Author Archives: N

What Science Has To Say About Transgender Athletes

With athletes such as Caster Semenya and Dutee Chand excluded from athletic competitions on the basis of gender identity, concerns regarding trans womens’ participation in athletic competition continues to surface in conversation and has fostered polarizing sides (“Dutee Chand on Semenya Ruling”). There has been an outcry concerning violations of trans rights, and equity inContinue reading “What Science Has To Say About Transgender Athletes”

What is Herd Immunity and how does it relate to COVID-19?

When it comes to preventing a disease like Covid-19 from further spreading, Herd Immunity is crucial! Herd Immunity is when a large sector of a population becomes immune to a disease, usually through vaccination (through which the body is exposed to the virus and develops antibodies against it through primary response). As a result, thisContinue reading “What is Herd Immunity and how does it relate to COVID-19?”

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease. For most the name feels familiar, but the science behind this condition is still a haze. To the basics! Celiac Disease is a very prevalent condition, affecting millions of people each year in the US alone. It is a genetic immune related condition in which people cannot eat gluten as it causes damageContinue reading “What is Celiac Disease?”

What are GMOs and why do they have a bad rep?

With non GMO ice cream, strawberry yogurt, fresh corn, and seeds filling up the aisles in Safeway, it seems pretty much everyone associates GMOs with ‘bad’, but what is actually harmful about GMOs? Why did they get such a terrible reputation? First off, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are any organisms whose genetic makeup has beenContinue reading “What are GMOs and why do they have a bad rep?”

Why do smells evoke vivid memories?

You may find that the smell of a gymnasium revives insanely vivid memories of your first ever gymnastics class, or the smell of coconut ice cream brings you to the lively beach boardwalk. But the same memories aren’t as vivid when you touch, see, hear, or taste something. Smell clearly seems to evoke memories, butContinue reading “Why do smells evoke vivid memories?”

The Opioid Catastrophe!

With 10.3 million misused opioids, 130 people dying from opioid related causes every day, and 2.0 million people with opioid addiction disorders in the US in 2018 alone, how did we get here?  In the past, opioids were only given to those who were terminally ill, had very severe acute pain, or were suffering fromContinue reading “The Opioid Catastrophe!”

Vegan Pet Food: Is it feasible?

With thousands of picture perfect recipes plastered all over Pinterest and Instagram, Vegan lifestyles have taken the internet by storm. Usually adopted for the health benefits and the reduced ecological footprint, numerous people are incorporating plant based diets in the USA and UK. Major pet food companies Purina, V-Dog, WildEarth, Natural Balance, Pedigree, and PetGuardContinue reading “Vegan Pet Food: Is it feasible?”

Comorbidity in the American Population

As the years progress, comorbidity has become the norm in America, with 80% of Medicare spending targeted to patients with more than 4 chronic conditions. As spending grows exponentially, scientists and practitioners are trying to gain a better grasp on the effects of comorbidities on mortality rates, quality of life, and quality of healthcare. ComorbidityContinue reading “Comorbidity in the American Population”

Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international research project with the primary objective of sequencing and determining the base pairs in human DNA, and the exact location and functions of various genes. [A genome is the complete set of DNA of an organism] The HGP lasted from 1990-2003, and was led by the DepartmentContinue reading “Human Genome Project”