Science & Technology

Quadriplegics wirelessly control computer systems

By WILLIAM EDMONDS
December 6, 2018

Paralysis is a debilitating condition, but one that affects nearly two percent of the population in the U.S. — approximately 5.4 million people. Many paralyzed patients suffer from quadriplegia, a condition signified by partial or complete lack of ...

PUBLIC DOMAIN BrainGate researchers have previously developed prosthetic limbs that react to neural signals.
PUBLIC DOMAIN HopAI brings disciplines together to talk about the importance of AI.

HopAI launches with its first symposium at Hopkins

By JAMES SCHARF | December 6, 2018

HopAI held its inaugural event on Thursday, Nov. 29. The organization, which seeks to connect and expose Hopkins students to artificial intelligence (AI), invited three speakers from different areas of study to describe their work with the diverse technologies.

Ionic wind can be used to power small planes

By TARA ABRISHAMI | December 6, 2018

Propellers and turbines may soon be obsolete when it comes to powering airplanes: new research suggests that in the future, a sustainable new method of powering aircraft may replace current jet engines and propulsion techniques. 

Lab Spotlight: Professor Tal Linzen

By JAEMIE BENNETT | December 6, 2018

Yes, the machines might take over one day – but that’s (probably) still a long way away. In reality, human intelligence may be the key to developing artificial intelligence (AI). 

COURTESY OF TAL LINZEN Tal Linzen, an assistant professor in the Cognitive Science Department, studies cognitive processes involved in AI.

Bernoulli, Jurin and the math behind smallpox

By ALLISON CHEN | December 6, 2018

In December of 1694, Mary II of England fell ill. Physicians who attended the stricken queen, half of the pair known as William and Mary, argued over a diagnosis, but before long it became clear that she had contracted a severe form of smallpox. She died three days after Christmas, and the news was carried across London by tolling bells.

Climate change caused ancient mammal extinction

By JESSICA KASAMOTO | December 5, 2018

While it has been a long-standing belief that pre-modern hominins, the ancestors of modern-day humans, contributed to the extinctions of large mammals in ancient Africa, researchers at the University of Utah have recently uncovered evidence that this may not be the case. Instead, these researchers believe that changes to atmospheric conditions, mainly the decrease of carbon dioxide as a result of increasing grassland, led to the extinction of these mammals.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Researchers believe changes in climate led to the extinction of mammals.
PUBLIC DOMAIN Insomnia is a process that can be triggered by exposure to artificial light.

Artificial light can disrupt innate circadian rhythm

By RACHEL HUANG | December 5, 2018

According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 50 to 70 million American adults experience some form of sleep disorder. The term insomnia is used to describe the inability to fall, and stay, asleep. About 30 percent of American adults report issues with insomnia, of which 10 percent report having been diagnosed with chronic insomnia. These numbers are gradually on the rise.

Perspectives on mental health around the world

By CLAIRE GOUDREAU | November 29, 2018

The University’s undergraduate population boasts students from 62 different countries, with 11 percent of the current freshman class being international students. With this cultural diversity comes a mix of perspectives, cultures and experiences, especially in regard to mental health. In response to increased globalization over the last century, many countries have seen stigma against and support networks for the mentally ill change. Regardless, most cultures still have perspectives about mental illness that greatly reflect their regions’ traditions.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

It’s not all in your head: the brain and gut connection

By MORGAN OME | November 29, 2018

For as long as I can remember, my stomach has always hurt. Sometimes, I would feel like I was being stabbed with a dull knife, over and over. Other times, my body would break out in a cold sweat from waves of nausea. Even when I wasn’t in pain, my stomach would make noises, prompting people to ask what was wrong. I usually just said that I was hungry, even if I wasn’t. 

