Changing Course: Climate Change Leads Songbirds to Reverse Migration Routes
Songbird migration paths are shifting due to global changes in temperature. Continue reading Changing Course: Climate Change Leads Songbirds to Reverse Migration Routes
Tag: Biology
Embryonic Cells Help Lizards Regenerate Tails
Scientists harness embryonic cells to enhance adult lizard tail regeneration. Continue reading Embryonic Cells Help Lizards Regenerate Tails
Mining DNA for Disease Prediction: The polygenic risk score
by Alex Yenkinfigures by Allie Elchert Long before the completion of the Human Genome Project, scientists knew that many common diseases had a genetic component. However, there was debate about the architecture of these genetic effects: were there a few high-effect mutations or thousands of tiny effect mutations spread throughout the genome? Now, in the full swing of the genomics revolution, we can see that … Continue reading Mining DNA for Disease Prediction: The polygenic risk score
Reframing Opioid Addiction Treatment: What is harm reduction all about?
by Lauren Granatafigures by Xiaomeng Han As Covid-19-related deaths overwhelmed the country in 2020, drug overdose deaths furtively took their own toll. The opioid epidemic is still surging, but a new Rhode Island law aims to combat the problem through harm reduction. Instead of fixating on sobriety-centered treatment, the primary function of the new law is to protect people from infection and overdose. What are … Continue reading Reframing Opioid Addiction Treatment: What is harm reduction all about?
What Makes a Cat a Tabby?
Scientists have discovered another piece in the puzzle of how tabby cats get their stripes. Continue reading What Makes a Cat a Tabby?
Asexual Species Can Adapt to their Environment Even Without Changing their DNA
Asexual species do not have genetic variability like humans, and most animals, do. Despite that, they can still adapt to environmental changes using modifications to their DNA known as epigenetic changes. Continue reading Asexual Species Can Adapt to their Environment Even Without Changing their DNA
Development in a Dish: Scientists Grow a Combined Brain and Eye Organoid
Researchers have grown a miniature brain that also develops eye-like structures. Continue reading Development in a Dish: Scientists Grow a Combined Brain and Eye Organoid
Frightening Interactions with Predators Have Long-Term Impacts on Animal Brain and Behavior
Animals frightened by a close call with a predator eat less and produce fewer offspring in the future. Continue reading Frightening Interactions with Predators Have Long-Term Impacts on Animal Brain and Behavior
Adventure, Botany, & Conservation: The ABCs of Ynés Mexia
Manasvi Verma is a 2nd year PhD student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program at Harvard Medical School studying host-microbiome interactions in the human gut. Corena Loeb is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Harvard-MIT program in Speech, Hearing, Bioscience and Technology. Cover image by Pexels from Pixabay. This biography is part of our “Picture a Scientist” initiative. To learn more about the amazing men … Continue reading Adventure, Botany, & Conservation: The ABCs of Ynés Mexia
Adventure, Botany, & Conservation: The ABCs of Ynés Mexia
by Manasvi Verma In all my travels I’ve never been attacked by a wild animal, lost my way or caught a disease… I don’t think there’s any place in the world where a woman can’t venture. – Ynés Mexía As the climate disaster becomes more imminent, environmental conservation is a pressing need. Recently at the forefront of public discourse, this movement has been simmering behind-the-scenes … Continue reading Adventure, Botany, & Conservation: The ABCs of Ynés Mexia