Sea stars are famed for their multiple arms, ability to regenerate limbs, and colorful camouflage. While more than 2,000 species of sea stars inhabit the world’s oceans, millions of these creatures have died from sea star wasting disease (SSWD) within the past 18 months. SSWD begins when a sea star’s arms curl up, and grotesquely concludes when the entire animal disintegrates. Scientists now believe that … Continue reading Virus May Be Making Sea Stars Sick
From Largest study of gay brothers homes in on ‘gay genes’ One question that has significance for science and religion alike is whether homosexuality is a choice or genetically predetermined. Several previous studies have found regions of the genome that contain regions that are sometimes different (variants) in gay men. This study adds credence to these previous claims, identifying two genomic regions that are strongly … Continue reading Is there a ‘Gay Gene?’ More information, but much more to learn
The human gut is host to 100 trillion bacteria. To put this number into perspective, bacteria outnumber our cells by more than 10 to 1. These microbial tenants, however, are not just free loaders taking advantage of our generosity. In fact, the majority of beneficial bacteria (“symbionts”) have undergone a rapid period of evolutionary change likely benefitting not only themselves but also their hosts. For … Continue reading Keeping the peace: Bacteria and immune responses in the human gut
What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘green technology’? Do solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars come to mind? What about light-emitting diodes (LEDs)? Unlike many costly green technologies, LEDs are accessible to the majority of Individuals who want to help the environment and save money. Using an LED for 50,000 hours of white-light home lighting (i.e. LED light bulbs for … Continue reading Why the blue LED should light up your life (and won a Nobel Prize)
Presented by Jeong-Mo Choi, Bryan Weinstein, and Amy Gilson Did you know that principles and equations from physics can be used to study evolution? We’ll describe how physics-based models can be used to predict evolution, on the level of individual molecules and whole populations. First, Jeong-Mo will describe how scientists began to use quantitative models to study evolution and explain some of the things we’ve … Continue reading The Physics of Evolution: Equations shed new light on nature’s mysteries
Presented by Radhika Mathur, Ilana Kelsey, and Matt Schwartz DNA contains the information your cells need to perform their functions but if every cell in your body contains identical DNA, how can one cell become a blood cell, another a muscle cell, and even another a brain cell?! The answer lies in RNA, the dynamic messenger of DNA’s information. RNA determines the functions and fate … Continue reading More Than a Messenger: The secret life of RNA
Scientists offer an alternative method to fight bacteria in an effort to combat antibiotic resistance. They generated liposomes, or very small particles that look much like cell membranes. Because of this similarity, liposomes, instead of the host cells, can draw in bacterial toxins and allow the resulting non-toxic bacteria to be defeated by the body’s natural immune defense. However, this is just the beginning- for … Continue reading An Alternative to Antibiotics?
Presented by Jared Atkinson, Natasha Goss, and Jordan Wilkerson The advent of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, has led to the development of previously inaccessible resources, significantly increasing world gas and oil reserves. Despite the positive impact on energy reserves, questions about the long-term environmental effects of these extraction methods are unanswered. The technical details involved in fracking and the associated … Continue reading Fracking: How cheap energy is reshaping America’s environment
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound that has been used in the production of plastics, including cell phones, contact lenses, and food storage containers, for over 50 years. Scientists have recently shown that the BPA found on cash register receipts (to help develop the printed text) may be a significant source of BPA exposure, thanks to our generous use of hand sanitizers and other skin care products. That’s because hand sanitizers contain ingredients that dissolve BPA, and also increase the skin’s ability to absorb the chemical. Although further studies and larger sample sizes will be necessary to conclude whether BPA is a true hazard, this finding suggests that certain populations, such as cashiers, may be exposed to higher than average amounts of BPA on a regular basis – and keeping hands clean may not be helping. Continue reading Cash Register Receipts and Clean Hands
Treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) – the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer – is notoriously difficult. In the early 2000s, researchers began investigating a new form of therapy to attack GBM tumors: implanting stem cells engineered to express toxins that specifically kill tumor cells. The toxin – a protein called TRAIL – kills tumor cells (but not normal cells!) by signaling through a … Continue reading Can stem cells be engineered to battle brain cancer?