Archive: Nov 2014

Sea stars are famed for their multiple arms, ability to regenerate limbs, and colorful camouflage. While more than 2,000 species of sea stars inhabit the world’s oceans, millions of these creatures have died from sea star wasting disease (SSWD) within…

From Largest study of gay brothers homes in on ‘gay genes’ Image from Wikimedia Commons, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Rainbow_flag_and_blue_skies.jpg One question that has significance for science and religion alike is…

The human gut is host to 100 trillion bacteria. To put this number into perspective, bacteria outnumber our cells by more than 10 to 1. These microbial tenants, however, are not just free loaders taking advantage of our generosity. In fact, the majority…

What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘green technology’? Do solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars come to mind? What about light-emitting diodes (LEDs)? Unlike many costly green technologies, LEDs are accessible to the majority of…

Presented by Jeong-Mo Choi, Bryan Weinstein, and Amy Gilson Did you know that principles and equations from physics can be used to study evolution? We’ll describe how physics-based models can be used to predict evolution, on the level of individual…

Presented by Radhika Mathur, Ilana Kelsey, and Matt Schwartz DNA contains the information your cells need to perform their functions but if every cell in your body contains identical DNA, how can one cell become a blood cell, another a muscle cell, and…

NOVAMOXIN antibiotic from Bmramon at en.wikipediaScientists offer an alternative method to fight bacteria in an effort to combat antibiotic resistance. They generated liposomes, or very small particles that look much like cell membranes. Because of this…

Presented by Jared Atkinson, Natasha Goss, and Jordan Wilkerson The advent of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, has led to the development of previously inaccessible resources, significantly increasing world gas and…

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound that has been used in the production of plastics, including cell phones, contact lenses, and food storage containers, for over 50 years. Scientists have recently shown that the BPA found on cash register receipts…

Gliobastoma (astrocytoma) WHO grade IV – MRI sagittal view, post contrast. By Christaras A via Creative Commons Treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) – the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer – is notoriously difficult. In…