Month: November 2015

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Zika virus: newly arrived flavivirus may be behind the increase in microcephaly cases in Brazil

When Zika virus (ZIKV) arrived in Brazil this year it was expected to be a weaker version of Dengue virus. However, when cases of microcephaly, a rare neurological disorder, skyrocketed in the northeast region of Brazil, Brazil’s Ministry of Health (SUS) began investigating if ZIKV might have anything to do with it. Infants with microcephaly have an abnormally small head for their age and sex, … Continue reading Zika virus: newly arrived flavivirus may be behind the increase in microcephaly cases in Brazil

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The spreading confusion: Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease

by Danielle Heller Proteins are molecular machines. They perform an incredible diversity of tasks that enable all living cells to function.  Like any machine, a protein must be properly assembled in order to carry out its specific task, and if something goes awry, the cellular consequences can be dire. Take Alzheimer’s disease for example. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting over 5 … Continue reading The spreading confusion: Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease

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The Elephant in the Room: Gene Copy Number and Cancer

by Caitlin Nichols figures by Krissy Lyon We’ve all heard the saying that quality is more important than quantity. The preference for quality over quantity applies in the human body as well. Cancer, for instance, is caused by malfunctioning cells that grow and divide uncontrollably, creating life-threatening health challenges for patients [1]. It’s easy to see that in the case of cancer, an individual should … Continue reading The Elephant in the Room: Gene Copy Number and Cancer

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Solid-oxide Fuel Cells: Using familiar fuel in a new way

by Michael R. Gerhardt Our climate is rapidly changing, and many countries are beginning to take action. In the United States, President Barack Obama has announced the Clean Power Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric power generation, while Chinese president Xi Jinping has announced economic incentives to reduce emissions [1,2]. Even oil companies have publicly acknowledged the challenges we face and have voiced … Continue reading Solid-oxide Fuel Cells: Using familiar fuel in a new way

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Seminars

From stargazing to space travel: Our brief history into space

Presented by Elaine Garcia and Angela She In July 2015, NASA’s space probe New Horizons sent back the first high-resolution photos of Pluto, engendering excitement around the world. These images are evidence of the progress we have made scientifically and technologically in our pursuit to explore and understand outer space. But, how did it all begin? What happened along the way? How did we overcome … Continue reading From stargazing to space travel: Our brief history into space

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Art Gallery, Music and Poetry

Quantum Melodics

Quantum Melodics  Click above to play audio (in a new window) while you read about the piece By Jacob Baron, a graduate student at Harvard University. “Quantum Melodics is based on Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. This principle says that the more accurately you know where a particle is, the less accurately you can know how fast it is moving, and vice-versa. To me, this principle seems ridiculous, since … Continue reading Quantum Melodics

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What’s hiding in the museum?

by Patty Rohs figures by Anna Maurer New technology is allowing scientists to investigate natural history museum specimens in ways that we never thought were possible. To the public eye, these museums may seem like an unchanging archive of life on earth. But behind the scenes, the very same institutions are centers for cutting-edge research. Curators, who are highly experienced in research and are often … Continue reading What’s hiding in the museum?

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DNA Profile
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23andMe wins approval from FDA: What does your DNA say about you?

Spitting into a plastic tube normally doesn’t cost $199, but the personal genomics company 23andMe has recently won FDA approval to turn that saliva into a DNA fingerprint.  By identifying common variants in our genetic code, 23andMe’s DNA-testing service originally supplied personalized insights into disease predisposition, drug sensitivity, and other health-related traits.  In 2013, however, the FDA demanded that 23andMe shutter the health-related aspect of … Continue reading 23andMe wins approval from FDA: What does your DNA say about you?

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Answering Einstein Decades Later; Quantum Entanglement is Real

Quantum mechanics is so mind-boggling that it has stumped even the greatest minds. In particular, Albert Einstein was so bothered by quantum mechanics that he never gave up in his efforts to discredit the theory.  Physicists have spent several decades trying to develop an experiment that would definitively prove him wrong. A few weeks ago, a team from Delft University finally settled the score. Einstein’s … Continue reading Answering Einstein Decades Later; Quantum Entanglement is Real

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Oh no! Recent paper may make it harder to blame your character faults on birth order

If you have siblings you’ve probably been told at one point or another that firstborns are bossy, the youngest is spoiled and the poor middle child is always neglected. People have been trying to figure out the effect of birth order on personality for over a hundred years and at times it feels that with each month a new study pops up either supporting or … Continue reading Oh no! Recent paper may make it harder to blame your character faults on birth order

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