November 28 – Sex, Science, and the State: The Role of Science in Sexual Reproductive Health and Policymaking
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 28th Location: Armenise Amphitheater at Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston (link to directions) Speakers: Purvaja Kavattur, Moulshri Mohan, Nambi Ndugga Graphics: Lillian Horin What do Charles Darwin, climate change, and the birth control pill have in common? They have all significantly influenced sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) policies throughout history! Join us as we take you on a journey from … Continue reading November 28 – Sex, Science, and the State: The Role of Science in Sexual Reproductive Health and Policymaking
November 14 – Brains and Bodies: How to Make Smart Robots
Time: 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, November 14th Location: Armenise Amphitheater at Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston (link to directions) Speakers: Buse Aktaṣ and Julia Ebert Graphics: Elayne Fivenson From Roomba to Mars rovers, robots perform a wide range of tasks from cleaning your living room to exploring the solar system. And with every new model, we expect them to be able to accomplish more with less of … Continue reading November 14 – Brains and Bodies: How to Make Smart Robots
What Pelvis Shape Can Teach Us About Human Evolution
If you are looking for an interesting case study on human evolution, look no further than the female pelvis. The shape of the pelvis is thought to be a compromise between two opposing evolutionary pressures. On one hand, a narrow pelvis is ideal for walking on two feet, a trait that gives us a competitive edge over other species. On the other hand, a wide … Continue reading What Pelvis Shape Can Teach Us About Human Evolution
When Everything Hurts: The story of a grad student trying to rise above chronic pain and depression
Note to the Reader: The following article discusses material of a potentially upsetting nature. While the narrative details are fictional, the ideas and themes—both scientific and personal—are real. Information regarding resources for those in crisis can be found at the end of this article. by Emily Orwell figures by Sean Wilson I’m having one of those days. You know, the type where I accidentally slice my … Continue reading When Everything Hurts: The story of a grad student trying to rise above chronic pain and depression
November 7 – Fighting Back Against Climate Change: Altering Earth’s Atmosphere
Time: 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, November 7th Location: Armenise Amphitheater at Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston (link to directions) Speakers: Zhen Dai and Colleen Golja Graphics: Abby Knecht Solar geoengineering, the large-scale deliberate manipulation of Earth’s incoming radiation, is a contentious idea proposed as a tool to help fight the impacts of climate change. In this lecture we seek to highlight how the world is currently fighting … Continue reading November 7 – Fighting Back Against Climate Change: Altering Earth’s Atmosphere
Liverwort as an alternative to medical cannabis
Cannabinoids are a family of chemical compounds that bind to cannabinoid receptors found on various cell types in the body, and alter the release of neurotransmitters. Endocannabinoids are produced naturally in our bodies (e.g. anandamide is associated with the euphoria of a “runner’s high”). On the other hand, phytocannabinoids are found in plants – of course, the most well-known phytocannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is responsible … Continue reading Liverwort as an alternative to medical cannabis
An effort to make moral machines finds cultural differences in human morality
A driverless car is speeding down a road and can’t stop. Either it hits an elderly woman crossing the street, or it swerves out of the way and kills its passenger, a young child. Whose life should be spared? As driverless cars become a reality, the answer to the famed “Trolley problem” becomes increasingly pressing. Unlike humans, self-driving cars don’t have an internal moral code; … Continue reading An effort to make moral machines finds cultural differences in human morality
Probing Probiotics: the scientific process behind the hype
by Ilia Gelfat figures by Nicholas Lue Whether you are perusing the aisles of your local grocery store or scrolling through news articles, there’s a term that has been hard to miss in the past few years – probiotics. You might know it has something to do with bacteria helping digestion, but this broad view of the concept might leave you fuzzy on some of … Continue reading Probing Probiotics: the scientific process behind the hype
Treating Men and Women Differently: Sex differences in the basis of disease
by Nathan Huey figures by Daniel Utter Sex is one of the most obvious candidates for a first step towards individualized healthcare. It is both unambiguous in the majority of cases as well as a significant factor in the development and progression of a host of diseases. Today, many medical professionals feel that first honing in on sex-specific treatment options is the most productive way … Continue reading Treating Men and Women Differently: Sex differences in the basis of disease
Safe Transfusions: Enzymes that can convert blood to type O
Imagine you are rushed to the hospital after an injury and need an emergency blood transfusion. If there is no time to test your own blood type, the hospital may give you type O blood. This is because type O is a “universal type.” Blood types A and B each have distinct sugars attached to the red blood cells (type AB has both types of … Continue reading Safe Transfusions: Enzymes that can convert blood to type O