science
Study the science of animals to get a deeper understanding of your pet's brain, body and behavior.
Meeting Strangers Online: What It’s Like Using Friend2Talk
There's something strange and beautiful about talking to a complete stranger. Not someone you know because you're friends with someone else, or someone who's following you on Instagram. No, we're talking about the kind of stranger you'd never otherwise encounter. Someone halfway around the world, perhaps in a small town in Turkey or a college dorm in Delhi. With a tap, they're on your screen, and for a few seconds, the world outside just melts away.
By Friend2talk8 months ago in Petlife
Beneath the Surface: Battling Burnout and Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World
Morning light spilled through the window, but my heart was racing. It’s been over two years since the lockdown ended, but life hasn’t gone back to normal. The thought of stepping outside fills me with unease. News channels still talk about the pandemic’s aftermath—it feels like the world changed forever. They say this is post-pandemic anxiety. I'm not alone—but even knowing that doesn't bring peace. Lying in bed, endlessly scrolling through my phone feels easier than facing the world, even though everything inside me feels tangled. At the office, everything feels heavy with pressure. From morning till night, Zoom calls don’t stop. Our boss expects us to be available 24/7. My eyes burn from staring at the screen. The fatigue is constant and creeping. They call us the “burnout generation”—and it’s true. Deadlines and invisible responsibilities sit like weight on our shoulders. Social media is always on, yet even posting feels like a chore. Being constantly connected isn’t as simple as it sounds. I saw a message on Instagram in my own language: “Take care of your mental health.” Hashtags like #MentalHealth and #Burnout fill my feed as people share videos—“drink water, meditate, take a walk.” It gives me hope that I’m not alone, but sometimes it feels like the pain runs deeper because real change is still so slow. I saw a short video on breathing techniques, but my thoughts drifted again. Therapy is becoming more normalized now—people talk about their sessions and self-care routines online. For me, just thinking about therapy feels brave—and terrifying. One day, I told my sister I was feeling anxious. She laughed and said, “Are you joking?” In our society, mental distress is seen as madness. People say, “Don’t worry, get married or go to a gathering—it’ll be fine.” This mindset is damaging. It silences you before you can even speak. I sometimes wonder if it’s just me or if everyone is quietly suffering. This silence is what scares me the most. It was a sunny afternoon when I decided to step away from the screen. Walking on the grass, the sunlight gently warmed my face. The wind whispered through the green branches above. For a moment, peace felt within reach—as if the world had paused. I took a deep breath and thought maybe therapy is something like this—natural and slow. Sitting on a bench in the park, I watched kids play freely. They seemed so untouched by the weight adults carry. A quiet hope bloomed that maybe I could feel that peace again. For now, I just needed this break. Eventually, I began searching for an online therapist. I found that mental health counseling is more available now. Even free helplines showed up in the results. Taking the first step felt hard, but I realized doing nothing wouldn’t change anything. I messaged a friend: “I’ve been feeling really anxious.” She replied instantly: “Me too. Let’s talk about it.” Her message gave me a strange comfort. Now I know it’s okay to ask for help when I need it. This journey hasn’t been easy, but every step has mattered. The way people talk is changing. Even in our WhatsApp group, friends now share their struggles openly. We talk about burnout, the pressure of social media, and mental exhaustion. I hope one day the stigma will fade completely. I still have hard days, but I’ve learned that saying “I need help” is not a weakness—it’s strength. The post-pandemic world has taught us that health, especially mental health, must come first. Maybe one day, when I say, “It’s okay—you’re tired too,” they’ll understand. Until then, I’ll keep breathing, keep walking, and slowly keep building myself back up.
By Fazal Maula 8 months ago in Petlife
Did We Just De-Extinct Dire Wolves?!
On April 7th, 2025, a biomedical company called Colossal Biosciences made a huge announcement. For the first time in over ten thousand years, our planet was home to living dire wolves, and they’d been the ones to bring them back from extinction.
By taylor lindani9 months ago in Petlife
The Silent Language of Whiskers
How Cats Speak to Us Without Saying a Word Most people believe cats don’t talk. They think the purring, meowing, tail-flicking creatures we call house pets are mysterious and mute, selfish and silent. But anyone who’s lived with a cat knows better. They do speak. Constantly. The problem isn’t them—it’s us. We just haven’t been listening right.
By Gabriela Tone9 months ago in Petlife
