By Alexandra Evans Most Americans are guilty of it, but how much time do we spend staring at our screens throughout the day? A Nielson Total Audience Report published in 2017 determined that a majority of Americans spend approximately 10 hours a day staring at a screen, whether that be a computer, laptop, smartphone, or … Continue reading Can nature work to nurture our brains?
biology
Biosensing Tattoos Your Mother Would Approve Of
By Stephanie Baringer Imagine this: you are at a family gathering and your mom sees your newest tattoo and starts to interrogate you on the purpose of your new ink masterpiece. In a mix of excitement and internalized teenage angst you exclaim, “But mom, you don’t understand! This tattoo could save my life!” Maybe that … Continue reading Biosensing Tattoos Your Mother Would Approve Of
What Does Evolution Teach Us About Medicine?
By Afton Widdershins If you took a biology class during your school years, you may be familiar with the concept of evolution, the idea that living things acquire changes that they can pass on to their offspring. These changes begin as tiny, random mutations acquired as genetic information is copied imperfectly from parent to offspring. … Continue reading What Does Evolution Teach Us About Medicine?
Bring the Beat In: How the Brain Processes Binaural Beats and the Potential Cognitive Benefits the Beats Provide
By Gaelyn Lyons Finals are just around the corner, and you're scrambling to study for that last exam. You're probably stressed out, having a hard time focusing, and *most likely* losing sleep. First, let's take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. How are you feeling? Are you still stressed? Then let me tell you … Continue reading Bring the Beat In: How the Brain Processes Binaural Beats and the Potential Cognitive Benefits the Beats Provide
Aspirin and Its Evolution Across Decades
By Hannah Johnson Figure 1: A box of aspirin.[6] When you have a headache, a fever, or inflammation, the usual response to obtain relief would be taking an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as aspirin or ibuprofen. While these are common over the counter (OTC) drugs that are often found in a person’s medicine cabinet, … Continue reading Aspirin and Its Evolution Across Decades
An Untapped Gold Mine of Information; Detecting Structural Variants with Bionano Optical Mapping
By Laura Budurlean All cancers exhibit some degree of genomic instability, but what if we’ve been severely underestimating how much instability there really is? Structural variants (SVs) are a hallmark of human cancer and encompass insertions, deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations, and copy number variations (Figure 1). These are all mutations that can affect large sections … Continue reading An Untapped Gold Mine of Information; Detecting Structural Variants with Bionano Optical Mapping
I Don’t Wanna Live Forever…But How Close Can I Get?
By Rebecca Fleeman The world’s oldest living female, Sister André (Lucile Randon), is currently 118 years old and if she lives four more years, she will be crowned the longest living human ever. The title is currently held by Jeanne Louise Calment, who was 122 years old and passed away in 1997. The longest living … Continue reading I Don’t Wanna Live Forever…But How Close Can I Get?
De-extinction: What are the odds you’ll be eaten by a dinosaur?
By Olivia Marx As a budding biologist, my non-scientist family and friends sometimes seek my expert opinion on matters of the life sciences. Do they ask me my professional opinion on today’s pressing issues, such as “should we get the COVID-19 vaccine?” or “when does a fertilized egg become a fetus?”. No, they have already … Continue reading De-extinction: What are the odds you’ll be eaten by a dinosaur?
Beer me, Temperance!
By Ian Hayman Alcohol has been a mainstay in human society for over 6,000 years and is essential to many aspects of culture due to it’s pain-killing, mind altering, disinfectant, and food preserving properties 1,2. Alcohol has been instrumental in the development of numerous celebrations and traditions, ranging from the unsanctimonious ’21 run’ to celebrate … Continue reading Beer me, Temperance!
Inconceivable! The Mechanisms Behind Birth Control and the Importance of Knowing What is Best for You
By Gaelyn Lyons Ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in July2022, there have been concerns about the right to birth control for people who menstruate. Justice Clarence Thomas's comments about reconsidering previous Supreme Court decisions on birth control fueled many of these concerns.1 In response, the House of Representatives passed a bill … Continue reading Inconceivable! The Mechanisms Behind Birth Control and the Importance of Knowing What is Best for You
Lions Talk Science 