Biology

The whale that lives forever: Cancer prevention mechanisms in the bowhead whale

Biology, Health / /

Theoretically, the more cells an organism has, the higher the incidence of malignant transformation. If this were true, humans should be considerably more cancer-prone than something as small as a mouse; however, this is not the case. “Peto’s paradox” describes the phenomenon that, despite the increase in cell number, instances of cancer don’t increase in […]

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Live fast, die young: The mysterious life of Australia’s sex-crazed marsupial

Biology, World / /

Guys literally only want one thing. Or at least, the male antechinus, an Australian marsupial, seems to prioritize one thing over everything else: sex. These mouse-like animals live fast and die young, forgoing sleep in order to reproduce during their short fertile window. Scientists are, naturally, fascinated by these pocket-sized marsupials and their exciting, mysterious

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Scientists by day, chefs by night: Cells are being cultured to resemble meat

Biology, Culture / /

Knowing that animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5% of all carbon emissions, scientists have been researching alternatives to the traditional meat diet, with the current leading alternative being meat analogs or “fake meats.” The menus of vegan-friendly, trendy restaurants and even your run-of-the-mill spots, like Burger King, have been featuring items such as

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Mirror of the sun: The Hawaiian silversword

Biology, Environment, World / /

Stars flicker faintly as the dark horizon reddens. Howling, freezing winds and desolate craters starkly contrast the lush tropical rainforests and coral gardens 10,000 feet below. As the blinding light finally emerges over a sea of swirling clouds, a bright reflection appears from the sparse, reddish slopes. It is a silver plant, radiating under the

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An ecosystem of one’s own: The application of ecological theory towards genomics

Biology, Environment / /

The ability to use language to establish relationships and dynamics within an ecosystem sustains the study of ecology. Charles Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” narrative describes the tendencies of natural selection and the likelihood of survival based on an organism’s environmental adjustment. Other terms used by ecologists to classify the relationships between species — mutualism,

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Northeastern professor collaborates with Tufts’ Division Chief of Pediatric Oncology in preliminary study

Biology, Health, Local / /

With Northeastern University having recently climbed the academic ladder to become a tier one research institution, hundreds of projects are simultaneously emerging with the aim of publishing innovative information. In a newly published study, Northeastern Research Associate Professor Christine Lary collaborated with the Division Chief of Pediatric Oncology at the Tufts University School of Medicine,

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A shifting paradigm: Insight into animal cognition

Biology, Environment / /

We live with two different realities when we interact with animals. We call our pets our “four-legged friends,” appreciate their personalities, love them, and sense their emotions. But for our livestock, such as pigs, cows, and goats, we see eyes devoid of emotion that stare blankly into the distance and don’t think twice when biting

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