Monthly Archives: November 2017
Toucan Play That Game
Evolution
Evolution, one of the “big ideas” for AP Biology, can be defined as “the change of heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations”. This process is what has given the earth a variety of species. Evolution can be explained … Keep Reading
Interesting Inhibitors
As patients continue to stay heavily dependent on antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to these conventional treatment approaches. Plasmids, found on the surface of yeast and other bacteria, are fragments of DNA that allow genes … Keep Reading
Is This Real Life?
Drugs can cause unthinkable effects to your mind and body. Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, is a psychedelic drug that produces psychological effects. The drug was first discovered on a fungus that grew on rye by a Swiss scientist, Dr. Albert … Keep Reading
How Your Thanksgiving Dinner Got Supersized
While it may not be the United States’ official bird as Ben Franklin had proposed, on the average Thanksgiving Day, Americans consume nearly 46 million turkeys. Its consumption has increased nearly 104%, and production has increased nearly 110% since 1970. … Keep Reading
How Do Leaves Change Their Colors?
Image from Wikimedia Commons Every year many people looking forward to Fall for many reasons. Several holidays, family time, and the changes of nature that occur all around us. One of these drastic changes is the changing of the colors … Keep Reading
How Do Stem Cells Play a Role in Cancer Treatments?
Image from Wikimedia Commons Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into specialized cells when certain genes become activated later in development. There are two types of stem cells: embryonic and adult stem cells. Embryonic stems cells are classified … Keep Reading
The First Set of Astronaut-Twins Make History in Outer Space
What do you imagine the voyage up to Space is like? Exhilarating? Frightening? Thrilling? While all of the above might be true, these momentary emotions just can’t compare to the significant amount of change that occurs inside you microscopically; the … Keep Reading
Human Mini-Brains Help Scientists Take a Step into the Future
Have you ever wondered how humans could be developed without sexual reproduction? While cheesy sci-fi and dystopia movies have explored this topic for decades, the first real scientific breakthrough has been made in the direction of human organoid development. We … Keep Reading
The Seahorse – Nature’s Mr. Mom
For almost every species on Planet Earth, the female holds the majority of the responsibility when it comes to childcare. However, for seahorse, the table has turned. The dads are the ones who take on the role of the “mother” … Keep Reading
Nature’s Most Peculiar Animal: Platypus
Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)Image from Wikimedia Commons Have you ever heard about this animal called the platypus? Well, the platypus is one of the nature’s most eccentric animals due to both its appearances and behaviors.
Evidence You Can’t Get Rid Of
If you have ever watched a crime show on TV such as CSI or Law & Order, you know that science has always gone hand in hand with criminal investigations. The application of science to criminal and civils laws during … Keep Reading
Frog Poison Beneficial to Humans?
In the forests of South and Central America live poison dart frogs. These frogs can carry around toxins 200 times more powerful than morphine. Even small amounts can paralyze or kill other animals. The amount of toxin in only one … Keep Reading
Colon Cancer- It Could Already be in Your Body
Cancer cells have unique behaviors compared to that of normal cells due to their abnormal molecular and physical qualities. Discovering more about how cancer cells develop and function has interested me to learn about a specific cancer that I have … Keep Reading
Predator or Protector?
Poison, toxins, and venom. The initial thought may associate these things with danger, peril, and death. What if you were told that all these things might soon be contained in most of the syringes of a hospital, in the IV … Keep Reading
A Harmless Heart Disease?
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), a common heart condition, is caused by an early atrial beat that sends an electrical impulse along an abnormal path to the ventricles. Essentially, the heart has a normal flow of blood and when an abnormal signal … Keep Reading