The problem DO YOU EVER stop to think about your cells’ needs? Every one of the trillions of cells making up your body requires energy and is fed by blood. Armies of red blood cells continually parade through the heart, to the furthest backwaters of your body, and back again. To get to every part of your body, the capillaries that [...]
Troubles with texting The problem LOOK AT THIS article. Now at your phone. Now back to this article. Chances are, you have plenty of text messages saying something like, “OMG, ttyl, g2g”—or at least that’s what some people might expect. Expectations aside, there isn’t much scientific knowledge surrounding texting habits. Texting is private, and finding information about how texts are [...]
What’s he building in there? The problem EVERY CELL THAT makes up our body carries genetic information needed to create a human being. Before birth, those cells become specialized—some cells are blood cells, some are kidney cells, some are neurons, and some are stem cells that have the freedom to become any cell the body needs. Cellular signalling summons stem cells [...]
What’s he building in there? The problem THE WORLD IS in need of green energy solutions. Wind, solar, and geothermal are some of the energy-gathering meth- ods capturing researchers’ imaginations as alternative energy sources. Harnessing power from nature depends on geographic location. Solar is the best bet for Spain, while wind might be better for stormy Scotland. So, what type [...]
Survival of the same The problem NATURAL SELECTION IS one of the cornerstones of modern science. Genetic mutations cause organisms to be more or less fit to survive; those who can’t compete die, while the strong pass on their genetic strengths to a new generation. Still, genomes are complicated things. Genes can react to internal and external stimulus by changing [...]
What’s he building in there? The problem THOUGH TRADITIONAL MEDICINE has been around for thousands of years, only recently has modern science started showing interest in the craft. In the past, peoples, such as the Maya and Native Americans, practiced herbal medicine and developed an extensive knowledge of their environment. Today, many traditional healers wish to have their methods validated. Their [...]
The problem HEY, SCIENCE! WHY haven’t you built me an iPod the size of a single cell yet? I’m waiting. Currently electronics are built out of bulk materials and have inherent size limitations: A wire can only be carved so small if it’s made from an everyday chunk of copper. But imagine if electronic components could be made from large [...]
The problem THE LONG, COLOURFUL tails on peacocks; the loud, distinctive cry of birds; the useless eye-stalks of some flies: All these traits are found in nature, even though all of them make the bearer an easier target for its enemies. But still, these traits are passed on through generations, making researchers wonder about their purpose. Evolution is full of species [...]
Chemistry as art The problem UNLIKE MEDIEVAL ALCHEMISTS, who only dreamt of turning lead to gold, modern chemists are experts at reshaping matter. They can produce many molecules, but the process is often wasteful and time consuming. On the other hand, Mother Nature is much more efficient at the task, proving that chemists still have a lot to learn. Biological [...]
The problem AROUND THE WORLD amphibian life is on the decline. Many scientists believe we are currently amidst the sixth wave of a mass extinction. It is their conjecture that, unlike past extinction events, this wave is not due to natural phenomena, but is directly related to human activity that has led to the loss of natural habitats and pollution. We [...]
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