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 guys really ride camels and live in tents in Egypt?”  It took me a few minutes to realize the question was genuine. Previously, I had

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 apt comparison to be made. Most plants don't get a lot of input on where they land as seeds, but they do have a say

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 down. Given our aging population and the huge financial burden of care, the National Institutes of Health is expected to contribute almost $3 billion to

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 in coat color and pigmentation. Dogs inherit two alleles, or variations, of each of these genes, one from the father and one from the mother.

Microbial mania on Mars

At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA is finalizing preparations to launch the Mars 2020 rover in July. One of the aims of the Mars 2020 mission is to search for signs of past microbial life through biosignatures. Biosignatures typically present themselves in traces of nitrogen, oxygen, or methane, indicating some active life form in either

The bemusing tale of ‘pant pockets'

I have always wondered: why do I keep losing my phone, keys and other belongings? I have to take care of my belongings carefully especially if I am not carrying a purse with me. I'm sure other women can relate to my dilemma.  The ridiculous reason is that our pants don't have pockets! Women's clothing,

To be genetically illiterate in the genomic age

What if I told you that the source code, or genomes, for many living organisms is available for free online? Would it surprise you? As of today, all genomes created by public funds are accessible to anyone in the world. Anyone with internet access, and a little bit of curiosity, can access tomes of genetic

The False Promise of Animal Testing Part 2: Human Organs, Simplified

If we accept the idea that animal models are holding back drug development due to a potential inability to predict safety and efficacy in humans, what can be done to fix it? Increasingly, scientists are using human cells cultured in vitro to assess the safety and efficacy of new drug compounds. While in vitro cell

The False Promise of Animal Testing: Safety and Efficacy

One fact that was drilled into my head while studying biomedical science was how few experimental drugs ever make it past clinical trials. A failure rate of 90% is reported. This struck me as odd, but I chalked it up as an example of how difficult drug development is and didn't ask why. That changed

The roots of your tea

While coffee has seemingly had a cultural renaissance, with independent coffee roasters popping up all over the country, and even the naivest 7 year old being able to spout the  difference between arabica and robusta, a far older, and ancient drink seems to remain in obscurity in the continental United States. The drink I'm referring

The Three Funketeers: Saving Beer from Traditional Fermentation!

Welcome back beer fans to the second to last article on the Science of Beer. We've covered water, grain, hops, and traditional fermentation, but now we'll focus on wild fermentation, a process as old as beer itself. A process in which wort is fermented using microbes found in the surrounding environment. These often include our

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