Tag: featured

Blog

Resetting the Aging Clock: The science of age reversal

by Gabriel Filsinger figures by Anna Maurer Can biological aging be slowed or reversed? Time is constantly passing. Given enough time, we change as people and move between stages of life, transforming from children into young adults and evolving from parents into elderly grandparents. Although we may not notice it explicitly, time continually and unrelentingly propels us forward into the future. To us, time and … Continue reading Resetting the Aging Clock: The science of age reversal

24 Comments
Blog

Why Poop Pills are in Trials as a Treatment for Obesity

by Jess Kanwal figures by Shannon McArdel Would you be willing to pop “freeze-dried-poop” pills for a chance to slim down? While this weight-loss strategy certainly doesn’t sound appetizing, scientists are currently embarking on a clinical trial to find out whether such a method could be a new treatment for obesity. Researchers are collecting fecal samples from lean, healthy donors, freeze-drying their stool and packaging … Continue reading Why Poop Pills are in Trials as a Treatment for Obesity

8 Comments
Blog

New Experiment Chases the Elusive Magnetic Monopole

A new experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) seeks to detect the long theorized magnetic monopole. In 1931, physicist Paul Dirac showed that our theories of electromagnetism allow for the existence of a solitary magnetic charge. Just as protons and electrons represent unique electric charges (positive and negative), magnetic monopoles should similarly exist as manifestations of magnetic charge. Despite our best efforts, however, we … Continue reading New Experiment Chases the Elusive Magnetic Monopole

1 Comment
Blog

Prescription Drug Advertisement Goes on the Walls

by Li Zha Boston, MA has a very high concentration of biopharmaceutical companies and life science research. Residents in the area are bombarded by direct-to-consumer advertising of health care services and products even during their daily commute. On an average day, commuters can expect to see ads for clinical studies of depression or anorexia, as well as drugs that have just been approved by the … Continue reading Prescription Drug Advertisement Goes on the Walls

1 Comment
Blog

Beyond mythology: NIH plans to lift ban on chimera research

The National Institutes of Health recently announced that it expects to lift a ban on research involving animal embryos that have been injected with human stem cells.  Embryonic stem cells are already lightning rods for controversy, but part-human “chimeras” are saddled with their own set of ethical dilemmas.  Some worry, for example, that chimeras could develop human-like brains that might afford the animal a rudimentary … Continue reading Beyond mythology: NIH plans to lift ban on chimera research

1 Comment
Blog

Dark Matter Evades the World’s Most Sensitive Search

At the 11th Identification of Dark Matter Conference, LUX, the Large Underground Xenon experiment, announced the results of the world’s most sensitive search for dark matter. Physicists at LUX have been racing for a dark matter discovery since the collaboration’s inception. Observers in the field were aware that the LUX announcement would include more data with vastly improved performance compared to experiment’s initial run in … Continue reading Dark Matter Evades the World’s Most Sensitive Search

Leave a comment
Blog

How one volcano concealed the sea-level acceleration record

Using satellite records and global climate models, scientists have shown that sea level rise is accelerating. Although sea level data from the past 23 years diverged from this long term trend, researchers demonstrate that the abnormal cooling caused by the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo concealed the long-term trend. A high-resolution record of global sea level has been available since the 1992 launch of the … Continue reading How one volcano concealed the sea-level acceleration record

Leave a comment
Blog

Climate Change 2016: Make America Hot Again

by Katie Dagon figures by Utsarga Adhikary Heat waves and droughts are staples of summer weather in America. This summer has proven to be no different! Much of the central and eastern U.S. endured a strong heat wave in mid-July. While the “heat dome” has subsided, parts of the Northeast are still under a severe drought (see Figure 3). What makes a particular period of … Continue reading Climate Change 2016: Make America Hot Again

Leave a comment
Blog

“I’m XY and I Know It”: Sex Determination Systems 101

by Katherine J. Wu figures by Daniel Utter Let’s talk about sex. Seriously. Not intercourse, though – more about how genetic sex is programmed during development. Sexual identity has been in the news often lately, and unsurprisingly so: the past few years have yielded sweeping reforms in civil rights, spurring new conflicts surrounding everything from age-old battles in gender equality to legislation enforcing anti-transgender bathrooms. … Continue reading “I’m XY and I Know It”: Sex Determination Systems 101

113 Comments
Blog

Mice, light and exploring ALAN’s potential health hazards

In deciphering the mysteries of human health, mice have been one of our greatest allies. They have demonstrated the antibacterial properties of penicillin and served as a model for exploring obesity. Now they are helping researchers understand the potential negative effects of artificial light at night, or ALAN. Mounting epidemiological data shows an association of ALAN with cancer, obesity, depression and osteoporosis. Previous work has … Continue reading Mice, light and exploring ALAN’s potential health hazards

Leave a comment