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Anatomy

Gotham Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Joker’s Body | CBR – CBR – Comic Book Resources

On the surface, the Joker might not look like much more than a bad Halloween costume. However, his simply clown makeup and bright suits hide one of most fearsome villains in the DC Universe. Since he debuted in Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson and Bob Kane's Batman #1 in 1940, the Clown Prince of Crime has built an enduring legacy of spreading chaos around Gotham City and the rest of the DCU.

While DC's other iconic villains have cosmic powers or super-strength, the Joker's abilities are far more subtle, which makes them that much more dangerous too. Even though the Joker's unique mental state might seem like a compelling explanation for his fearlessness, he has a surprising amount going on under his red hood -- so to speak -- to make him a danger to heroes who seemingly outclass him in every way. Now, we're peeling the skin off of Gothams greatest villain and see what makes his sense of humor so lethal.

RELATED: The Joker: Batman's Greatest Foe Joins Jim Lee's Charity Sketch Auction

Outside of the rictus grin that's permanently etched onto most versions of the Joker's face, the villain's most striking feature is his alabaster white skin. Although some of his live-action appearances have simply reduced it to clown make-up, the genesis this unhealthy glow usually comes courtesy of a fateful dip into a vat of chemicals that warped his mind as much as his body.

Aside from being one of his most identifiable features, the skin that peels off of him is often topped with green hair, which completes his signature appearance. While providing no inherent advantages of its own, the look provides an unsettling aesthetic for anyone looking to cross him, and it instills fear and commands respect from anyone in Gotham.

While it could be argued that the Joker's most defining gadget consists of acid sprayed through a pin on his jacket, a cloud of his famous Joker Toxin seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

The gas asphyxiates by forcing the victim to laugh themselves to death all the while contorting their face into a morbid laugh. Thanks to decades of exposure, his famous dip in a chemical bath and his own self-experimentation, the Joker is now immune to its effects. In Frank Miller, Klas Janson and Lynn Varley's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, he's shown as being completely capable of breathing it in as if it were air.

RELATED: The Joker Gave DC's Mightiest Villain His Most Embarrassing Defeat

As if he wasn't already toxic enough, the Jokers blood itself is also poisonous. In the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game, the Joker injects himself with Titan, a formula developed with an intent to turn the citizens of Gotham into rampaging, hulk-like monstrosities. The Joker's body was an incubator for Titan Disease in Batman; Arkham City, and after mixing in with the various properties already in the Joker's bloodstream, it became a deadly disease that could kill anyone within a day, even the Joker himself.

Ironically, the only cure for the condition caused by the Joker's blood was Batman's blood, which had the antibodies needed to mitigate the disease's most lethal side effects.

RELATED: Batwoman Reveals What Happened to Joker, With a Shocking Twist

As one of Batman's most usual punching bags, the Joker knows how to take a hit, and he has an incredibly high pain tolerance. Mixed with his own sadomasochistic tendencies, the Joker has even enjoyed some of his most brutal injuries, and he's given one of them to himself.

In Tony Daniel's Detective Comics #1, the Joker hired the Dollmaker to cut off his face as part of his plans to get under Batman and his allies' skin in a very literal sense. Taken with his long history of broken bones, concussions, drops and lacerations, the Joker is just as comfortable taking as a serious blow as he is at receiving one.

While he may tout the virtues of chance and uncertainty, randomness and luck could never account for the success that Joker has had against Batman over the years. As Grant Morrison and Howard Porter's JLA #11 revealed in 1997, the right hemisphere of the Joker's brain is smaller than the analytical left hemisphere, which means that his thought process is incredibly difficult for anyone else to understand.

As a master of strategy and forethought, many of the Jokers seemingly haphazard and half-baked schemes actually contain immense forethought and contingencies that have been shaped by the totally unique way his brain works. In the Emperor Joker crossover, he was shown as being clever enough to outsmart an extra-dimensional deity like Mister Mxyzptlk and turn the entirety of reality on its head.

