What happens when disease damages a part of the brain responsible for interpreting sensory information? The brain doesn’t just give up – thanks to neuroplasticity, it looks for new ways to understand the world around it.
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Destiny Blanton and Agasya Mukkapati
Continue ReadingUsers on TikTok claim that ashwagandha lowers stress levels, heightens gym performance, and improves sleep quality. But how does it work and is it really a miracle supplement?
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Saffron Khotil and Arely Urieta-Rivera
Continue ReadingChildhood is supposed to become a place you return to with a smile. Unfortunately, many people remember loud footsteps, arguing from across the hall, and the grumbling of an empty belly. These memories change you mentally and chemically, with long-reaching impacts on behavior, mental health, and physical disease.
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Meron Mekonen and Julissa Rodriguez Santos
Continue ReadingThe autopsy of Charles Whitman, a gunman who killed 15 people in 1966, revealed a brain tumor in his frontal lobe. Were Whitman’s violent actions the result of his tumor, or were they a result of other factors, such as traumatic brain injury or personality?
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Meranda Dwe, Maryori Garcia Mas, and Salma Ittidir
Continue ReadingIs there a way to manipulate light so that an event could be seen as a blip in the dimension of time? While it may sound like science fiction, the answer may lie in optics, the branch of physics that studies how light behaves.
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Shritha Mallaypalli and Sneha Pannala
Continue ReadingWhen 69-year-old Dianne Covey went to the doctor with a persistent cough, a standard chest X-ray was taken. To the human eye, early-stage lung abnormalities can be incredibly difficult to diagnose. However, her scan was analyzed by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool called Annalise.ai, which flagged a microscopic area of concern. The tool caught her lung cancer at Stage 1.
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Karla Caracheo Gonzalez and Mia McGonnel Jasionowski
Continue ReadingIn 1985, a 3-month old infant was admitted into a hospital for sudden, unbearable pain that left her weeping uncontrollably. Thirty-four years later, she became the first person to be successfully cured of Sickle Cell Disease using gene-editing technology.
This article is part of our WinSPIRE Science in the News series. Authors: Miranda Duke and A’son Hamilton
Continue ReadingKudzu has a complex history. First cast in the role of an erosion-preventing hero, the vine is now decried as an invasive villain that swallows landscapes and strangles trees. In reality, kudzu is a complicated character – food, medicine, and prolific weed all in one.
Continue ReadingThe hearts of most oceans are cold, deep, and nearly dead. No nearby shore can deliver nutrients to support algae or plankton, and no plant can reach 3,000+ meters from…
Continue ReadingIn December of 1972, as the engines of Apollo 17’s Saturn V roared against the Florida night, humanity unknowingly witnessed the closing chapter of an era. Gene Cernan and Harrison…
Continue ReadingUnderstanding what happened doesn’t always mean the body feels safe enough to heal — and for many, their body continues to react in ways that affect overall health. The way we think about healing is shifting toward feeling into the body and supporting the release of what the nervous system has been asked to hold.
Continue ReadingLately, there has been a lot of discussion about whether diversity belongs in science. While some argue that investing in a diverse scientific workforce is wasteful, biology itself tells a…
Continue ReadingHave you ever walked into a room intent on finding a particular item and found yourself suddenly unable to remember what you were looking for? Have you ever sat down…
Continue ReadingBiology, and science more generally, is expansive, encompassing vast bodies of knowledge collected over generations. At times, it’s oversimplified for the sake of breaking down complex issues and making them…
Continue ReadingCampbell’s, a company well known for producing easily accessible food, including canned soup, came under fire recently for allegations of the ingredients being bioengineered. An audio clip was leaked where…
Continue ReadingBringing individuals with autism back into focus It seems like autism is on our minds now more than ever before. We keep hearing about how autism rates appear to be…
Continue ReadingMyth, tradition, and biology once pointed to a link between menstruation and the Moon — and new evidence supports it. But since 2010, artificial light has begun to break that connection.
Continue ReadingThe year is 2060. As part of your family planning, you see a geneticist. They ask you what traits you would like your baby to have. What do you prioritize?…
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