Uncategorized – Athens Science Observer

Going full worm: an exploration of Shai-hulud and its parallels to the real worms on Earth

Kendall Clay — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 14:56:20 +0000

Shai-hulud, or the giant sandworm, exists in Dune both as a mode of transportation, a generator of spice, and a key player in the ecological niche of Arrakkis. In the book by Frank Herbert and the movie adaptation (Dune part 1 2021 and Dune part 2 2024 directed by Denis Villenueve), the sandworm plays a …

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How climate change makes trees sicker

Simone Lim-Hing — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:51:42 +0000

We are heavily entwined with forests. The structure of your house is likely southern pine. The package you ordered in the mail is encased in wood pulp. The stuff that makes your toothpaste thick is cellulose from wood. We rely on trees as a renewable resource for our daily activities and well-being. However, our …

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Ivermectin for COVID-19: silver bullet or snake oil?

Benjamin Phipps — Tue, 17 May 2022 14:55:28 +0000

At the height of the pandemic, when hospitals were packed with COVID-19 patients and people suffered feelings of isolation due to quarantine, many were desperate for a silver bullet to speed the return to normalcy. This sentiment, along with the rampant spread of misinformation online, fueled the promotion of “miracle cures” people claimed would stop …

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Planet 9: Where no man has gone before, if it exists….

Justine Smith — Wed, 04 May 2022 17:09:21 +0000

What do you mean “if Planet 9 exists?” We know it exists; Pluto is still within our solar system! Well yes, this is true. Though, as of 2006, Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet instead of a planet, which is how we classify the Earth, Mars, and others within our solar system. Speed Running …

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A Night on Sea Turtle Patrol in Costa Rica

Sahana Parker — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0000

I spent last summer far from Athens, Georgia, as an intern at the CaÃ±o Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica. A small station nestled in the lush jungle of eastern Costa Rica, CaÃ±o Palma conducts a variety of long-term wildlife surveying efforts, with the biggest and longest conservation project studying nesting sea turtles. Volunteers and …

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Embryonic development from ancient myth to present day

Kendall Clay — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000

In writing this piece, I wanted to interview someone on the often overlooked inclusion of creation myth in developmental biology. I reached out to my former professor, Dr. Wolkow, because he was passionate about ancient mythology and effective at engaging his students. Dr. Wolkow is a senior lecturer at UGA who teaches classical mythology from …

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Lamenting Loss: The Science of Hallucinations During Bereavement

Kendall Clay — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:13:43 +0000

Leaning against the kitchen counter, I wait for the microwave to finish while overwhelmed with a million deadlines. It's almost the end of the semester, but because of the pandemic, I'm back at home, trying to juggle classes and learning how to use Zoom. Then, I feel my dad's hand around my shoulder, squeezing it …

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A bee’s eye view

Chazz Jordan — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 19:25:24 +0000

Humans see a vast array of colors, ranging from red to violet. I remember learning the acronym Roy G. Biv (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet), the acronym elementary schoolers use to memorize the colors of the rainbow. Humans see the visual light spectrum, which is the range of light in the electromagnetic spectrum …

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The Science of Ultra-Running

John Spiekerman — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

It's 3:30 in the morning. As Lucy Bartholomew's mother braids her hair, she asks, â€œdid you sleep?â€, to which Lucy responds, â€œa littleâ€. It's a few hours before the start of one of the most grueling races in the world. At 22 years old, Lucy is one of the youngest participants ever. Lucy has competed …

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The bemusing tale of â€˜pant pockets'

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:31:47 +0000

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, …

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Capturing Creativity

Rebecca Atkins — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 01:44:14 +0000

In the age of increasingly complex problems, many classrooms are starting to incorporate strategies for improving the fluency (quantity), flexibility (diversity) and originality of student ideas. Essentially these teachers are training creativity. While the extent to which creativity is inherited or learned is under debate, there is still growing evidence for the benefits of creativity …

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â€œAre you going to finish that?â€ â€“ What we know about the psychology of self-control

