Walk through an average South African hospital, and you’ll see crowded waiting rooms full of unstable patients. Meet the diverse patients hailing from the largest cities and the smallest villages. Admire the nurses who work tirelessly to provide care despite staffing shortages and crumbling hospital infrastructure. Drive ten minutes through the city and arrive at […]
Journeying through healthcare inequality in South Africa Read More »
In the Fenway Victory Gardens, just minutes from Northeastern University, lizards reign supreme. The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus, is a non-native species that recently established itself in the gardens. This small green and tan lizard has remarkably managed to survive and thrive in Boston — and in several other cities and towns in the
Meet the lizards of the Fenway Victory Gardens Read More »
Kanye West, Billie Eilish, Lorde, Pharell Williams, and many other talented artists all share a unique characteristic that enhances their abilities: synesthesia. Defined as a perceptual phenomenon where two or more senses are connected that allow the individual to experience their sensations differently than most, synesthesia is an idiosyncratic phenomenon. There have been documented experiences
Chromesthesia: The blending of sounds and color Read More »
Human understanding of the universe is not extensive. What is known, specifically at the atomic level, would not be possible without the use of neutrinos. Known as “ghost particles,” neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the universe, even more so than electrons. While that might be the case, they are extremely difficult to find
Shots are never fun. Many people experience anxiety right up until the needle pierces their skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fear of needles prevents people from getting life-saving vaccinations each day. However, advancement in vaccine delivery technology is making it possible to receive these vaccinations without a needle. Transdermal
The recent discovery of a peculiar supernova remnant has solved an 850-year-old mystery, and a new investigation is already forming in its place. In 1181, Chinese and Japanese astronomers observed a “guest star,” or the origin of a supernova, which they identified as SN 1181. It appeared as a dim expanding nebula that was as
The mystery of an undying star Read More »
While the wooly mammoths, smilodons, and giant ground sloths starred in Disney’s “Ice Age,” do prehistoric creatures have a place on Earth today? When species go extinct, evolution fills the ecosystem gap with modern species, renewing balance and moving forward in evolutionary history. The hot-topic term “de-extinction” describes the process of using genetic engineering to
Reincarnation: Dodo or do-don’t Read More »
Extending a human’s lifetime sounds like something that would only exist in a fictional realm. A recently published study, though, shows that this ability may one day be achievable in our own world. A common theory regarding the mechanism that drives aging is that the accumulation of genetic mutations eventually causes cells to lose their
Out with the old: Geneticists reversed aging in mice Read More »
Living is hard. The sensitivity of human health to a variety of factors often makes it easy for the body to deteriorate in the face of threats. Unfortunately, individuals do not just have their diet and exercise to worry about when it comes to maintaining their health. They must also consider the crimes committed in
When your body chooses violence because of your community Read More »