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#Everyday Questions

Blog / Initial Attraction and the Ignited Love

October 26, 2022 / Runfan Yang /

During the hard part of the night, listening to the hooting owl outside the window, have you ever wondered: What is love?       

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attraction Biology brain Chemistry cognition Everyday Questions love

Blog / To Dye or Not To Dye

October 23, 2018November 5, 2018 / Rachel Cherney /

Dyeing hair is a common, but not recent, beauty practice. Hair dyeing (coloring) has been around for thousands of years, using plant-based dyes such as indigo and turmeric before synthetic…

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Biology Chemistry color dyeing Everyday Questions hair melanin

Blog / Dealing with automatic sinks

October 20, 2018October 26, 2018 / David Abraham /

It’s time to wash your hands and help prevent the spread of flu, but when you put your hands under the automatic sink, nothing happens.  You give your hands a…

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electromagnetic spectrum Everyday Questions Flu infrared sinks what do you think

Blog / Diet Soda: Providing Insight into a Rare Metabolic Disorder

April 4, 2018April 5, 2018 / Blaide Woodburn /

Have you ever read the Nutrition Facts on a diet soda or sugar-free gum? If so, you might have noticed a bolded sentence that reads: PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE. In the…

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Chemistry Everyday Questions Food Medicine nutrition

Blog / Can We Make Tastier Tomatoes?

February 1, 2018 / Melissa Plooster /

They can be eaten raw, made into countless stews and sauces, and add a tasty addition to nearly any dish. Tomatoes are practically indispensable in any modern kitchen and are…

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Biology Everyday Questions metabolome Not so Frivolous science communication tomato

Blog / Cinnamon, Bam!

December 14, 2017 / Samuel Honeycutt /

Well the holiday season is upon us. Our calendars and days are now filled with shopping, travel, and social gatherings with friends, family, and loved ones. As the temperature outside…

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Biology Everyday Questions Food Not so Frivolous science communication

Blog / Understanding the 2017 Climate Science Special Report

December 7, 2017 / Ann Brasacchio /

Earlier this year, the U.S. government released the Climate Science Special Report.  This document describes the state of the Earth’s climate, specifically focusing on the U.S.  If you are someone…

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Environmental Science Everyday Questions science communication Science News Science Policy

Blog / Looking for a New Year’s Resolution? Shrink Your Plastic Footprint!

December 7, 2017October 16, 2020 / Gabrielle Budziszewski /

Plastics are nearly unavoidable. From the plastic bottle of water you grab walking into a meeting to the money in your wallet, plastics are ubiquitous. However, evidence is accumulating that…

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Environmental Science Everyday Questions Food Not so Frivolous Science News

Blog / Artificial Intelligence: Should We Trust It?

December 3, 2017 / Amala John /

If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve probably read about the boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Some of the advances have elicited responses ranging from amazement to fear. So…

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Everyday Questions Physics Science Policy

Blog / The Science Behind Why You Love or Hate Scary Movies

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017 / Hannah Perrin /

In anticipation of Halloween, October is a month full of spooky festivities including scary movies. Gathering a group of friends to watch a horror movie is a fun holiday activity,…

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Everyday Questions Neuroscience Not so Frivolous

Blog / Like It or Not, Your Internet Trail is Inevitable

October 25, 2017 / Chiungwei Huang /

I love online shopping. On the Internet I can ponder over one pair of shoes a thousand times without any store clerk getting impatient. For that my mom isn’t quite comfortable…

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Everyday Questions Not so Frivolous science communication

Blog / Burn Baby Burn! For the Longleaf Pines

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017 / Manisit Das /

The recent forest fires have been wreaking havoc across California since early October. In fact, destructive wildfires are a frequent occurrence in the dry, western state. Such fires are generally bad…

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Environmental Science Everyday Questions Science News

Blog / Nanotechnology in Your Sunscreen: Doing More Harm than Good?

August 14, 2017August 15, 2017 / Chiungwei Huang /

While soaking in the sunshine may feel good, and you may have heard about solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation harm, you may not be aware of what’s in your sunscreen. Lee…

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Biology Chemistry Everyday Questions Nanoparticles Nanotechnology

Blog / Spice is Nice (for Birds)

August 3, 2017 / Lindsay Walton / 4

My labmate was having a problem one morning – a fuzzy, gluttonous problem. To help keep her indoor cat entertained during her time at work, she thought it was a…

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Biology Everyday Questions

Blog / Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: How Mirror Images of Molecules Affect Our Daily Lives

July 27, 2017 / Cortney Cavanaugh /

All we know around us is constructed of atoms that are connected to form molecules. The types of atoms and their arrangement can change the function and characteristics of these…

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Chemistry Everyday Questions Food Medicine

Blog / Crying Over Spilt Milk Substitutes

July 25, 2017August 15, 2017 / Amala John /

Milk is a staple food in the American diet that has been expanding its definition for the past few decades. Cow’s milk has been facing increasing competition from plant-based milk…

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Everyday Questions Food Food Labeling Milk Milk Substitutes

Blog / Sunscreen: Not Just for Carolina Blue Days!

July 19, 2017 / Lee Hong /

Summertime is well underway, and you may find yourself lathering on sunscreen more often – or like me, you may forget you even have a bottle sitting in your bathroom…

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Biology Cancer Chemistry Everyday Questions Medicine Not so Frivolous

Blog / Should Coconut Oil be in Your Pantry?

July 11, 2017July 12, 2017 / Leah Chapman / 1

Maybe it reminds us of a warm beach vacation. Or sipping a pina colada. But whatever the reason, many Americans are making coconut oil a part of their diet. But…

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Everyday Questions Food nutrition Science Communication Series

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