What can earthworms, salamanders, some fish, and some frogs do that mammals (such as humans) cannot? If you said that they can all regenerate extensive parts of their bodies after amputation, you are correct!

Almost 50 years ago the combined oral contraceptive pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in preventing pregnancy, ushering in a new era of hormonally-based birth control. Now, in addition to the original "Pill" women can…

Building a brain is a complicated business. During the development of the human brain, billions of cells are born, orderly migrate to their appropriate locations, and synthesize connections with other cells near and far. Years ago, scientists discovered…

Genetically modified organisms, such as tomatoes and rice, have been around for several decades now, although the controversies surrounding this technology are still unresolved. The engineering behind genetically modified foods involves the manipulation…

The knowledge of one's personal and familial history -- be it genealogical, cultural, or medical -- is usually restricted to memories, anecdotes and paper documents. The availability and increasing affordability of DNA sequencing has the potential to…

Microbes have been getting a lot of bad publicity lately. From methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks to E. coli in our food, the headlines have made it abundantly clear that bacteria are very inventive when it comes to harming…

Mental disorders are found worldwide, and approximately one in four adults in the United States suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. The biological causes of many mental disorders are unknown and, thus, the mode of treatment is not…

Abnormally high body fat, also known as obesity, has become an epidemic in the United States. The National Institutes of Health estimates that today approximately two-thirds of the population is overweight and nearly one-third is obese. This is a marked…

Sun light is perhaps the only source of energy that can keep up with the world's ever increasing appetite for energy. More solar energy strikes the Earth in one hour than all the global fossil fuels combined can provide in a year. However, utilizing this…

Stem cells are no strangers to media attention. In the midst of all the hype and debate, it can be difficult to determine the scientific facts. Recently, several exciting technological advances have been reported in the stem cell field, and we will…