Birth control pills may be putting you at risk for dangerous blood clots

While all birth control pills carry some risk, some are much higher risk than others, with one of the primary concerns being your risk of developing a blood clot in the legs or pelvis. The clot may block off blood flow and travel up through the blood stream to your vital organs, like the lungs or heart. This can be fatal -- even for a young, healthy woman. This kind of blood clot in the veins is called a venous thromboembolism (a blood clot is known as a thrombus, and an embolism is anything that obstructs blood flow).

What you can learn about ‘love hormones’ from a prairie vole

Are humans like prairie voles? Yes, according to scientists at Florida State University. Prairie voles share with humans a pair bond, or “a stable relationship between a breeding pair of animals that share common territory and parental duties.” These animals go “steady” only six hours after mating. Even without sex, they pair up after 24 hours of living together! They protect each other from strangers, and avoid mating with amorous new prairie voles. What’s more, they are together for life.