Cost at Sea

Scott LaFee on Jul 9, 2025

There is growing awareness -- and alarm -- at news that human brains (and the rest of our bodies) contain microplastic particles that may be causing harm, such as increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke.

Now comes news that location is a risk factor.

New data suggests that people who live near the ocean have higher levels of microplastic in their bodies due to particles in sea air, in groundwater sources near the sea and in seafood.

Americans living in 152 coastline counties with the highest plastics contamination also had higher disease rates. Research shows that micro- and nanoplastics can damage health by causing oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death, reports STAT. People with high exposure to microplastics have been found to have decreased cardiac output and excessive scar tissue formation in the heart.

Body of Knowledge

The index finger is the most sensitive on the hand. It has a higher density of sensory receptors for detecting touch, pressure and vibration, and it is more frequently used in conjunction with the thumb for fine motor tasks and grasping.

Get Me That, Stat!

Despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court three years ago, the total number of abortions that occurred in the U.S. was higher in 2024 than it was in the two previous years. One in four abortions in 2024 was provided via telehealth, according to the Society for Family Planning.

Counts

79: Percentage of U.S. adults who say parents should be required to vaccinate their children against preventative diseases like measles, mumps and rubella in order to attend school, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and de Beaumont Foundation

Doc Talk

Oscitancy: Drowsiness usually demonstrated by yawns

Phobia of the Week

Katagelophobia: Fear of ridicule

Best Medicine

Dogs can't operate an MRI machine, but CAT scan.

Observation

"You know, my father died of cancer when I was a teenager. He had it before it became popular." -- American humorist Goodman Ace (1899-1982)

Medical History

This week in 1965, Japanese surgeons successfully replanted a completely amputated thumb. They used a surgical microscope to operate on a 28-year-old male laborer whose thumb had been cut off in a workplace accident. The two key advances were use of surgical microscopy and development of monofilament suture capable of stitching incredibly tiny blood vessels.

Perishable Publications

Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like "nonlinear dynamics." Sometimes they don't, yet they're still hard to figure out. Here's an actual title of actual published research study: "Red Hot Chilli Consumption Is Harmful in Patients Operated for Anal Fissure -- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study."

Published in the journal Digestive Surgery in 2007, the study was intended to answer the burning question of whether what goes into the mouth "hot" comes out the other end the same way. The answer was yes and deemed solid scientific advice for patients who have undergone backend surgeries.

Self-Exam

Q: Which human sex has more reproductive components?

Bonus question: How many?

A: Males have slightly more reproductive parts: testicles, epididymides, vasa deferentia, seminal vesicles, prostate, bulbourethral glands, penis and scrotum, for a total of eight. Females: ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, placenta, vulva and vagina, for a total of seven.

Last Words

"I'm looking for loopholes." -- American comedian W.C. Fields (1880-1946). These aren't Fields' actual last words, but they're close. Reportedly, as his health was failing, a close friend came upon him thumbing through a Bible and asked him what he was doing.

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To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.