GMO Image

The Life of a Genetically Modified Organism: From the laboratory to your dinner table

Presented by Natalie Moroz, Steph Guerra, and Sharon Hung GMOs have been making headlines recently, but what exactly is a genetically modified organism? This lecture will start by covering GMOs in the laboratory – how they’re made and how that compares to traditional methods of genetic alteration like selective breeding. We’ll then talk about GMOs on your dinner table – what foods are currently available … Continue reading The Life of a Genetically Modified Organism: From the laboratory to your dinner table

Teasing out a Tangled Question: How did mammals become monogamous?

Our culture generally assumes that human beings are a monogamous species, with two people committed to one another for a long-term relationship. Scientifically, the existence of monogamy seems counter-intuitive. One of the principles of evolution is that all animals want to maximize their reproductive success. Parents want their genes to be passed on to the next generation, and having more offspring increases the likelihood that … Continue reading Teasing out a Tangled Question: How did mammals become monogamous?

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better: How and why scientists mimic nature to design new proteins

If superior design is what you seek, look no further than your own front yard. Plants and photosynthetic microbes can convert sunlight and air into energy, with an energy efficiency that would make a Prius owner blush. In a less dramatic, but no less impressive sense, evolution has aligned the countless cellular machines that sustain a cell’s life into great harmony. Thus the appeal of … Continue reading Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better: How and why scientists mimic nature to design new proteins

Neurons

Talking Back to the Brain: Using Light to Uncover the Language of Neurons

Presented by Andrea Yung, Christina Welsh, and Matthias Minderer Studying the brain is like learning a foreign language – the language by which neurons communicate. Neuroscientists have made great progress by listening in on the neurons’ conversations. But, to be sure that we understand their language correctly, we have to be able to talk back to the neurons and then study their reaction. Optogenetics is … Continue reading Talking Back to the Brain: Using Light to Uncover the Language of Neurons

Bees

From Dancing Bees to RoboBees: How Honeybees Behave and Why Need Them

Presented by Elizabeth Petrik, Ryan Kuzmickas, and Kevin Ma Honeybees are creating a buzz in the media lately, particularly due to the large numbers of mysterious bee deaths attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder. This lecture will explore how these amazing creatures play an important role in our economy and inspire the future of robotics, as well as what we know about the threats to bee … Continue reading From Dancing Bees to RoboBees: How Honeybees Behave and Why Need Them

Pandoraviruses: Relics of a hidden domain of life?

Since the first discovery of virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, viruses have been classified in a number of different ways. First, viruses were considered a poison, then a life-form, next demoted to classification as a biological chemical, and finally correctly characterized as non-living organic matter. Their current classification is based on three tenets of life that viruses don’t exhibit – the ability to synthesize … Continue reading Pandoraviruses: Relics of a hidden domain of life?

Be the Change You Wish to See in Your Genes

In today’s busy world, it can be hard to find time to exercise. Various factors, such as sedentary jobs and the presence of TV and video games at home, can contribute to inactivity in adults and kids alike. Both fitness experts and medical professionals encourage taking small steps toward a more active lifestyle, such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, or biking instead … Continue reading Be the Change You Wish to See in Your Genes

ScienceEd

Sparking Scientific Curiosity: (R)evolutions in the way we teach and learn

Presented by Kevin Harlen, Greg Kestin, Katie Dagon, and Ben Morris Science education is a hot topic many of us have heard discussed widely in the media, by politicians and in America’s school systems. This talk will shed light on the different aspects of science education, why they are important and how they will impact us today and in the future. Our presentation will open … Continue reading Sparking Scientific Curiosity: (R)evolutions in the way we teach and learn

earthrise

Earth Formation: The making of planet earth

Presented by Katherine Rosenfeld, Laura Schaefer, Anjali Tripathi For millennia, our understanding of Earth came from our own experiences on the planet. Today, with the ability to observe other planets in the Solar System and planets around other stars, we have a better sense of our place in the Universe and how the Earth formed and evolved. This evening’s lecture will begin with current knowledge … Continue reading Earth Formation: The making of planet earth