Genetic risk prediction for heart disease underperforms in large research cohort
New research from Northwestern University found that, when predicting heart disease, including genetic information had a minimal improvement compared to a more common test. Continue reading Genetic risk prediction for heart disease underperforms in large research cohort
Astronomers Witness the End of a World
Astronomers recently observed a planet being eaten by its star. In billions of years, the Earth will experience the same fate. Continue reading Astronomers Witness the End of a World
Rethinking What it Means to Sleep Like a Bear
Scientists are beginning to understand why hibernating bears don’t get blood clots, and it could help at risk patients. Continue reading Rethinking What it Means to Sleep Like a Bear
RNA plays a newly discovered role in the development of cancer
by Carlos Moralesfigures by Shreya Mantri Our cells perform extraordinary functions using information stored in their genetic material, known as DNA. Changes in DNA, known as mutations, can make cells behave erratically, which may lead to cancer. But how does cancer begin? A new model proposes that RNA — the molecular link between DNA and proteins — is at the heart of this phenomenon. How … Continue reading RNA plays a newly discovered role in the development of cancer
Something in the Sewage: What watching our wastewater can tell us about infectious diseases
by Ya’el Courtneyfigures by MacKenzie Maugeredited by Yuli Lily Hsieh January 2023 marked the third anniversary of the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic that halted life as we knew it. It overwhelmed hospitals worldwide, and is still infecting around 250,000 people daily across the globe in February 2023. Over these three years, many countries have struggled to monitor the rapidly … Continue reading Something in the Sewage: What watching our wastewater can tell us about infectious diseases
How this Long Bacterium Beats the Diffusion Limit
by Mara Casebeer Most bacteria, like the common E. coli, are around a micron in length – less than a tenth of the width of a strand of human hair and invisible without a microscope. Recently, scientists discovered a bacterium, Candidatus (Ca.) Thiomargarita magnifica, that is almost 10,000 times longer than E. coli. Ca. T. magnifica cells were found attached to sunken leaves in the … Continue reading How this Long Bacterium Beats the Diffusion Limit
Leveraging Circadian Rhythm for Medical Advancement
by Benyapa Khowpinitchaifigures with Carlos Morales When your medication becomes less effective, the first thought you may have is to increase the dosage. But what if there was a way to increase the efficacy of the drug without needing to increase the amount? What if you could simply change when you took the drug? Indeed, the answer may lie in your biological clock. Biological clock … Continue reading Leveraging Circadian Rhythm for Medical Advancement
How do scientists know whether to trust their results?
by Salvador Balkus Collectively, scientists conduct a lot of experiments. Whether they study addiction, air pollution, or animal populations, most basic scientific experiments have one thing in common: data. To perform an experiment, scientists first formulate a hypothesis about how something works. Then, they collect data – measurements, sensor information, images, surveys, and the like – that either support their hypothesis or prove it false. … Continue reading How do scientists know whether to trust their results?
Info-comics from Harvard’s SITN!
Check out a new info-comics series from SITN! New info-comics will be posted periodically under the Art: Info-comics tab. We hope you enjoy! The Human MicrobiomeAbby Knecht Environmental DNAArianna Lord Gene Editing Corena Loeb Continue reading Info-comics from Harvard’s SITN!