Wandering uteruses and far-reaching tubes: the surprising mobility of the female reproductive tract

By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol

The ancient wandering womb theory suggested that many ailments in women were caused by the uterus becoming dislodged and roaming the body in search of moisture.

According to these theories, the uterus could roam freely around the body, pressing on the liver or lungs and causing symptoms such as breathlessness, fainting and emotional distress – what was later termed “hysteria”, from the Greek hystera (uterus).

Treatments included fumigating the lower body with…

Read complete article

~	Australian law is clear: criticism of Israel does not breach the Racial Discrimination Act

~	Friday essay: ‘nothing quite like it in the history of espionage’ – the Russian spies who pretended to be American

~	Rising seas threaten to swallow one of NZ’s oldest settlement sites – new research

~	AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly

~	New Barbie with type 1 diabetes could help kids with the condition feel seen – and help others learn

~	‘Don’t tell me!’ Why some people love spoilers – and others will run a mile

~	Clawback of $1.1B for PBS and NPR puts rural stations at risk – and threatens a vital source of journalism

~	A generation on the move: how the brain drain is reshaping the Western Balkans

~	Supreme Court news coverage has talked a lot more about politics ever since the 2016 death of Scalia and GOP blocking of Obama’s proposed nominee

~	Colonization devastated biodiversity, habitats and human life in the Pacific Northwest