Every spring, graduate students at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia organize a short weekly seminar around an interesting theme. This year, the theme is “Machine Learning for Ecologistsâ€. At first glance, machine learning may not seem very related to a discipline mostly concerned with the distribution and abundance of organisms,
A brief history of herbalism Herbalism began to grow its roots many years ago through African and Indigenous American culture and practices. It seeks to combine the knowledge of plants and plant extracts for healing purposes, whether that is mental, physical, or spiritual healing. Specific herbs are utilized for their ability to treat specific ailments.
How might climate change affect the environment in 50 or 100 years? To even begin to answer this pressing question, we need work that can accurately describe changes in the environment to predict the future. Long term ecological research (abbreviated as LTER), describes studies interested in environmental processes that last for at least one year
In Native American culture, the purple coneflower was used to treat poisonous bites and stings, toothaches, reduce inflammation, sore throat, colds, and so much more. In a way, this botanical miracle was used as a cure-all and was used to treat ailments more than any other medicinal plant. The purple coneflower, also known scientifically as
When you think of farm animals, what comes to your mind? Cows, chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and so on? Each animal on the farm serves a key role in providing us with food or resources to use. But before we industrialized and invested into the farming industry, these animals were found in the wild.
The History of the PhD While many students aim to earn their PhDs, few know the philosophical history of the degrees they are pursuing. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil) began as the degree awarded in recognition of advanced scholarship and acknowledging that recipients had expertise needed to teach at a university level. These
Have you ever looked at your favorite pet and wondered exactly what's going on behind those soulful, amber eyes? For a long time, scientists believed that only humans possessed something called Theory of Mind, that is, the understanding that one is a conscious being, and that others also possess a consciousness of their own. Theory
Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, there already was a movement to understand infectious disease emergence at the global scale. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, this information has only become more relevant. The macroecology of infectious diseases is an important area of research with great promise for our ability to predict and prepare
While I was at my uncle's house this summer, I was looking after my 10-year-old cousin. He was enjoying his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and at a certain point he asked me: “Where does peanut butter come from?†“From peanuts.†“Where do peanuts come from?†“From a peanut plant.†While he was satisfied and
Insects comprise over half of all described species excluding bacteria and around 90% of the animals on Earth. They are so prevalent that we encounter them every day without thinking twice, and have evolved to live in nearly every imaginable habitat, from mountaintops to the depths of caves. How do insects survive in such harsh
It’s the spooky season and we’re all anticipating monsters crawling out from under our bed, but did you know that there are monsters living inside our very cells! Every living thing has DNA in its cells. It provides the “blue print†for what that living thing is going to be. There can't be any monsters
You look down at the ramen in front of you. The aroma is enticing, smelling of cinnamon, turmeric, and chilies. As the sauce enters your mouth, your eyes start to water, your nose runs, and your whole mouth is on fire, but you love it. Why? People around the world use chili peppers to enhance
