All About That Mucus: How it keeps us healthy
by Jenny Zheng figures by Rebecca Clements With winter soon coming to an end (hopefully), many of us have been plagued by seemingly endless hacking that’s accompanied by phlegm, a type of mucus produced by the respiratory tract. The body starts feeling better after a week of sickness, but even after that “hell-week,” one final foe has to be dealt with: the phlegm. It’s such … Continue reading All About That Mucus: How it keeps us healthy
Crowdsourced Data Helps Scientists Construct the World’s Largest Family Tree
We cannot predict how long we each live, but can our genes? For as long as longevity has been a desirable good, it has never been equally distributed across humanity, not even within families. The role of heritable traits in longevity is still debated. Previous genomic studies have reported a low heritability for longevity. However, inadequate sample sizes prevent these studies from examining the influence of … Continue reading Crowdsourced Data Helps Scientists Construct the World’s Largest Family Tree
It Takes Guts: The Power of Your Gut Microbiota
Time: 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, March 21st Location: Pfizer Hall, Mallinckrodt Chemistry Labs, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge (link to directions) Speakers: Katie Wu The first friends we make are the ones that stick with us for life – all one hundred trillion of them. Meet your gut microbiota – the diverse, bustling community that you couldn’t function without! From food cravings to poop pills, the gut microbiota plays an … Continue reading It Takes Guts: The Power of Your Gut Microbiota
Seeing the Invisible: A short history of the scientific evidence of dark matter
by Sasha Brownsberger figures by Abagail Burrus Everything you have ever touched, seen, or tasted; the air you breathe; the ground on which you stand; and the constituents of your body all consist of a type of matter that is only a fraction of all that is. In light of a series of unexpected discoveries over the past half century, astronomers and physicists have determined … Continue reading Seeing the Invisible: A short history of the scientific evidence of dark matter
Have antibiotic resistant bacteria met their match? A new method for antibiotic discovery that could change the arms race.
Antibiotic resistance is a rampant problem around the world. More than 23,000 deaths a year in the US are a result of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics in several ways. The antibiotic itself can be broken down, or the components of bacteria targeted by antibiotics can mutate. Over prescription leads to the development of further resistance. With each year there are increasing numbers … Continue reading Have antibiotic resistant bacteria met their match? A new method for antibiotic discovery that could change the arms race.
Bees
By carrying pollen from plant to plant in their quest for nectar, bees help to facilitate plant reproduction, giving bees an essential role in the sustainability of our agriculture. Bee populations have been threatened over the last decade by a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, where the bees leave their hives and never return. This year, however, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) released positive … Continue reading Bees
Scientists have created sheep that are 0.01% human
For as long as humans have conceived of making hybrid organisms, an ethical debate has been waged over whether or not we should. The pros and cons are vast and poignant. Each new scientific advancement towards making hybrids stokes the fire of controversy. This year, researchers presented work at a conference detailing the most recent hybrid: a sheep-human chimera. To create these chimeras, scientists used … Continue reading Scientists have created sheep that are 0.01% human
A cure for peanut allergies in sight?
With peanuts being the most common children’s food allergen and the rising prevalence of allergies, discovering a cure for peanut allergies is crucial. Symptoms of an allergic reaction – such as anaphylaxis, leading to the inability to breathe – can be life-threatening and occur rapidly. While EpiPens are used to control general allergic reactions, there is no specific treatment available for peanut allergies – until … Continue reading A cure for peanut allergies in sight?
Scientists make a polar bear-inspired invisibility cloak
Move aside Harry Potter, science has invisibility cloaks too. The non-magical version was inspired by polar bear fur and works by having, excellent thermal insulating properties. Polar bear hair has a hollow core which effectively prevents the infrared emission, or heat signature, of the polar bear from escaping the fur. This helps the bear retain its heat and stay warm. Because of this efficient reflection of … Continue reading Scientists make a polar bear-inspired invisibility cloak
Making Steak out of Spinach: How bioengineering could change meat production
by George Touloumes figures by Brad Wierbowski Would you ever consider eating meat that was grown in a lab instead of raised on a farm? What if it were both healthier and more sustainable than conventional meat? Silicon Valley venture capital firms and major meat companies like Tyson Foods are now investing tens of millions of dollars in bioengineering research to produce exactly that kind … Continue reading Making Steak out of Spinach: How bioengineering could change meat production