By Sarah G Latario Have you ever wondered why men bald differently than women? While hair loss does not exclusively affect people with an X and Y chromosome, male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia (AA), affects over 50% of men by age 50. The characteristic pattern of hair loss associated with AA begins … Continue reading What Happened to Grandpa’s Hair: An Explanation of Male Pattern Hair Loss
Quantum Dots: The Discovery of the Chromatic Spectrum
By Hannah Johnson Figure 1: Quantum dots ranging between 2-10nm emitting different colored light. [1] Quantum dots (QDs) have been extensively studied over the last thirty years and found applicable in many ways, such as in medical imaging, solar cells, drug delivery, and even in QLED screens which have been in production since 2015 and … Continue reading Quantum Dots: The Discovery of the Chromatic Spectrum
I Can’t Believe It Was Actually Snake Oil
By Rachel Kang Introduction During the nineteenth century, options for entertainment were limited. Many rural-dwelling people did not have the time or money to regularly go to town for fun. However, every so often, a wagon would traverse through mountains, forests, and bogs to reach these small towns. Children would shout in excitement; adults would … Continue reading I Can’t Believe It Was Actually Snake Oil
Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists: Possible Panacea?
By Brianna Evans A glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) is becoming the hot new wonder-drug! Heard of it? No? Perhaps its more common name, then – let’s talk about Ozempic®. The GLP-1RA Ozempic (semaglutide) treats Type II Diabetes and has lately been highly prescribed for weight loss. Many celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk … Continue reading Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists: Possible Panacea?
Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
By Zekiel Factor Setting the agenda Sensation is the bridge between the internal and external world. Examining the elements of processing that our senses have in common allows us to understand how the nervous system gives rise to sensory perception, which is a fundamental component of conscious experience. But what does it mean to go … Continue reading Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
Tangled: The Weave Between Diet, Addiction, and Hormones
By Zari McCullers Ever wondered why some foods seem to have an irresistible hold on us, while others leave us indifferent? Moreover, have you ever had a drink or two, and feel like the cravings get even worse? Why does kicking bad habits feel like a tangled, uphill battle? Behind these compulsions are the complexities … Continue reading Tangled: The Weave Between Diet, Addiction, and Hormones
Your Biology Holds the Key to Happiness
By Savannah Moscon Intro In the world of modern medicine, it is important to remember that we can wield immense control over our happiness and health through the practice of accessible, positive habits. First – what is happiness, according to neuroscience? Many may associate happiness and dopamine, but dopamine – as is explored in the … Continue reading Your Biology Holds the Key to Happiness
Heterochromia: Seeing the world through different colored eyes
By: Coryn Hoffman What determines your eye color? Have you ever thought about what determines the color of your eyes? Your eye color is the result of the amount and distribution of melanin in the cells of your iris. Melanin is a natural pigment that is produced by specialized cells called melanocytes found in your … Continue reading Heterochromia: Seeing the world through different colored eyes
Targeting the sAC, Male Birth Control May Soon Become a Reality
By Natale Hall The use of contraception among humans is a practice nearly as old as human civilization itself. The earliest known record of pregnancy prevention was described in an ancient Egyptian papyrus roll dating back to 1850 B.C.1 Over the next thousand years, birth control evolved (thankfully) from inserting acacia leaves into the vagina … Continue reading Targeting the sAC, Male Birth Control May Soon Become a Reality
Using Fruit Flies to Fight Frontal-Temporal Dementia
By Julia Simpson Dr. Daniela Zarnescu, the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training here at Penn State College of Medicine, has artistic renderings of fruit flies pinned to a corkboard in her office, and a stuffed neuron – small, fuzzy, and blue – on her desk. Dr. Zarnescu finds herself pulled in a … Continue reading Using Fruit Flies to Fight Frontal-Temporal Dementia
Lions Talk Science 