Apples and Oranges: How Do You Compare the Capacity of Algae and Trees?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air is the basis of the global food chain. Plant leaves contain proteins that collect the carbon and remove the oxygen (O2). These proteins are virtually identical in all plants and algae, however, what this collected carbon is converted into differs widely. This poses a problem in measuring the efficiency of plants, since it is difficult to compare the amount … Continue reading Apples and Oranges: How Do You Compare the Capacity of Algae and Trees?
The Human-Tuberculosis Arms Race
by Sanjana Kulkarnifigures by Corena Loeb The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) has been infecting humans for thousands of years. Today, TB, which is thought to have originated in Africa and evolved alongside human hosts, is found across the globe and causes 1-2 million deaths annually, making it the second leading infectious disease killer after COVID-19. As new COVID-19 variants keep emerging, we can observe the … Continue reading The Human-Tuberculosis Arms Race
May 18: Survival of the Quickest: How Climate Change Has Shaped Evolution
Time: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 18th Join us on: Zoom or YouTube Live Speaker: Daniel Richard Evolution acts most strongly during times of change – favouring those species that are best equipped to handle new challenges. In the distant past, climate change has acted as a strong driver of evolutionary change – shaping species and whole ecosystems as they adapt to their new environments. Given … Continue reading May 18: Survival of the Quickest: How Climate Change Has Shaped Evolution
Even Dinosaurs Get Sick: Discovery of the Oldest Lung Infection in a Dinosaur
Evidence of a respiratory infection was discovered in a 150 million year old dinosaur providing further understanding of prehistoric disease acquisition Continue reading Even Dinosaurs Get Sick: Discovery of the Oldest Lung Infection in a Dinosaur
Antibiotic Persistence and Resistance
by Molly Sargen Antibiotics are drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of microbes, including bacteria and fungi. These drugs work by blocking essential processes like protein production, DNA replication, and cell division. After Alexander Fleming’s serendipitous discovery of Penicillin, antibiotics became a central feature of medical care. Today, antibiotics are used to treat a wide variety of infections and prevent new infections during invasive … Continue reading Antibiotic Persistence and Resistance
May 4: Turning Back the Clock: The Science of Staying Young
Time: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 6th Join us on: Zoom or YouTube Live Speaker: Alex Plesa Aging is the major risk factor for multiple human disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration, accounting for approximately 90% of deaths in developed nations. With the global population experiencing an unprecedented growth in the proportion of older individuals, aging is becoming an increasingly significant public health concern … Continue reading May 4: Turning Back the Clock: The Science of Staying Young
April 27: In Dust We Trust: Mapping Out Our Galaxy in 3D
Time: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 27th Join us on: Zoom or YouTube Live Speaker: Michael Foley In the past five years, our perspective of our local Milky Way has shifted from 2D to true 3D. This remarkable achievement has been made possible by data from many observatories, especially the Gaia satellite. This data has enabled numerous discoveries about nearby star forming regions, star clusters, supernova … Continue reading April 27: In Dust We Trust: Mapping Out Our Galaxy in 3D
April 20: The first light of the universe – piercing through the gas in between galaxies and lighting everything up
Time: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 20th Join us on: Zoom or YouTube Live Speaker: Xiaohan Wu The universe at present is filled with gas that is hot and transparent to ultraviolet light. But shortly after the Big Bang, the gas was cold and opaque. How did the gas go through such a big transition in its physical state, and how did this transition affect the … Continue reading April 20: The first light of the universe – piercing through the gas in between galaxies and lighting everything up
Exercise in a bottle? How transferable exercise factors may promote brain health
by Ryan Camirefigures by Shreya Mantri Many of us exercise and push ourselves to new limits without a specific goal; we lace up our sneakers and don our neon running shorts for the purest of intentions – to ‘stay healthy’. But what exactly does this mean? Most of us think only of the physical benefits reaped by our hardworking muscles. Exercise can help improve heart … Continue reading Exercise in a bottle? How transferable exercise factors may promote brain health
April 6: From Blue to Red: How Mars Got and Lost Its Water
Time: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 6th Join us on: Zoom or YouTube Live Speaker: Junjie Dong and Matt Brennan In December 2020, Massachusetts published the 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap with the goal of combating climate change by reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. How will we reach these goals? This talk will present three tools that may lead the way: batteries, wind power, and new … Continue reading April 6: From Blue to Red: How Mars Got and Lost Its Water