My, What Big Teeth You Have!
–Humans are an extremely visual species, with much of our brains devoted to visual processing. Sight is one of the most important ways we experience our external environment; consequently, it may not be surprising that certain images can invoke a visceral “gut reaction” in us. For example, compare the cuddle factor between a giant panda and a star-nosed mole; chances are the mole with twenty-two tentacles on its face would receive far fewer hugs than the panda. But why is this the case, and what does this have to do with human evolution? Continue reading My, What Big Teeth You Have!
Deepwater Horizon Redux: How the BP oil spill affects the environment
–The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion is shaping up to be one of the great disasters of our time. The equivalent of nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil has already been released into the Gulf of Mexico, endangering the local marine and coastal ecosystems. However, after months of false starts, it appears that the worst of the spill may finally be over.
To review the earlier stages of the spill, check out Kevin Beier’s June Flash article:
https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/sitnflash_wp/2010/06/issue71/
Continue reading Deepwater Horizon Redux: How the BP oil spill affects the environment
The Science of Getting in Shape
–At some level, getting in shape seems pretty straightforward: Eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and push yourself when you work out, whether it’s at the gym, in the pool, or on the track. If you need some extra motivation, exercise classes and personal trainers are easy enough to find at your local gym, and the Internet is full of tools to help you keep track of what you eat and how much you burn. All this seems pretty self-explanatory, so we might ask ourselves: do we really need new research from doctors and scientists to tell us about staying fit? Continue reading The Science of Getting in Shape
Bacteria Culture
–Bacteria are ubiquitous. They defend and define us, constituting over 90% of the cells in the human body. They wield the ability to survive in the most extreme of environments, and the chemical reactions they catalyze hold the potential for vital technological advances such as clean energy. Yet they defy domestication; scientists have been able to grow in the lab, or “culture,” less than 1% of the bacterial species on Earth. Continue reading Bacteria Culture
The Disappearance of the Western Honey Bee
–The story of the mysterious disappearance of the Western honeybee seems as if it should have sprung from the mind of sci-fi author Douglas Adams, rather than from sunny Florida. The strange nature of this scientific conundrum may explain why it has garnered such bizarre public theories: cell phones, aliens, or genetically modified corn; which is the true killer? Well, as you may not be surprised to discover, the answer is none of the above. In spite of such creative speculation, colony collapse disorder (CCD), as the disappearance of these bees has come to be known, is a serious concern. Continue reading The Disappearance of the Western Honey Bee
The Human Genome: Ten years later
–The Human Genome turns ten years old this summer. Ten years ago President Clinton and British Prime Minister Blair announced that a draft copy of all 3 billion letters of the genetic code had been finished. The combined public and private effort cost nearly $3 billion and took eleven years. Ten years after completion, what progress has science achieved for these efforts? Continue reading The Human Genome: Ten years later
The BP Oil Spil
–When BP CEO Tony Hayward admits that “this is an environmental catastrophe” and President Obama proclaims from the Oval Office “already, this oil spill is the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced,” the gravity of the crisis cannot be denied. Eleven workers killed. Fishing industries shut down. Ecosystems under siege. All the while, oil continues to gush from an undersea well at a rate of up to two and a half million gallons a day. We are saddened and overwhelmed, but we are also curious about the science behind the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. What steps led to this catastrophe? How long will it last, and where do we go from here? Continue reading The BP Oil Spil
Ghosts in the Genome: Identification of an Unknown Fossil Hominid Through DNA Sequencing
–Paleontologists have always differentiated between extinct species by comparative anatomy of their fossil remains. Those scientists who study living organisms have an additional technique available – the comparison of DNA sequences between specimens. More recently, due to rapid advances in the efficiency and reduced cost of DNA sequencing, it has become possible to sequence DNA extracted from the remains of extinct species as well. This technology has been used on frozen mammoths recovered from ice, and from the bones of Neandertals and ancient humans. Recently, the first complete Neandertal genome was published… Continue reading Ghosts in the Genome: Identification of an Unknown Fossil Hominid Through DNA Sequencing
What does a Hippo have to do with understanding the Earth's atmosphere? High-flying efforts towards reducing carbon emissions
–It turns out that I am not referring to a large, mildly cute herbivorous African mammal. HIPPO stands for HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations of Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases. That’s quite a mouthful. So what exactly is this? In short, it is a mission involving flying a specialized aircraft from the North Pole to the Antarctic waters, collecting information about the distribution of carbon dioxide and many other greenhouse gases along the way. Continue reading What does a Hippo have to do with understanding the Earth's atmosphere? High-flying efforts towards reducing carbon emissions
Our Microbial Organ
–You may have heard it said that our genome is “99% chimpanzee”. As surprising as this may sound to some, what is even more shocking is that more than 90% of “our” cells are actually bacteria.
How is this possible? Read on to find out more! Continue reading Our Microbial Organ