KEEP READING Justice League Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Wonder Woman's Body

Boruto: Sasuke's Lone Wolf Attitude Has Truly Doomed Naruto's Konoha Utopia

A content creator since 2005, Kai's work has netted several awards in the online community. From fiction to documentary, page or screen, you'll find much of his work covers a little bit of everything. Follow him on Instagram as @themediabay

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Gotham Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Joker's Body | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Anatomy

Gotham Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Batman’s Body | CBR – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Without any real superpowers of his own, Batman has done more for the DC Universe than some of its most powerful heroes. Ever since a young Bruce Wayne watched the murder of his parents and dedicated his life to crimefighting, the Dark Knight has honed his mind and body to the peak of human perfection.

In some ways, Batman redefined what the human mind and body were capable of in the context of a superhero universe. Through his unparalleled training and the sheer force of his will, Batman pushed his physiology past its perceived limitations and forged himself into a human who could stand next to a god as an equal. Now, we're taking a closer look at what exactly Batman has one of the most unique bodies in the DC Universe.

RELATED: Batman: The Animated Series Changed & Improved the Mad Hatter's Origin

Batman's unparalleled stamina is the crux of every great attribute Batman has. The Dark Knight possesses an otherworldly level of mental toughness that allowed him to curate the massive skill-set needed to be a founding member of the Justice League and protect Gotham City. He persevered through a lifetime of training, mastering 127 combat styles along the way. He's gone through grueling injury rehabilitation, intense emotional trauma and countless brawls with metahumans and super-criminals.

In Batman: Knightfall, Bane breaks Batman's back over his knee in a famous moment that left Batman paralyzed. While injuries like that usually take years to fully recover from, Batman displayed an inhuman mental toughness and determination as he rehabilitated and retrained himself -- with some fantastical means -- in under six months to return as the Dark Knight and take Gotham back from Bane.

Many of Batman's foes use unique different types of chemicals to enhance themselves or attack Bats. Bane injects himself with venom to increase his strength, the Joker weaponized his DNA, Scarecrow uses Fear Gas and Copperhead has a poisonous bite. Through the years, Batman has been exposed to seemingly all of these chemicals to varying effects and comes out on top every single time.

As Batman explained in Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel's Batman #681, he has some degree of immunity to many poisons through repeated exposure. In Gregg Hurwitz and David Finch's Batman: The Dark Knight #15, Batman even used the antibodies in his blood to create an antidote to Scarecrow's Fear Toxin, which he then spread around Gotham City.

In his prime, Bruce Wayne was a glowing example of extreme endurance and stamina. With essentially no regular breaks, Batman operates at all times of day and night, regularly patrolling the city and getting into fights with evildoers of all stripes. Plus, he also has a robust list of responsibilities with Wayne Enterprises that are crucial for paying for all of Batman's wonderful toys.

Throughout all of that, Batman has suffered several lifetimes' worth of scars. While some timelines lead Batman to a violent death, Batman Beyond clearly shows an elderly Bruce meandering around the Batcave and guiding Terry McGinnis with little more than a cane and his watchful dog Ace. Living well into his 80s, it's clear that Bruce has an inherent constitution that most could never match, even after putting his body through decades of punishment.

Batman designs and builds sophisticated forensic technology, supercomputers and vehicles all himself. In the world of Sean Gordon Murphy's Batman: White Knight, he's used his expertise in design and engineering to create an entire fleet of Batmobiles, a mechanized Batsuit, and his usual assortment of utility belt gadgetry.

In addition to letting him speak roughly 40 languages, Batman's brain makes him one of the most talented detectives in all of fiction. Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's The Batman's Grave #1shows Batman's full array of detective skills. He has hologram tech that creates an identical lifesize 3D model of a crime scene. This allows him to walk through the crime scene to study every minute detail to get into the head of his victim. "

RELATED:What Happened That Time Batman Fought... the X-Men?!?

With his nocturnal activities, it's impossible for Bruce Wayne to keep a normal sleep schedule, and this idea has been addressed in several different ways. Judd Winnick and Dustin Nguyen's Batman #682 explains that he figured out how to supplement three to four hours of sleep with "regular problem-solving micro naps" to function at high-levels for days on end.

Bruce believes he can compress a full night's sleep into half the time, but he could also have some help from an inherent genetic mutation as well.There is a special DNA mutation that allows a tiny proportion of the population to function well off four hours of sleep instead off eight. Since Bruce Wayne is anatomically gifted in many other ways, he may very well have this rare genetic mutation as well.

