Biology – Page 24 – NU Sci Magazine

A waking nightmare: Sleep deprivation and circadian rhythms in the midst of addiction

Biology, Health / Annabelle Mathers / October 25, 2021

It is commonly said that a sleep-deprived person has the mental performance of a person impaired by alcohol. However, the relationship between sleep and substances, such as drugs and alcohol, may be deeper than a simple comparison. Sleep itself is a significant factor in physical health and mental performance, yet many aspects of sleep remain […]

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Taste the rainbow the natural way

Biology / Lillie Hoffart / October 18, 2021

Bright blues, radiant reds, and glimmering greens. Thanks to food dyes, we can expect a rainbow of selection each time we enter the grocery store. Not only does the added pigment attract the eye, but it also helps food maintain its shade as it ages as well as produce color-consistency within brands. We can rely

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The quantum probability of genetic mutations

Biology, World / Shreya Nakhawa / October 18, 2021

DNA is the genetic information in each of our cells that encodes specific genes and characteristics. Although this source of genetic information seems like something that should be stable and unchanging, it can be influenced by the randomness of physics phenomena, and these resulting genetic changes can drive evolution. Spontaneous genetic mutations, potentially explained by

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How thermodynamics folds proteins

Biology / Liam O'Malley / October 18, 2021

When you think of a cell, you might imagine a balloon-like structure with different organelles inside, each performing a specific function. Some might be breaking down molecules and producing energy while others could be storing information. One of the most important jobs in the cell is to produce proteins — in fact, it takes a

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Sticking together for life (quite literally)!

Biology, Space / Soumili Dey / October 4, 2021

As the search for living entities in outer space continues, a team of researchers found that some bacteria may have the ability to survive amidst the harsh environment. Outer space is notorious for its inability to support living organisms. Extreme temperatures and low pressures prevent organisms from surviving. Additionally, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun

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On Psychedelics: The chaotic mind

Biology / Sara Gannon / October 4, 2021

Common psychedelics such as mushrooms and LSD are often revered for their hallucinogenic properties and the way they alter one’s perceptual experience, but what really is going on behind the scenes to generate this shift in consciousness? What is changing within the brain? Scientists ultimately attribute it to one thing: chaos. Psychedelics generate changes in

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Boogie fever: A look at the dancing mania epidemics of the Middle Ages

Biology, Health / B. Parazin / September 27, 2021

In the autumn of 1518, Strasbourg, a prominent trading city on the banks of the Rhine River, was alive with the sound of dancing. Musicians played day and night; a new stage was constructed across from the market; and over 400 people — all stricken by the dancing mania plaguing the city — whirled, twirled,

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One data point: Bayesian inference and the likelihood of life

Biology, World / Cara Pesciotta / September 27, 2021

Suppose Earth’s clock is reset to its very beginning. This would take us back over 4.5 billion years, passing the first human around 7 million years ago and the first microscopic organism 3.5 billion years ago. Then, we let the clock rerun. Would life evolve as it did for humanity, or is our existence a

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Microfluidic Mixing: Stirring the Tiny Drink

Biology / Ryan Brady / September 27, 2021

From the air you breathe to the water you drink, almost all substances in the natural world are mixtures of numerous components. Air is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and the remaining one percent is a variety of other substances, including argon and carbon dioxide. Intermolecular interactions determine the formation of mixtures in the

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