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 01:24:07 +0000

With the holidays upon us, exercising self-control is the last thing on everyone's mind, as we are deluged with stimuli to shop, eat, and drink more. For Dr. Michelle vanDellen, however, the subject of self-control is always relevant, as it is an area her research focuses on. VanDellen, an Associate Professor in the Department …

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Shining some light on the science of vampires

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 23:14:15 +0000

This Halloween, as you see kids dressed up as zombies or witches, threatening neighbors into giving them candy it's easy to forget that these terrifying creatures once had a less sugary purpose: in the absence of modern science, our ancestors needed a supernatural technique to explain the plagues and diseases that reason couldn't. One of …

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Awake While Dreaming?

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:48:34 +0000

You are in a meadow, walking. You reach the edge of a steep cliff, but you don't stopâ€¦… wait, are you OK? Yes! You seem to be gliding effortlessly through the cool breeze, feeling fantastic. You realize that you are FLYING! But, what do you want to do next? Talk to God or dine with …

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The Solar Power of the Sunflower

Max Barnhart — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:34:31 +0000

This article is part of our brand new Athens Science Observer interview series. We are conducting interviews with established scientists in order to get first person accounts of exciting research and hear the stories of those who are making a difference. You may have heard that sunflowers can track the sun during the day, but …

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Viruses: The Original Genome Editors

athenssciencecafe — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 17:31:55 +0000

Viruses stealthily spread among us, commandeering our very cells and waging a relentless war with our immune systems. You know them for everything from the common cold and flu to catastrophic outbreaks of HIV and Ebola. At the very least, they’ve probably ruined your plans once or twice. But did you know that a …

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Plant Cells, an Unculturable Mystery

athenssciencecafe — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 19:38:33 +0000

The simplest unit in biology is the cell. This central tenet has remained true since the coining of the term 'cell' in 1665 by Robert Hooke. Cells have enabled multicellular organisms to conquer every part of the planet, enabling cell line specialization and the formation of more complex organisms. Multicellularity allowed organisms to thrive by …

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Science Behind a Paywall

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:12:58 +0000

Science Behind a Paywall Science – Aiming to solve the world's problems and share its knowledge with you, all for the low price of $39.95, per journal article that is. Scientific journal articles are essentially like newspapers for scientists, updating the community on the latest findings, methods, and events happening all over the world. Yet …

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Bioterrorism & Chemical Weapons Part 2: Control and Response Policies

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 02:13:22 +0000

A previous post of mine detailed the history and use of biological and chemical weapons, especially their relevance in modern warfare. Due to their incognito nature, biological weapons such as viruses and chemical weapons such as nerve agents can be discreetly administered to their target population. As technology advances, these agents are able to be …

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Crowd-funded Dams

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 17:04:16 +0000

Infrastructure development is a major issue in many countries of the developing world. Countries with developing economies often suffer from a negative balance of trade and weak institutions, making lenders unwilling to lend. Governments of these countries are forced to borrow with heavy interest rates, further increasing budget deficits. This cyclical economic problem …

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A Warmer Climate Means Stronger Hurricanes

Max Barnhart — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:48:20 +0000

The start of the 2018 hurricane season and recent presidential controversy have brought hurricanes back into the public eye. The first major hurricane of the 2018 season, Hurricane Florence, made landfall the morning of Friday, September 14th on the Atlantic coast of the Carolinas. To date, Florence has caused an estimated $38 to $50 billion …

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Social Insurance: Holes in the Safety Net

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 16:56:31 +0000

This article is part of an opinion editorial series on topics under the umbrella of Social Insurance. Topics have been chosen based on common gaps in knowledge of Social Insurance. Part 1 of this series is on the topic of the social safety net and some groups that fall through its holes. The social safety …

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Your Latest [Artificial] Intelligence Report

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 13:11:40 +0000

With the technology introduction of the personal assistant Siri and the promise of a completely self-driving car from Tesla soon, artificial intelligence (AI) is radically changing the modern world. AI is an umbrella term to describe advancements that allow machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks. AI learns and …

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Maternity Care (Or Rather Lack Thereof) in STEM