KEEP READING:Batman Just Proved Why He's Faster Than the Fast and the Furious

Boruto: Sasuke's Lone Wolf Attitude Has Truly Doomed Naruto's Konoha Utopia

Jonathan Olsen-Koziol has been training for this his entire life. Since he was a young child he's been consuming and studying comic books, movies, video games, heroes, villains, story arcs, and pop-culture. Now he gets to relay a lifetime of passion and knowledge to the people! If his writings find you; hopefully you leave entertained. Jon graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor's in journalism and concurrently works as a head editor and digital content specialist for RespectMyRegion.com.

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Gotham Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Batman's Body | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Anatomy

X-Men Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Cable’s Body | CBR – CBR – Comic Book Resources

From his early days as an infant with the X-Men to his role as X-Force's founder and leader, Cable has one of the most complex, complicated histories in modern comics, and Nathan Summers' body is just as strange as his life story. In fact, his body is one of the major reasons behind his complicated backstory.

Now, we're taking a closer look at the man behind the giant guns and equally giant shoulder pads to get under Cable's skin. While Cable might not have the most famous body in the Marvel Universe, the power that lies inside of his head and the Techno-Organic virus coursing through his veins changed the course of history in the Marvel Universe.

RELATED: X-Men Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Deadpool's Body

One of Cable's eyes always glows when he uses his psionic abilities, and sometimes when his emotions are heightened. This eye is usually the one that's infected by theTechno-Organic virus, al though it can switch sides along with his scar depending on the artist.

At a glance, it's easy to assume that the glow is a side effect of his T.O. Virus, but it's mostly part of his natural mutation, as a visual representation of his telepathic powers. His Age of Apocalypse counterpart Nate Grey -- who grew up uninhibited by T.O. -- also usually displays a single glowing eye when using his powers.

For virtually all of Cable's existence, he has sported a trademark head of silver or white hair. While this could be chalked up to his being in his 40s or 50s, his years of time travel make it hard to quantify his age. However, comics that depict his childhood and the current young incarnation of Cable that is running around Krakoa these days, reveal that his hair started going gray as a teen.

Assuming that the source of the gray hair isn't just part of his natural physiology, it could be caused by the stress of growing up as a rebel and future messiah in a dystopian wasteland. However, it could also stem from the strain his immense powers put on his body, since Nate Grey has a similar hair color.

Related:X-Men: Could X of Swords Bring Back Cable's Most Powerful Weapon?

Cable's scarred eye is another trademark of his appearance, but it has an inconsistent backstory. When he first appeared in comics as a mysterious mercenary, he only had a single scar across his right eye. Over time, that scar grew and changed into a star-like pattern, which evolved into its standard design. kept from then on out. The story behind the scar in the comics was eventually explained as the point where Cable was first infected with the Techno Organic virus as a baby before he was sent into the far future for treatment.

Similarly to his glowing eye, the scarred eye is also prone to switching sides depending on whoever is drawing Cable at the time. Sometimes, the scar is put over the left eye instead of the right and/or combined with the glowing eye.

During a particularly body-horror heavy storyline in Fabian Nicieza and Patrick Zircher's Cable& Deadpool, the dysfunctional duo were temporarily fused together after getting infected by the Facade virus. As a result, they weregenetically linked, which left Cable with a much weaker version of Deadpool's healing factor for a while.

Hilariously, this also meant that Cable's DNA-based teleportation -- or "bodysliding" as it was known in the future -- technology would also bring Deadpoolalong for the ride, dragging him to Cable's location. The activation phrase "Body Slide By Two" became the catalyst for several wacky misadventures between the pair that helped deepen the friendship between the two characters.

Since Apocalypse attacked him as an infant, Cable has been infected with theTechno-Organic (or T.O.) virus that's infected over half of Cable's body. Under normal circumstances, the virus slowly converts an organic host intoa metallic, essentially lifeless form.To keep the rest of his body from being consumed Cablehas beenforced from a very young age to use a significant amount of his telekinetic powers and concentration to hold the virus at bay, keeping him from ever fully utilizing his incredibly strong psionic abilities.

