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Not so Frivolous – The Pipettepen

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#Not so Frivolous

Blog / What octopuses on ecstasy tell us about brain evolution

April 7, 2021 / Kate Giffin / 1

Of all the creatures on earth, octopuses might be the most alien. They could not be more different from us, with powerful tentacles, three hearts, blue blood, and neurons spread…

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Biology brain Evolutionary Biology Neuroscience Not so Frivolous octopus Weird Science

Blog / What Jellyfish Taught us About Microgravity

July 29, 2018October 10, 2018 / Gabrielle Budziszewski /

Think for a minute about your grandkid’s grandkids. Where are they living? Perhaps you momentarily considered the possibility of your intrepid descendants dwelling in outer space. You’re not alone: since…

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force gravity jellyfish microgravity Not so Frivolous physiology space space life sciences Weird Science

Blog / Improbable Science: The Ig® Nobel Prize

February 28, 2018 / Nicholas Martinez /

When you think of scientific research that is worthy of international recognition, 10 trillion dollars, and a prize handed out by Nobel laureates, you are probably envisioning high-impact research that…

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Not so Frivolous Weird Science

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 / 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 / Is the GRE a Waste of Money?

November 7, 2017November 22, 2017 / Laurel Kartchner /

Graduate schools generally utilize previous transcripts, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, personal statements from applicants, and letters of recommendation in order to assess whether candidates are suitably prepared for success…

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Diversity Graduate School Not so Frivolous Women of Color in Science

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 / 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 / Does this chemical make me look fat?: Secret suspects in the obesity epidemic

October 18, 2016 / Mimi /

Over a third of the adult population in America is obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30) and an additional 40% are classified as overweight (BMI 25-30). Within the past…

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Environmental Science Food Not so Frivolous

Blog / Golden Goose Award Eggs On Basic Science Research

April 19, 2016April 15, 2016 / Sarah Vick /

       As a scientist watched jellyfish float in Friday Harbor, Washington, he wondered what caused them to fluoresce green. It took years of determination to unravel the mystery…

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Not so Frivolous Science News UNC-CH Research

Blog / The Physics Behind the Newest OK Go Video

March 15, 2016October 7, 2019 / Josh Fuchs /

I first heard of the band OK Go when they released their music video for ‘Here It Goes Again,’ which features the band members cruising back and forth over treadmills.…

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Everyday Questions Feature Article Not so Frivolous Physics

Blog / The Scientific Chronicles – Dream decoded

February 29, 2016March 1, 2016 / Aatish Thennavan / 1

“Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare” –…

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Everyday Questions Neurophysiology Not so Frivolous Psychology Weird Science

Blog / Global climate change: How does it happen, and is there hope?

January 11, 2016February 16, 2016 / Rachel Haake / 1

The coming of the New Year often brings about feelings of nostalgia as we reminisce about the previous calendar year. Looking back at 2015, we as humans have quite a…

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Environmental Science Not so Frivolous Science News Science Policy TBT

Blog / Traveling trees: how fast can they migrate to track climate change?

December 17, 2015February 11, 2016 / Alissa Brown /

Most readers are probably familiar with some of the implications of climate change: sea level rise; more frequent extreme weather events; habitat loss for arctic species. Other implications are equally…

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Biology Environmental Science Not so Frivolous Science News Scientific Process

Blog / ToxCast and ToxPI: Emerging Tools for Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century

August 28, 2015February 16, 2016 / Mimi /

Hindsight is always 20/20, especially in the field of science. Given what we know now, it seems crazy that people used to think the world was flat. The realm of…

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Ask a Toxicologist Not so Frivolous Science News

Blog / Naturally GMO, the sweet potato way

May 6, 2015January 28, 2016 / Bailey Peck /

Contrary to scientific consensus, the public at large continues to harbor concerns over the consumption of foods containing  Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. To make matters worse, scientists have now…

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Genetics Not so Frivolous

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