Biology

Although the heart is commonly thought of as something that causes us emotional joy and pain, while also providing us with the urge to make reckless decisions, we have to give it more credit. In actuality, this incredible organ will beat more than 2.5…

Two decades ago, on the recommendation of acclaimed astrophysicist Carl Sagan, NASA adopted a definition of life simply stating, “Life is a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution.” [1] While this definition is certainly…

Our brain contains billions of cells called neurons, each connected to one another in a complex network, permitting us to think, move, and assimilate information about our environment. While many cells in our body can talk to one another, neurons are…

Presented by Kevin Bonham Single-celled microorganisms are everywhere, and are intimately linked to many aspects of our life. Some can cause disease, others decompose our waste, and many even help us digest our food – there are 10 times more bacteria…

Photosynthesis vs. Chemosynthesis All living things need an energy source to power the chemical reactions that sustain life. Without such an energy source there could be no life. Most organisms on this planet get their energy, directly or indirectly,…

In Disney’s Pixar acclaimed success Ratatouille, Chef Gusteau states: “Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell, there is excellence all around you; You only need be aware to stop and savour it!” Chef Gusteau’s extended metaphor clearly…

Presented by Heather Olins Since their discovery in 1977, scientists and non-scientists alike have been captivated by hydrothermal vent ecosystems. The geological setting and the biological processes that occur in these locations make them unlike any…

Presented by Clare Malone Is there a biological reason why some people become violent offenders? This is an area of biology with many legal, ethical, and societal implications. Tonight we will focus on what the biology can, and cannot, tell us about the…

Presented by Dan Dwyer Most of the time our immune system protects us from the outside world. Occasionally, it tries to protect us from things like pollen and peanuts instead, a process that we call allergy. The allergic response involves several…

Do you get headaches often? Do they interfere with your life? Repeated headaches and migraines have a significant effect on quality-of-life and productivity at the personal level. Collectively migraines and other associated symptoms cost the US economy…