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Slime molds are capable of passing on learned behaviors to new cell populations

A group at Toulouse University in France has found that slime molds are capable of passing on learned behaviors from population to another. After learning how to navigate around an unpleasant stimulus in order to reach its food, the slime mold was merged with a naïve slime mold and then separated. The naïve slime mold then underwent the original experiment and demonstrated the learned behaviors, despite never having been in that situation before. Continue reading Slime molds are capable of passing on learned behaviors to new cell populations

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New method successfully recovers lost short-term memories

For decades now, scientists have believed that working memory, a form of short term memory, can be accessed only through the sustained firing of neurons. Working memory is used constantly in our day to day lives — from remembering the name of someone you just met while carrying on a conversation, to mixing the right ingredients in a recipe – it allows us to access … Continue reading New method successfully recovers lost short-term memories

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House Science Committee Retweets A Breitbart Denial of Global Warming

In an affront to the scientific community, the Science Committee of the House of Representatives recently retweeted a questionable Breitbart article which denied global warming. The cited Breitbart article claimed that warm temperatures in 2015 were due to a particularly strong El Niño, not a longer term trend of global warming, and that previous to 2015, there was actually a “global warming hiatus.” The article was … Continue reading House Science Committee Retweets A Breitbart Denial of Global Warming

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Sit'N Listen

Episode 9: When is an animal not a human: aka an episode on animal models (Part 2)

Written by Michelle Frank, Alexandra Schnell, Mashaal Sohail, and Amy Gilson Part Two (Listen to Part One here) Amy– Episode intro Hello, and welcome to Sit’N Listen: a production of Science in the News. We’re a graduate-student run organization at Harvard University that catalyzes discussion between scientists and other experts and enthusiasts. I’m Amy Gilson, a producer of Sit’N Listen and also a graduate student. … Continue reading Episode 9: When is an animal not a human: aka an episode on animal models (Part 2)

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Don’t worry, the expansion of the universe is still accelerating

In the early 1900s, Edwin Hubble observed that distant galaxies are moving away from us. This surprising observation led Hubble to hypothesize that the universe is expanding; more recently, scientists have observed that not only is the universe expanding, but that the expansion is accelerating! The evidence for acceleration emerged from observations of a particular kind of supernovae (Type Ia supernovae) that have a uniform … Continue reading Don’t worry, the expansion of the universe is still accelerating

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Seminars

From Ebola to Zika: Combating myths and controlling mosquitoes

Infectious disease outbreaks are not a new phenomenon and remain a major public health concern. Since the turn of the 21st century, we have dealt with several infectious disease epidemics, including the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic, and most recently the emergence of Zika virus in the Americas. We will discuss the representation of these outbreaks in popular culture, explain the social and scientific challenges associated with … Continue reading From Ebola to Zika: Combating myths and controlling mosquitoes

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HIV-Infected T Cell
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Genetic Evidence Exonerates HIV’s “Patient Zero”

Gaeten Dugas, the man who received the title “Patient Zero” for supposedly bringing HIV/AIDS into the United States, has been cleared.  Dugas was a Canadian flight attendant who contracted and died of AIDS soon after the disease first appeared in the US.  The book And the Band Played On paints a sinister picture of his role in the early AIDS epidemic, leading many to suspect … Continue reading Genetic Evidence Exonerates HIV’s “Patient Zero”

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Seminars

Small World, Big Data: From online dating to the emergency room

In the modern age, data is used to make decisions in almost every aspect of life, from online dating to product placement and advertising. But what is big data? How did it come to be? How will applications of big data help shape technology we use every day? Hear the answers to these questions and more as we explore the origins of data, examples of … Continue reading Small World, Big Data: From online dating to the emergency room

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Seminars

Understanding Suicide Risk: How language, emotion, and pain influence self-harm

Suicide is a troubling, yet surprisingly common phenomenon, claiming the lives of over 42,000 Americans annually. This lecture will explore the intersecting topics of language, pain, and emotion regulation, and address how research in these fields can provide insight into suicide risk and prevention.   Continue reading Understanding Suicide Risk: How language, emotion, and pain influence self-harm

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Lakes formed from glacial melting may cause havoc on local communities

Glacier meltwater provides a steady source of water for communities that would otherwise lack access during the dry season, but melting glaciers can cause problems beyond raising the sea level and endangering coastal communities. Meltwater forms lakes below the glaciers, and this water is often held in place by natural dams. Rock slides or avalanches can weaken or destroy these dams, causing the lakes to … Continue reading Lakes formed from glacial melting may cause havoc on local communities

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