Big Science, Small Satellites
Is it a star? A moon? A comet even? No, it’s a satellite! NASA broadly defines a satellite as a moon, planet, or machine that orbits a planet or star. […]
Author Archives: athenssciencecafe
Pooper Snooper: Four-legged conservation heroes at work
From hunting to detection of drugs and bombs to search and rescue, it seems there is no limit to the ways we can take advantage of the keen sense of […]
Cosmic Farming: A Step Towards a Sustained Stay in Space
We talk about astronauts going on space missions to unravel the possibility of life beyond Earth. In fact, with NASA and SpaceX’s race to Mars, it is not long before […]
Breed for Speed: The Inner Workings of Horse Racing Genetics
Secretariat entered the 99th running of the Kentucky Derby as a heavy favorite, posing 5-to-2 odds. Thus, It wasn’t unexpected when the large chestnut colt set the new course record […]
Science Warning! Annihilation
Science Warning! Is a series about the science behind some of our favorite SciFi stories. Today we take a look at Annihilation starring Natalie Portman. As a biologist, I find […]
Science Behind Bars: A Bioethics Case Study
The “salt wars” have been raging for decades, with medical science still embroiled over whether there is a direct link between sodium consumption and heart disease. Last year, a group […]
Vinyl Pressing: A Lost (and Found) Art
From providing a soundtrack for our road trip to elongating an awkwardly silent elevator ride, music finds its way into every niche of our lives. It is a luxury that […]
Not so Flushable Wipes
Today, we live in a world of convenience where we have manufactured products to make everyday tasks easier. I save a lot of time using a washing machine, buying premade […]
The Sugar Code: Representing Glycans
Hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers and blue moons, pots of golden rainbows and me red balloons! If you’ve ever eaten Lucky Charms cereal, you probably know this jingle and the tiny […]
Emerging Diseases and Wildlife: How Small Changes Can Have Big Consequences
On my walk home from work, I almost always encounter what I affectionately call “trash creatures”: squirrels that pop out of dumpsters carrying slices of pizza or crows pulling apart […]
