’s flight鈥攁s in 2009, when a Canada goose caused a commercial airplane to land in the Hudson River. Bird strikes can also cost an airline millions of dollars annually, according to a by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The risks are higher this year, as an influx of snowy owls has flown into the northeastern United States from the Arctic, says , possibly because of a shortage in food.

A wildlife specialist working for the Port Authority spent 45 minutes chasing down one of the two snowy owls at Kennedy Airport before shooting it down.

Boston’s Logan Airport is handling the irruption of owls differently: by trapping and releasing them. reports that Norman Smith, of the Massachussetts Audobon Society, has been trapping owls for Logan Airport since 1981, and has already caught and released 20 this season.

“A snowy owl might take out a jet engine, but it鈥檚 not like a flock of geese that is going to take out more than one engine and possibly bring down a plane,” Smith . “And the snowy owls also make other bird species disappear from the airfield.”

The Port Authority more than 1,000 geese in the New York metropolitan area in 2009 after the “Miracle on the Hudson” incident, making the shoot-to-kill response fairly conventional for the agency.

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In 2006, the U.S. Forest Service purchased for catching marijuana users in the woods of California, not knowing that the agency didn’t meet federal requirements for drone operation. Seven years and $100,000 later, the drones sit in storage. But if prospective Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amendments go through, the law-enforcement team could give drones another shot: this time for fire-fighting.

Forest Service officials had intended their SkySeer drones to spare officers the risk of monitoring pot smokers in person (although Jeff Ruch, of the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, told the Associated Press at the time that the purchase indicated a “boys with toys” mentality). Members of the agency soon realized they had neither the mandatory pilots nor the authority required by the FAA.

Jennifer Jones, spokeswoman for the Forest Service, told that the drones are “not even operational at this point,” as their custom batteries are dead and cannot be replaced.

But the FAA is on unmanned aircraft, working with Congress on a method of integrating drones into everyday application, possibly by 2015, to meet the increased demand exemplified by Amazon’s newfangled delivery idea.

The Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management is working toward FAA approval by developing new drone protocols and assessing their risks, reports the .

“Sometimes what happens is the technology gets out there before our agency policies,” says Jones, who believes the drones could mark a new frontier for the law-enforcement division.

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With petal-like legs and attractive coloring, the uses its flower resemblance for hunting, researchers say, confirming years of speculation.

Native to the forests of Southeast Asia, the orchid mantis lures pollinators, such as butterflies and bees, to snatch them out of the air when they draw too near.

“They can attract even more pollinators than some flowers,” James O’Hanlon, evolutionary biologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, told .

The orchid mantis is not the first predator to use mimicry in predation. For example, a species of bolas spider attracts male moths by simulating female moth sex pheromones. But the mantis is the first insect observed to take an aggressive approach to the same camouflaging method as used by the predator-evading .

“There are other animals that are known to camouflage amongst flowers and ambush prey items, but they do not actually attract the pollinators themselves,” says O’Hanlon, “the flowers they sit on are the attractive stimulus.”

This research confirms years of speculation鈥攕ince the 1800s, when Alfred Russel Wallace, who conceived of evolution independently of Darwin, first suggested the orchid mantis had adapted this way.

The researchers overcame the obstacle of access by traveling to and consulting the Orang Asli tribe for help locating the insect.

“We knew almost nothing about them and had to start from complete scratch,” says O’Hanlon, who mentions it is possible the orchid mantis also uses its disguise to avoid predatory birds and lizards.

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Next time you’re watching Jurassic Park and a , remember that what you’re hearing could include the call of a male koala鈥攁long with the seemingly more appropriate sounds of tigers and elephants. In fact, the koala’s bellow would make more sense coming from an elephant: The deep, gravelly noise is 20 times lower than it should be considering the marsupial’s size.

How does this disarming creature manage such vocal depth? The answer is a newly discovered 鈥攅ssentially a second set of vocal folds outside of the koala’s larynx鈥攄iscovered by researchers at the University of Sussex.

These extra vocal folds, called the “velar vocal folds” in a published Monday by the journal Current Biology, are more than three times longer and roughly 700 times heavier than the vocal folds previously discovered on the koala’s larynx.

“Larger structures can oscillate at lower frequencies,” Benjamin D. Charlton, the researcher who led the study, told . “Just think of a guitar string鈥攁s you shorten the string by placing a finger on the fret board, you raise the frequency of the sound produced, and the thickest strings produce the lowest frequencies.”

For male koalas, the velar vocal folds are crucial, as female koalas are attracted to a deep voice.

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