While you are trying to listen to your professor lecture about derivatives and integrals, the person sitting less than three feet away from you sneezes: “ACHOO!” You shudder. Perhaps hold your breath. Or scoot your chair a few inches away from them. One person infected with an illness has the potential to infect 15 out […]
ACHOO: Spreading disease at 100 miles per hour Read More »
Beginning signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can start up to 18 years before a diagnosis ever occurs. In the almost two decades it takes to receive a diagnosis, so much damage has already taken place in the brain that treatment measures can only alleviate symptoms and extend life expectancy by a few years. But,
Could fractals be the cure for Alzheimer’s disease? Read More »
While some dangerous creatures opt for a more subtle approach, the poison dart frog is remarkably considerate for letting predators know ahead of time that it is not to be messed with. Its vibrant color is meant to signify its high toxicity, an example of aposematism or an animal advertising to its predators that it
Poison dart frogs: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger Read More »
The race to find sustainable energy has quite literally led us out of our world. Earth harvests energy from the Sun to keep itself alive, but for the ever-growing human species, even this massive star is not enough to satisfy our high energy needs. Ergo, scientists have been searching further into space for other sources
A simplified guide to charging your phone with a black hole (theoretically) Read More »
Red blood cells (RBCs) are the single-most important factor in gas exchange with the environment and the key to sustaining life. With approximately 70-80 trillion red blood cells present in human bodies at any given time, these cells constitute 70% of all the cells in the body. RBCs are flat and disk-like, featuring indentations on
CRISPR’s sickle cell revolution: A key to life Read More »
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21… The famed, infinite Fibonacci sequence forms its pattern using a “one step forward, two steps back” approach. It generates each subsequent nth term by adding the two preceding numbers. A mathematical concept rarely elicits excitement; however, Fibonacci’s sequence can help explain how nature creates order and
One step forward, two steps back: A glimpse into the Fibonacci sequence Read More »
The slimy and smelly seaweed known to repulse many swimmers and beachgoers may serve as a key mitigation strategy for climate change in the near future. A species of red macroalgae known as Asparagopsis taxiformis has been shown to reduce methane emissions in livestock. Methane is 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than
Seaweed and cow burps: A potential solution to climate change? Read More »
A creature more ancient than dinosaurs by over 200 million years, the Atlantic horseshoe crab is an organism treasured by conservationists, biomedical researchers, and even Northeastern’s very own “Dang, I love fossils” club. With five pairs of claws and able to grow up to two feet long, the horseshoe crab is an incredibly useful animal
Baby-blue blood: Nature’s antidote Read More »
Picture this: You have gotten sick from COVID-19 before. So much so, your family is worried you will be hospitalized the next time you catch the virus. After consulting your doctor, you find out about a new drug recently approved by the FDA that can mitigate the severe effects of a COVID infection, allowing you
Opinion: The underutilization of Paxlovid Read More »