The left side of Cable's body is the most obviously affected by the virus and gives him a cyborg-like appearance. Technically he is a cyborg of sorts, since that part of his body is not solid medal but made up of ahighly complex series of cybernetics that requires careful maintenance and repair if damaged. Despite its downsides, this technology can come in handy, and it allows Cable to plug into the internet, download and upload programs, and hostmicrocomputers or AI.

Though it mightlook like only Cable's left side is fully infected, the virus has actually spread much, much further than that.His entire skeleton, nervous system, and several vital organs are all at least partially converted to a T.O. material and cybernetically enhanced. This makes Cable much stronger and more durable than most usual, and it enhanced his senses and reflexes as well. In a pinch, Cable can even get enough of a grasp on the T.O. with histelekinesis to alter the metallic portions of his body, which lets him spontaneously change his size, sprout knives or spikes or tinker with the capabilities of his internal hardware.

KEEP READING: Cable Brings Back a Classic X-Men Villain With a VIOLENT New Role

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X-Men Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Cable's Body | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy: Why did Burke star Isaiah Washington really leave the series? – Express

He also told Entertainment Weekly in 2007: Im saddened by the outcome.

I did everything the producers and network asked me to do. I came back under great duress and stress, and thought I was doing the job I was hired to do.

I thought I was going to speak for my future at Greys, but apparently that wasnt the same vision that the network and the studio has for me.

Since starring on the show, Washington has gone on to appear in shows like Bull, Blue Bloods and Surviors Remorse.

He also played the role of Chancellor Jaha in The 100, which is a post-apocalyptic series on The CW.

He starred in the show for five seasons before his character was killed off in 2018.

Greys Anatomy season 17 will return to ABC later this year.

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Greys Anatomy: Why did Burke star Isaiah Washington really leave the series? - Express

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Alum Jeffrey Dean Morgan Says He Pleaded With Shonda Rhimes to Keep Denny Duquette Alive – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Longtime fans of Greys Anatomy are sure to remember the ill-fated romance between heart transplant patient Denny Duquette, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Dr. Isobel Izzie Stevens, portrayed by Katherine Heigl. Followers of the show were devastated when Denny died in Season 2, leaving Izzie brokenhearted over the loss of her bedridden soul mate.

Though Morgan went on to plenty of roles in high-profile series including Weeds, The Good Wife, and his portrayal of Negan on The Walking Dead, the actor was truly saddened by the loss of his part on Greys. Morgan previously shared how he even approached show creator Shonda Rhimes in the hopes of keeping Denny and the storyline with Izzie alive.

The Izzie-Denny storyline had fans riveted from the beginning. When Denny survived a heart transplant after months of lying in a hospital bed to then woo Izzie to the point of saying yes to his marriage proposal, viewers assumed their love story was headed for smooth sailing. Yet Denny took his last breath after having a stroke in the last moments of the Season 2 finale, leaving show loyalists grief-stricken.

It was a grim day, let me tell you, Morgan told the Los Angeles Times in 2006 of his death scene. A dark, grim day. Im still not over it. It broke my heart to leave that show.

Morgan revealed that he even lobbied to keep Denny alive, pleading with the show creator to have a change of heart. Please, please, just let me live, he asked Rhimes.

The actor pitched Rhimes suggestions on how he could stay on the show. Oh, I came up with lots of ideas for how I could come back, he said. I mean, what if Denny had a twin brother named Lenny, who was a pediatric surgeon? They need a pediatric surgeon in that hospital. But Rhimes was unmoved.

At first, Morgans character was considered to be a potential romantic interest of Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. But Rhimes opted for Izzie to be the object of Dennys affections, and as usual, was dead on with her choice.

No one knew how much the story would take on a life of its own, Morgan said. I dont think even Shonda knew how the fans would be drawn to the romance. It was pretty incredible. I definitely give it to the writers that they created a guy who could charm a room without moving, but it took a lot of effort sometimes.

The actor had very few scenes out of bed, where the few times he was shot standing up was a welcomed change of pace.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see a scene with him walking, Morgan said. I started thinking, oh maybe hell be able to go outside, maybe well get to go to Seattle. Then I turn the page and nope, hes falling down the stairs and back to bed.