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:59:34 +0000

In recent decades, we have seen an increase in women holding STEM related careers. Today, 25% of workers in STEM fields are female. It is time to begin the conversation on how policies, whether at the institute level or federal level, are going to affect our growing workforce of women. Although reliant on the growing …

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Major Red Tide Hits Florida Beaches

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 19:35:54 +0000

Red Tide: Swimming not recommended. Shellfish harvest closed. Signs, such as in the associated picture, can be seen at many of Florida’s Gulf Coast Beaches due to a red tide. An excess of toxic microscopic algae in the water is causing a hazard to wildlife, human health, and local businesses. While the current bloom of …

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Double Take of Ban the Bottle: FOR

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:01:08 +0000

This piece is part of a â€œDouble Takeâ€, where two parties argue on either side of a premise. A writer does not necessarily share the view they are arguing; instead, this is an exercise to fully flesh out a discussion. The premise: â€œSingle-serve, plastic water bottles should be banned in the United States.â€ I am …

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Double Take of Ban the Bottle: AGAINST

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:00:06 +0000

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Science Advising: Shaping Our Past, Present, and Future

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 20:44:39 +0000

Kelvin Droegemeier– you may be wondering why the internet has suddenly exploded with information about this man. Dr. Droegemeier was recently appointed to the prestigious position of Director of the Office of Science Technology and Policy (OSTP) under the Trump Administration. As OSTP Director (otherwise known as the President's Science Advisor), Dr. Droegemeier will be …

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Waxwings

athenssciencecafe — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 22:43:20 +0000

Birds are typically known for their grace and elegance. They emerge from the lingering chill of winter to soar gracefully overhead, surprise us with brilliant plumage, wake us at ungodly hours with their joyful pre-dawn chorusâ€¦ And then there's the waxwings.

Merry Christmyths #2: Candy Canes on the Brain

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:57:23 +0000

The Myth: Peppermint improves cognitive function. The Reality: Your grade school teachers were right all along.

Casper the Friendly Snake

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 01:09:11 +0000

Jeez, he sure was beautiful. Our new snake, that is, before it escaped into the car in a mysterious, Houdini-like fashion. I left my family in the car with the snake while on my way into the store to purchase a new home for it. By the time I got back, 15 minutes later, everyone …

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From Wolf to My Moose: Evolution of Man's Best Friend

athenssciencecafe — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 21:38:00 +0000

We have all seen videos from national geographic of a ravenous wolf ripping open the throat of a cute and terribly unlucky animal. So how have dogs evolved from these vicious beasts into my sweet dog, Moose? As it turns out, going from a wild wolf to my dog Moose was a pretty complicated process …

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Out There With the Old, In with New: The James Webb Space Telescope

athenssciencecafe — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 23:12:23 +0000

What is the fate of the universe? Will it keep expanding forever? What did some of the first galaxies look like? Why are we here? The Hubble Space Telescope was commissioned to answer just these sorts of queries – well, except for that last one, you're on your own there. Indeed, Hubble has shed clarity …

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Vaccine 101: A History Lesson

athenssciencecafe — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 14:06:04 +0000

Today vaccination is considered a normal part of childhood and life for many. But do you know the origins of this life saving scientific discovery? Who were the big players and when? Hop in your TARDIS, DeLorean, or time machine of choice to take a trip back in time with me to visit some of the major milestones in the history of vaccinations.

The Strangest Stars in Outer Space

athenssciencecafe — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 01:03:25 +0000

Outer space is pretty weird. Ask anyone who has ever heard of a black hole or seen the movie Interstellar, and they are bound to agree. But those points of light we see in the night sky, the stars we have been admiring for our whole lives, those seem more accessible to us. I mean, …

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This is Your Brain on Food: The Science of Food Addiction

athenssciencecafe — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 15:00:00 +0000

For years we've heard about drug and alcohol addictions, but what about food addictions? Is it possible to be addicted to food? Doctors and scientists have debated whether food addiction is real and remains a controversial topic. Until now research on food addiction has been lacking, but new studies have suggested food addiction may truly …

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