Standing off to the side of the demonstration, I watched a six-year-old girl carefully pick up her paper airplane from the ground and bring it back to her work station.…
Continue ReadingYou’re sitting in class as your professor rambles on. The material is interesting, but the lecture is choppy. The professor stops-and-starts frequently, sounding uncertain, and you’re counting the number of…
Continue ReadingI’m standing in front of a long conference table, rubbing my clammy palms on my blazer. My committee is discussing my transcripts and research progress. One professor is questioning the…
Continue ReadingIn January 2015, my Ph.D. adviser invited me into her office at Rutgers University, where I was enrolled, for what I thought was a typical meeting. After the requisite…
Continue ReadingThe words of your elementary school teachers may echo in your ears whenever you hear something related to the War on Drugs. “Drug free is the way to be,” and,…
Continue ReadingThe Perseids are here! This annual meteor shower is one of the best and brightest, but this year it’s predicted to be even more spectacular. So, if you’re in a…
Continue ReadingCompletely legal and unregulated, caffeine is a staple of bustling culture, from office workers with travel mugs making a grab for their suitcases at 6 am to journalists refilling their…
Continue ReadingShedding light on brain function has never been so literal. The idea that light could be used to control brain cells has always seemed like a far-fetched possibility, something more…
Continue ReadingYou’re at a social gathering and someone asks, “So, what do you do?” It’s meant to be a casual conversation starter, but do you ever find yourself taking a mental…
Continue ReadingCould you live in a world without beer? For at least 2 billion people, the answer would be a resounding “NO!” Many alcohols, like beer, exist because of a microorganism…
Continue ReadingIf you haven’t seen the cinematic masterpiece that is Jurassic Park, drop what you’re doing and go watch it now. Even if you don’t dig dinosaurs, there’s an immaculate scene…
Continue ReadingWe used to believe the Central Dogma of molecular biology was pretty simple. Every cell contains genetic information in the form of DNA, which is responsible for providing instructions for…
Continue ReadingRecently, NASA’s JUNO spacecraft slowed down by 1,212 miles per hour in a carefully coordinated 35 minute maneuver. This slowdown is similar to you slamming on the brakes to stop…
Continue ReadingIf you follow the sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’, you would probably remember how Howard gobbled peanuts to hide his friend from a surprise birthday party, even though he was…
Continue ReadingContestants on the TV show “The Biggest Loser” may not be “losers” after all. A recent study of Season Six contestants has revealed that six years after the show ended,…
Continue ReadingThis summer, you may be thinking of having fun with friends in a swimming pool or relaxing in a spa. However, facing the clear and inviting water of the pool,…
Continue ReadingFormer President Jimmy Carter was diagnosed with stage IV malignant melanoma in 2015, an aggressive form of cancer that spread to his liver and his brain. Until recently, this would…
Continue ReadingIn 2013, cancer affected approximately 14 million people in the United States, and its direct medical costs were almost $75 billion, making cancer a devastating disease from both the human…
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