Morgan admitted the role had become very significant to him. I had no idea what it would be like, the Greys alum said. How attached I would get. To Denny and everyone there. It is such a great show, such a great group of people. It was the only time in my career when I didnt mind getting up at 5:30 in the morning, didnt mind the 16-hour days. I couldnt believe it. So yes, I fought to stay.

The Walking Dead star confessed that when he read the script of Dennys death, it was a blow.

It was very emotional. I have definitely been laying low for the last few weeks, he said after filming had wrapped. I mean, how can they do the show without me? Whats going to happen to Izzie?

As Greys historians know, Izzie went on to marry Alex Karev (and recently reconciled with him, but thats another storyline). Morgan ended up getting his wish somewhat. He returned to play Denny in a near-death vision of Merediths, then later to reprise his role in 2008 as the ghost of Denny coming to warn her of an illness. Though again his time on the medical drama was temporary, Morgans reappearance with Izzie gave fans a taste of the past.

While his character didnt remain as many seasons as several others, the former Greys star looks back fondly at his time on the show. Its been great, Morgan said. I mean, itisgreat. Really great.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Alum Jeffrey Dean Morgan Says He Pleaded With Shonda Rhimes to Keep Denny Duquette Alive - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy show boss gathers writers for season 17 with plans to begin filming in July – The Sun

GREY'S Anatomy's show-runner Krista Vernoff has given a hotly-anticipated update on the production of season 17.

The 16th season of the hit medical drama was cut by four episodes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This led to a number of storylines either being cut short or put on hold temporarily.

Vernoff spoke to TV Line about when the writers would be getting together in order to discuss the next season.

The discussions will go ahead this month using Zoom, a video call platform that has seen a surge in uptake since the beginning of quarantine.

She also stated that filming was set to start in July, but due to the ongoing restrictions, this may not be possible.

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Vernoff said: "I'm going to start up the writers' room in May, but it's going to be a 'Zoom room.'

"The hope is that we will be able to start production when we usually do, which is in July. But we have to wait and see how this thing plays out, obviously."

Storylines include the salacious fallout from Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) cheating on Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) with Tom Koracick (Greg Germann).

Raver recently asked fans to be patient amongst the chaos and added that she has full faith in show-runner Vernoff to do her character justice.

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Andrew DeLuca's (Giacomo Gianniotti) storyline saw a human trafficking case being revisited and although nothing is confirmed, Vernoff is still hoping the episode will happen.

There were also rumours of a major character death in the end of season 16's original finale.

This was supported by the fact Station 19's finale featured a life-threatening bombing.

It seems eagle-eyed fans will have to wait a little longer to have all of their questions answered.

Grey's Anatomy airs on Sky Witness with episodes also available on Amazon Prime and NOW TV.

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Greys Anatomy show boss gathers writers for season 17 with plans to begin filming in July - The Sun

Anatomy

8 ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ & ‘Station 19’ Characters Who Need to Be Single for a While – TVInsider

ABC/Gilles Mingasson; ABC/John Fleenor; ABC/Richard Cartwright

Romance has always been a part and a very messy part ofGrey's Anatomy, so it's no surprise that that carried over to the spinoff,Station 19.

But for every success and a Ben and Bailey, there's been a failure or two and a Maggie and Jackson or an Amelia and Owen. While some have gone on to find love and it looks to be working out (like for Amelia and Link), others aren't so lucky.

So maybe the solution is for some of these characters to take some time for themselves instead. From Maggie onGrey's to Jack onStation 19, we take a look below at the characters across the two shows who need to be single for at least a bit.

Station 19, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC

Anyone who stepped into a room with Maggie and Jackson this season knew that things ended poorly between them. And while she did meet Winston at a conference though their time was cut short by Richards health a long-distance relationship probably isnt going to work out onGreys.

Jackson and Maggie fell apart, and everyone has had to deal with the awkwardness that resulted. He was then part of a crossover romance with Vic, and with his work on the PRT vehicle with Ben, hes still in her orbit. But considering how quickly that romance seemed to start, its probably best for them not to jump back into things.

Problems arose with Nico as the season neared its end, both when it came to how serious their relationship was and their future with Nico considering a job offer that would take him on the road. Maybe its time for Levi to see what its like to casually date someone or just stay single.

