Shrinking Salt Lakes
Gene Yang ‘19 Representing nearly half of the volume and a quarter of the area of all lakes in the world, saline lakes are a significant part of the regional ecosystem. However, as a result of human consumptive water use from these lakes in recent decades, many large saline lakes have been desiccating at a significant rate. This dessication can eventually lead to the collapse … Continue reading Shrinking Salt Lakes
Investigating Water on Mars
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Since the discovery of perchlorates in soil acquired from Mars using the Pheonix Lander, researchers have been wondering how a liquid such as this can exist in the extreme cold temperatures found on the planet. A solution of perchlorate at 44% by weight can cause the freezing temperature of water to drop well below that of pure water. Researchers led by … Continue reading Investigating Water on Mars
Genetics of Skin Pigmentation
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Currently, our understanding of the genes behind skin pigmentation in humans is limited, especially for those of African heritage. Researchers led by Nicholas Crawford, PhD from the University of Pennsylvania investigated the genetic variants behind a wider range of skin colors provided from diverse African populations. Melanin is the pigment that provides the wide range of skin colors seen in the … Continue reading Genetics of Skin Pigmentation
Octopus Inspired Synthetic Tissue
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 One of the most notable features of cephalopods like octopus and cuttlefish is their ability to quickly camouflage with the environment by changing the color and texture of their skin. They are able to dynamically adapt the textures of their skin by contracting muscular hydrostat structures referred to as papillae. Researchers, led by James Pikul PhD, from Cornell University took inspiration … Continue reading Octopus Inspired Synthetic Tissue
Researchers Clarify the Link Between Sugar and Cancer
By Meenu Johnkutty ’21 Researchers from the Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology in Belgium have achieved a breakthrough in cancer research. Their project, which began in 2008, finally came to completion after nine long years. The scientists’ focus was the Warburg effect, a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugar molecules, stimulating tumor growth. This effect was named after Nobel laureate Otto Heinrich … Continue reading Researchers Clarify the Link Between Sugar and Cancer
The Effects of Air Pollution on Working Memory in School-Aged Children
By Meenu Johnkutty ’21 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person takes about 23,040 breaths each day. Multiply this figure by 365, and an individual takes a gargantuan 8,409,600 breaths per year. That’s a tremendous amount of air! Because the human population is virtually tied to its air supply, it is no surprise that polluted air is detrimental to the human body. A … Continue reading The Effects of Air Pollution on Working Memory in School-Aged Children
Do Video Gamers Have an Edge in Learning?
By Meenu Johnkutty ’21 Learning is an everyday occurrence that extends beyond the traditional classroom setting, whether it be quickly memorizing a bus route or remembering a colleague’s number. A recent study led by Dr. Sabrina Schenk of Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, revealed that video gamers may have an edge in learning over non video gamers. In this study, researchers explored categorization learning, defined … Continue reading Do Video Gamers Have an Edge in Learning?
Student Researcher Interview with Vinoth Bandara
Interviewer: Benjamin Kerner Interviewed: Vinoth Bandara B: So, to start, state your name, major, and department. V: I’m Vinoth Bandara, I work for the BME department and I am a BME major. I’m an imaging specialist, and I do a lot of optics work B: So how did you get into research? V: I got into research my freshman year through my freshman year BME … Continue reading Student Researcher Interview with Vinoth Bandara
The Roles of Human Gut Inhabitants in Infant Development
By Maryna Mullerman ’20 Farzana Yasmin and researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada analyzed how microbial systems in infant guts change over time, as well as how they can be affected by perinatal factors such as antibiotics, formula feeding, and birth mode. The study would reveal the importance of tracking variations in microbial community during early life stages. The researchers collected data from … Continue reading The Roles of Human Gut Inhabitants in Infant Development
The Effects of Climate Change on Greenland’s Coastal Zone
By Maryna Mullerman ’20 Climate change is leaving observable effects on our planet. Mette Bendixen, along with other researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, explored the impact of climate change on the Arctic coastal zone in Greenland. The researcher hypothesized that the evolution of deltas is driven by both terrestrial and marine factors. They assessed the progradation – increase in sizes – of … Continue reading The Effects of Climate Change on Greenland’s Coastal Zone
How Confident Are People in Their Actions?
By Maryna Mullerman ‘20 Confidence is thought to be based on previous experiences and outcomes, while new information modifies human perception of the environment. Matilde M. Vaghi and researchers from the University of Cambridge conducted a study to find a dissociation between action and confidence. They focused on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients who struggled with repetitive behavior. Their findings revealed a novel aspect of human … Continue reading How Confident Are People in Their Actions?
The Setbacks of Evidence Based Counseling
By: Ramanjot Singh ’19 In the recent years, there has been a strong wave of focus on evidence-based psychology. The push is towards achieving an evidence-based assessment for psychological conditions. More specifically, being able to have a physical test that will determine if you have a certain ailment or not. Counseling psychologist, Dr. Angie Cucchi, hypothesized that the evidence-based treatment would not be sufficient to … Continue reading The Setbacks of Evidence Based Counseling
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