Light is, arguably, the reason we exist. Billions of years ago, the first cells utilized light as a source of energy using photosynthesis, thus set the stage for complex multicellular life. Light, the source of all energy we consume, creates vitamin D in our skin and allows our most precious sensory organs, our eyes, to […]
How Life Began to See Read More »
If you’ve taken a biology class, you’ve probably heard that “the mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell.” That phrase is etched into the memories of millions of schoolchildren. Still, their notoriety is well deserved; these little powerhouses sparked one of the most fundamental events in evolutionary history: the development of the eukaryotic cell. There
Mitochondria: The powerhouse of … life as we know it? Read More »
Can microbes form memories? Earlier this year, researchers at the University of California San Diego demonstrated that, yes, certain bacteria can remember complex patterns. After exposing a biofilm of Bacillus subtilis to blue light stimulation, researchers observed intermembrane potassium ion channels change shape. This change caused potassium ions to be released from the cell, leaving
Microbe memory: How biofilms can store information Read More »
Few organs are held in as high regard as the human brain. It’s incredibly complex with many mysteries that still puzzle researchers. As the keeper of all thoughts, emotions, memories, and senses of self, it’s what makes humans human. Traditional in vitro models can be useful, but they fail to imitate communication between the different
Cerebral organoids raise ethical questions of consciousness Read More »
The silence is palpable on Huntington Avenue these days. During an hour that would have normally seen a frantic commute, an empty Green Line train rumbles by. In a city like Boston that is (wisely) following social distancing guidelines, people’s lifestyles have changed almost overnight — they are staying inside. The act of social distancing
Staying inside: How a new sedentary lifestyle affects the human body Read More »