Psychedelics: from poison to antidote
The term psychedelics, or hallucinogens, describes a class of drugs that produce significantly altered perception when ingested. Due to their ability to cause lasting effects on a user’s mood and […]
Author Archives: athenssciencecafe
Breaking the two-hour tape: Engineering the fastest marathon run in history
What does it take to reach the peak of athletic performance and break barriers thought to be beyond human capabilities? One of these barriers is the two-hour marathon, a feat […]
Taking Research Outside
After two days of driving, our U-haul rounded the final corner of the gravel road leading to our destination, The Rocky Mountain Biological Station, affectionately known as RMBL. We were […]
I’ll be back (in 3,000 years)
I still remember my first night in the United States, not due to the long journey, but because of the first question someone asked about my home country. “Do you […]
Sleeping Beauty Seeds
This year I’ve been reading a lot about seed dormancy and while we’re all hunkered down, sheltered in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, I can’t help but feel there’s an […]
Forget What You Know About Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth-leading cause of death among adults in the US. Its progression is devastating: the brain slowly deteriorates, cognitive ability degrades, and bodily functions gradually shut […]
Fanning the flames
In recent years, it feels like we have watched parts of the world be swallowed whole by fire, painting a very apocalyptic picture of the future. Nearly 40,000 square miles […]
Double Merle Dogs
Dog coats come in a seemingly endless variety of patterns, lengths, textures and colors, determined by their genetic makeup. Just 8-14 different genes are responsible for most of these differences […]
The Dilution Effect: Placebo or Panacea?
For a long time, ecologists have asked: why are there so many species? How is it possible that there can be so many species of, for example, phytoplankton that exist […]
Salty soils: a ‘growing’ issue for agriculture
When you think of salt, your mind likely wanders to the last bit of food you seasoned. We all know salt improves the taste of food. However, most probably don’t […]
