Nature’s intricacies often reveal themselves in unsettling ways, and the cuckoo bird is a striking example. For hundreds of years, bird enthusiasts have been intrigued by the sight of a little reed warbler mother feeding a young cuckoo bird, a species that will grow to five times her own body mass. In fact, Aristotle recorded […]
How cuckoo are cuckoo birds? Read More »
Let’s face it, hair care is not an easy task. Personally, it takes me around four to five minutes of brushing my hair to get it looking presentable, and even then, the outside world could easily not cooperate and mess up my look. However for some people, no matter how hard they try, their hair
When your hair just won’t go flat Read More »
Growing older is a blessing for many, but it doesn’t come without its downsides. Nicknamed “second puberty,” menopause happens between the ages of 45 and 55 for those with female reproductive systems. It is the body’s way of telling reproductive organs their job is done. Many women struggle with carrying out daily activities, yet 73%
Hormone replacement therapy: A delicate balance 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 »
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 »
It’s October 2019, and Exploration Vessel Nautilus is on its last expedition of the season, live-streaming footage from its submersible’s cameras. At 3,240 meters deep, they’re exploring the seafloor of Monterey Bay when a shape comes into view, and the team quickly erupts into enthused echoes of “ohhh, whale fall!” What lies in front of
Deep-sea banquets: The anatomy of a whale fall Read More »
This article contains spoilers for Naughty Dog and HBO’s “The Last of Us.” The recent television adaptation of Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed video game “The Last of Us” has sparked renewed attention to its source material. The game paints a dismal picture: Humanity has fallen to the cordyceps fungus, which infects humans and takes complete
As climate change escalates, preventative measures to reduce global warming are almost futile without a uniform attempt by civilization. Damage control is likely the future of sustainability and fungi may be an effective way to help in the restoration of forests after a wildfire. Below the typical fruiting body or mushroom we see on the
Fungi’s role in fighting the climate crisis Read More »