It seemed like Jos marriage was as good as it can get in theGreys world earlier this season until Alex left her for Izzie and their kids. Fortunately, Jo hasnt let that get her down, and while she does deserve to find love with someone who doesnt leave her, lets continue to see her on her own like we have for a while first.

Teddy clearly doesnt know who she wants; shes planning to marry Owen but still sleeping with Tom. (And now Owen knows, thanks to a very awkward voicemail.) Rather than just break things off with one and even attempt to pursue a relationship with the other, Teddy should instead try being on her own. She can still date, but committing to one person may not be the best thing for her right now.

Vic and Ripleys relationship ended tragically, and then her romance with Jackson fell apart. While theres always the possibility of a reunion with the doctor or something happening with the hints regarding Dean why not ignore both and instead have Vic be by herself or even casually seeing someone who doesnt work at the hospital or firehouse?

Travis hasnt had the best luck in love, with Emmett who just came out but is still engaged the latest to not make it the distance. Why not have Travis be single and date a bit and then figure out whats going to happen with his love life when its time for him to settle down (again)?

Between his relationship with Andy and his affair with Rigos wife, Jack hasnt made the best choices when it comes to romance. Chances are that wont change anytime soon.

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8 'Grey's Anatomy' & 'Station 19' Characters Who Need to Be Single for a While - TVInsider

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy Season 16 To Launch On Netflix – The TeCake

The sixteenth season of Greys Anatomy is expected to release on Netflix soon.

Greys Anatomy has been an absolute favourite for the fans for the past fifteen seasons. It is among the most-watched shows for any production that houses it. Considering that the previous season was such a massive hit, it is highly possible that Netflix is more than willing to renew the show with another season. While, it has been confirmed that the sixteenth season will be airing on ABC for sure. This network only provides airings for the U.S.-based audience. What about the other regions? It seems like Netflix is here to save the day. It is highly possible that Netflix might be working along with the creators of the show, to release the sixteenth season of the show on its platform soon.

Greys Anatomy Season 16 Release Date On Netflix

According to the official tweet that has put out by the Netflix Twitter account, the 16th season of Greys Anatomy is expected to release on the online platform on May 9th, 2020. They were able to confirm the news through a tweet that they had put out.

Greys Anatomy Season 16 To Be The Final Season?

While the fans are delighted to learn that the sixteenth season of the upcoming show is coming out on Netflix, there is a high possibility that we might have to say goodbye with this news. While the series was renewed for season 16, we are not sure as yet whether they will renew it for a season 17 as well.

Grey's Anatomy Season 16 to End Early, ABC Won't Resume Production on Remaining Episodes https://t.co/wFjnIyOWAC

— People (@people) March 27, 2020

The production team does not see a future for Greys beyond the 16 seasons that are already out.

Shonda Rhimes To Continue Working With Netflix?

It is since July, 2018 that we had been able to understand that Shonda Rhimes is working towards landing an exclusive deal with Netflix. She has been doing this reportedly to get the release of her eight shows to be sanctioned. She has been working on them herself. In response, the online-streaming platform is making visible efforts into ensuring that they are taking the most of what they have with the current talent. Shonda, as we all know, as among the most respected producers that has been working exclusively with Netflix since its inception. She has been working on the following series for Netflix, as of now.

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Greys Anatomy Season 16 To Launch On Netflix - The TeCake

Neuroscience

The Neuroscience of Why You Could Really Use a Hug Right Now – WIRED

Alice,* a 31-year-old director from London, has been breaking the coronavirus lockdown rules. I almost dont want to tell you this, she says, lowering her voice. Her violation? Once a week, Alice, who lives alone, walks to the end of her garden to meet her best friend Lucy.* There, with the furtiveness of a street drug deal, Lucy hugs her tightly. Alice struggles to let her go. You just get that rush of feeling better, Alice says. Like its all OK.

Wired UK

This story originally appeared on WIRED UK.

