Is the Robot Apocalypse Just Around the Corner?
— If you believe Hollywood’s interpretation, the advent of intelligent robots rarely ends well for mankind. Movies like The Matrix, Terminator, and I, Robot all depict robots as quite intelligent, capable, and horrifyingly destructive machines that either aim to enslave us, or worse, bring about the extinction of the human race. In these cinematic examples, robots are rarely helpful or friendly (with the occasional exceptions like Wall-E or R2-D2). Intelligent robots with the capacity to take over the world are fine as long as they remain in the realm of science fiction. But are highly capable robots confined to the silver screen? When you read the news and see titles like “Evolving robots learn to lie to each other,” “Tiny robots are ready to spy on us,” “Are we being watched by flying robotic insects?,” “A real-life robotic avatar turns you into a machine,” or consider that IBM’s Watson can handily defeat humans on Jeopardy, you might think that it’s time to panic. Or you may wonder what exactly all those reckless scientists are thinking – haven’t they seen the movies? Why don’t they stop before it’s too late? Continue reading Is the Robot Apocalypse Just Around the Corner?
The Promise of Organic Solar Cells: Flexible, Cheap, and Printable
— The world is excited about solar cells – and with good reason. Imagine the City of the Future, where every exposed surface has solar cells on it, converting the sun’s energy into electricity. This vision could include solar cells on windows, on top of our cars, on the surface of our cell phones, or on our clothes. Instead of using energy from coal or oil, which pollutes the environment, we would be using the ever-present, pollution-free energy available from the sun. Scientists and engineers must work on improving solar cells if we want to make this futuristic city a reality. Continue reading The Promise of Organic Solar Cells: Flexible, Cheap, and Printable
Epigenetics: genetic control beyond DNA sequence
— If every cell in an organism has the same genetic program, how can there be so many different types of cells in one body? The answer lies in the fact that not all genes are turned on or expressed in every cell. Determining which genes are turned on and off is critical for generating the diverse types of cells found in the body. Different types of cells express different genes. How does a cell control which parts of the genome are read and which are ignored? One way this can happen is through epigenetic modifications, changes to our genetic information that don’t involve changes in the DNA sequence. The growing field of epigenetics explores how cells use non-sequence changes to exert control over the way the genome is interpreted, as well as how these changes are passed on from one generation to the next. Continue reading Epigenetics: genetic control beyond DNA sequence
Mighty Mitochondria and Neurodegenerative Diseases
— While sitting in your elementary school classroom or making some amorphous jelly mold studded with jelly beans, you may have heard the phrase “mighty mitochondria” from your studies on the cell structures. More than just a catchy alliteration, this phrase accurately describes one of the most fundamental components of the cells that make up our bodies. Mitochondria, often referred to as the “powerhouses of the cell”, were first discovered in 1857 by physiologist Albert von Kolliker, and later coined “bioblasts” (life germs) by Richard Altman in 1886. The organelles were then renamed “mitochondria” by Carl Benda twelve years later. It wasn’t until more than half a century had passed since their discovery that the function of mitochondria began to be unraveled. Continue reading Mighty Mitochondria and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Are We Alone? – How astronomers hope to find life in the Universe
— For the first time, recent advances in technology and space exploration have made the prospect of detecting evidence for life outside of our Solar System a foreseeable possibility. The pursuit of this evidence and the desire to learn more about the origin of life on Earth have led to the development of a new field called astrobiology. Astrobiology melds multiple disciplines including astronomy, chemistry, biology, geology and planetary science to answer one of humankind’s oldest questions: Are we alone in the Universe? Next generation telescopes, through their ability to detect signatures of life as we know it, can help answer this question. Continue reading Are We Alone? – How astronomers hope to find life in the Universe
Scaly Skin, Drippy Nose, Wheezy Breathing: Coincidence or Connection?
— Itchy, watery eyes, and a drippy nose. Constricted, swollen airways secreting thick mucus. Itchy, red, dry, cracked skin. These symptoms describe three conditions — allergies, asthma, and eczema, respectively — that are commonly found together in the same people. Yet, what causes these symptoms and why they are so closely associated with each other is still poorly understood. Continue reading Scaly Skin, Drippy Nose, Wheezy Breathing: Coincidence or Connection?
A conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Barron
Dr. Elizabeth Barron holds a joint appointment as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, and in the Program on Science, Technology & Society at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Her academic background includes a BS in Anthropology and Biological Aspects of Conservation from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master’s in Forest Resources from University of Massachusetts … Continue reading A conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Barron
Managing biodiversity: Indigenous knowledge, elephants, and the repercussions of intervention
When we think of biodiversity management, or maintaining the species diversity in an area, it’s easy to draw parallels to conservation. However, conservation usually focuses on one or few species at a time. This means that it often doesn’t mesh well with biodiversity maintenance, which requires considering the balance of all species in a given habitat. By managing a system based on the needs of … Continue reading Managing biodiversity: Indigenous knowledge, elephants, and the repercussions of intervention
Metagenomics: Exploring the depths of the microbial world
Adapted from image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center The World is Full of Bacteria There are over a billion microbes in just one liter of ocean water [1]. The same goes for a liter of soil. As the human population reaches 7 billion individuals worldwide in 2011 [2], it is a fitting time to reflect on the number of microbes that share our home, … Continue reading Metagenomics: Exploring the depths of the microbial world
Biodiversity and human health
Over 250 million years ago, cataclysmic volcanic activity wiped out nearly all life on earth. 65 million years ago, a meteor impact in the Yucatán drove the dinosaurs to extinction. In the past 540 million years of earth’s history, paleontologists have identified five mass extinction events in which over 75% of Earth’s species have died during a relatively short period of time [1]. Unfortunately, it … Continue reading Biodiversity and human health