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This April, SITN Waves, along with many other news outlets, reported on the restart of the Large Hadron Collider, or the LHC. Many similar headlines were seen last week when CERN announced the machine’s official restart. So when did the LHC…

The myxoma virus is only deadly for rabbits… and potentially human cancer cells. Photo by Larry D. Moore. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. A common treatment for blood cancers, such as leukemia, is to replace damaged, cancerous…

by Vivian Chou figures by Anna Maurer What do sushi and pain therapy have in common? The answer lies in a tiny protein in our bodies called TRPA1, nicknamed the “wasabi receptor.” For over a decade, scientists have been fascinated by the…

Visualizing DNA on a DNA gel. While the techniques to visualize and analyze DNA are commonplace, our ability to interpret what our DNA says about our likelihood to develop a particular disease is still lacking. Many human diseases are influenced by…

by Caitlin Nichols Worldwide, approximately 289,000 women die every year due to pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications, with 99% of these deaths occurring in developing nations. What can be done to address this pressing world health issue?…

All eukaryotes, such as animals and plants, share the same complexity in their cells. Recently, scientists discovered a species of archaea called Lokiarchaeum that may provide a link to the origin of eukaryotic cells. The DNA of this particular microbe…

Seasonal changes in our immune systems may have implications for human health [Image: The six ecological seasons under CC-BY 3.0 licence]. The variations in daylight duration and temperature that accompany the changing seasons are known to impact normal…

by Jeff Bessen cartoon by Shannon McArdel Before forming an opinion on genetically modified foods, one should understand what genes are in the first place. Knowledge of the history and biological function of genes helps explain why scientists are almost…

by Mary E. Gearing figures by Kristen Seim Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States [1]. Today, patients with a family history of heart disease or risk factors such as elevated “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL…

Ice cream cravings while you are anxiously preparing for a presentation or exam may be triggered by your brain’s desire for relief from stress. (Credits: Austin Kirk, flickr.com) In America, uncontrolled sugar consumption is a concern because of its…