Aside from Lucys hugs, Alice hasnt been touched by another person since March 15, which is when she went into a self-imposed lockdown, a week before the official government advice to self-isolate. Ive found it really hard, she says. I am a huggy person. You start to notice it after a while. I miss it. She feels guilty about her surreptitious hugs. I feel like I cant tell my other friends about it, Alice says. Theres a lot of shaming going on. I know we arent meant to. But I am so grateful to her for checking in on me. It gives me such a lift.

Alice is experiencing the neurological phenomenon of "skin hunger," supercharged by the coronavirus pandemic. Skin hunger is the biological need for human touch. Its why babies in neonatal intensive care units are placed on their parents naked chests. Its the reason prisoners in solitary confinement often report craving human contact as ferociously as they desire their liberty.

When you touch the skin, explains Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, it stimulates pressure sensors under the skin that send messages to the vagus [a nerve in the brain]. As vagal activity increases, the nervous system slows down, heart rate and blood pressure decrease, and your brain waves show relaxation. Levels of stress hormones such as cortisol are also decreased. Touch also releases oxytocin, the hormone released during sex and childbirth to bond us together. In other words, human touch is biologically good for you. Being touched makes humans feel calmer, happier, and more sane.

Without touch, humans deteriorate physically and emotionally. We know from the literature that lack of touch produces very negative consequences for our well-being, says Alberto Gallace, a neuroscientist at the University of Milano-Bicocca. He explains that humans are inherently social creatures; studies have shown that depriving monkeys of physical contact leads to adverse health outcomes. Our brains and nervous systems are designed to make touch a pleasant experience, he says. Nature designed this sensory modality to increase our feelings of well-being in social environments. Its only present in social animals that need to be together to optimize their chances of survival.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, many developed nations were already at risk of becoming touch-free zones, with no-touch policies now common in schools and public institutions, for safeguarding and litigation reasons. Fields Touch Research Institute has been working on a global airport study to observe how much people touch each other while waiting to board flights. (The research is currently on pause.) We observed over 4,000 interactions, Field says. The data showed that, at least in public, there is virtually no touching98 percent of the time, people are on cell phones.

With social distancing protocols in place in countries across the world, those who live alone find themselves enduring months without human touch. This is a particularly cruel irony, given that skin hunger actually weakens our immune systemsmaking us potentially more susceptible to coronavirus. Im very concerned, says Field, because this is actually the time we need human touch the most. She explains that touch is instrumental in immune function because it reduces our cortisol levels. When cortisol levels are high, our immune system is depleted: Cortisol kills natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell that attacks viruses for us. Field says that human touch has been shown to increase natural killer cells in patients with HIV and cancer.

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The Neuroscience of Why You Could Really Use a Hug Right Now - WIRED

Neuroscience

Using Neuroscience to Evaluate and Guide Treatment for Pediatric Mood Disorders – A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation -…

New York, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is hosting a free webinar Using Neuroscience to Evaluate and Guide Treatment for Pediatric Mood Disorders on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, from 2pm to 3pm ET. Manpreet Kaur Singh, M.D. M.S., Stanford University School of Medicine, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Director and 2016 Independent Investigator Grant recipient, will be the presenter.Research in early onset mood disorders is geared towards using neuroscience to develop interventions that alleviate symptoms, promote healthy brain development, and treat behavioral and emotional difficulties as soon as they arise. This webinar considers the promise of utilizing neuroscience tools to aim for reliable and lasting improvements in symptoms for a large number of children and adolescents who experience a broad spectrum of mood problems. The presentation considers the importance of understanding and leveraging the placebo effect and measuring mechanisms of change, both in the way that treatments are configured and in the way that future clinical trials are designed.Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and Host and Executive Producer of the public television series Healthy Minds, will be the moderator. Join by phone or on the web at bbrf.org/maywebinar.

This webinar is part of a series of free monthly Meet the Scientist webinars on the latest developments in psychiatry offered by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. Please use #BBRFWebinar when sharing or posting about our Meet the Scientist Webinars on social media.

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $408 million to fund more than 4,800 leading scientists around the world, which has led to over $4 billion in additional funding. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research grants. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.

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Myrna MannersBrain & Behavior Research Foundation(718) 986-7255mmanners@mannersdotson.com

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Using Neuroscience to Evaluate and Guide Treatment for Pediatric Mood Disorders - A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation -...