Amanda Shaver

Science Behind a Paywall

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

America's Greatest Idea – The National Park Service

“ The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir Most days I feel a lot like  John Muir, only I think it would be frowned upon if I dropped all my responsibilities to visit mountains and live amongst the trees. While I can't become a mountain man and live in a treehouse,

There’s a Fungus Among Us! And Not in a Good Way…

For years a microscopic killer has been sweeping through amphibian populations, taking them down one species at a time. Scientists have been at a loss for how this bite-sized butcher has unleashed a plague of biblical proportions across many ecosystems.  Is there any hope for our four-legged friends?  Or will they simply croak? While some

Big Things Come in Small Packages

Some of the most powerful things are quite small: a microscopic virus can defeat an elephant; Giant Redwoods grow from tiny seeds; a computer chip the size of your fingernail can send us to Jupiter and back; and just one minuscule sperm cell can fertilize an egg and start new life. In most animals, sperm

Zika Virus: The Deadliest Animals on Earth Strike Again

“Zika virus could be bigger global health threat than Ebola, say health experts” – The Guardian “Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency, W.H.O. Says” – The New York Times “Zika virus raises more questions than answers for pregnant women” – Los Angeles Times Mosquito season is about to swing into full force here in the

The Most Deadly Animals on Earth

It's almost summer time. That means it's about to be mosquito season! These masters of annoyance happen to be the world's most deadly animal. No other animal species is responsible for as many human deaths as mosquitoes are. Humans murder about 475,000 other people each year. You know those creepy slithering snakes you fear so

Making Resolutions That Stick

It's that time of year again! Everyone has just made resolutions for the New Year. According to Dr. John C. Norcross at the University of Scranton, each year ~ 40 – 50% of us make New Year's resolutions, yet most of us don't follow through with them. In 1989, Dr. Norcross showed that “77% of

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

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

Scroll to Top