Terahertz opens the door to a novel technology for data storage

By WILLIAM EDMONDS | November 29, 2018

There’s a principle in the field of computer science known as Moore’s law. Put simply, this law states that the potential storage capacity on a circuit will grow exponentially every two years. In recent years, however, the promise of Moore’s law has been subjugated to the harsh realities of physics. Transistors are small enough now, at atomic sizes, that there may no longer be a future for conventional circuit design. This seemingly will not, however, put a damper on progress.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Researchers developed a new mechanism to control storage circuits.
PUBLIC DOMAIN Contrary to popular belief, genetics might not be the biggest indicator of longevity.

Longevity may not be an inherited trait in humans

By ELIZABETH IM | November 28, 2018

Many human traits are heritable. Unlike what most people confuse it to be, heritability is not simply whether a trait is inherited but a measure of how much of the variation in a trait can be explained by genetic differences. Your hair color, for example, is highly heritable because it is directly influenced by your parent’s genes. On the other hand, traits like the number of limbs you have or your lifestyle has low heritability. 

Giving holiday gifts that uplift women and fight gendered stereotypes

By LAUREN PADILLA | November 29, 2018

For many people, the end of November marks the start of holiday shopping season. While searching for the perfect present can be fun, it can also be infuriating. Perhaps the most difficult gifts to find are those for young girls interested in STEM. In an age of iPhones and AI, one would expect to find toy options for girls extending beyond baby dolls and play carriages. Unfortunately, many toys aisles today look like they’re designed more for the Stepford Wives than for the intelligent, dynamic young girls of 2018.            

PUBLIC DOMAIN There are frequently gender stereotypes that surround holiday gifts.
  COURTESY OF SUA MYONG Myong is the head of the Single Molecule Imaging Lab.

Lab Spotlight: Sua Myong

By TRISHA PARAYIL | November 28, 2018

In Sua Myong’s lab, proteins dance. To hear Myong talk about single molecule detection, her research specialty, one might think that she was describing a ballet.

Understanding the many complex causes behind mental disorders

By ALYSSA WOODEN | November 29, 2018

The question of what causes mental illnesses and disorders has been debated by doctors, researchers and psychologists for decades. One of the most widely-accepted approaches to understanding the causes of mental illness is the biological approach. This is the assumption that mental illness is due to defective biological mechanisms, such as neural circuitry and biochemistry. 

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Wrap up: the latest in technology...

By WILLIAM XIE | November 28, 2018

Apple rumored to host veteran medical records Apple is allegedly planning with the Department of Veteran Affairs to host veteran medical records on the iPhone. Currently, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hosts the health records of nine million veterans. In order to transfer the information from the VHA to iPhone, Apple needs to create new software that will display veterans’ medical records.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Coronary calcium levels can be used to calculate various types of heart disease risk scores.

Calcium levels can indicate coronary artery disease

By RACHEL HUANG | November 28, 2018

Doctors often discuss the benefits of calcium intake for the body. Not only is calcium beneficial for bone health, but it’s also required for the heart, muscles and nerves to function properly. More recently, a study presented at the 2018 American Heart Association Scientific Session conference in Chicago found that measuring calcium levels can also provide insight in predicting the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD).

Health-related ballots in the midterm elections

By ALLISON CHEN | November 28, 2018

Much of the attention surrounding this year’s midterm elections concerned the candidates, but in addition to electing representatives, citizens also had the opportunity to vote on ballot measures. These questions appear on ballots to be approved or rejected by voters in an example of direct democracy. 

  PUBLIC DOMAIN Health-related measures made the ballot this election in several states.
PUBLIC DOMAIN Patients who have chronic back pain show abnormalities in their neuronal oscillations.

Modulating brain waves may be the key to treat chronic back pain

By ISAAC CHEN | November 29, 2018

Have you been experiencing lower back pain recently? If so, you are not alone. As many as 80 percent of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives.  It is a commonly observed job-related disability that can range in intensity from a constant ache to sharp pains. A lower back pain is considered chronic if it continues to persist for 12 weeks or longer.