Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
May 13, 2026 May 13, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Science & Technology

CC BY 2.0/ROGER PRICE- Drinking two additional cups of coffee a day can lower risk of mortality.

Coffee consumption linked to lower risk of death

By SABRINA CHEN | September 14, 2017

Coffee has been an age-old medical toss up: Physicians and researchers alike have been debating the effects of the drink on human health for decades. Today, coffee has a generally positive reputation among nutritionists, but it hasn’t always been this way. In the 1600s, some people believed thatcoffee causes impotence, and in the mid-1800’s, rumors went around that coffee could make you go blind and stunt your growth.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Researchers find individuals make more calculated decisions when speaking a foreign language.

Speaking foreign languages affects morality

By SHERRY SIMKOVIC | September 14, 2017

Last month, psychologists at the University of Chicago discovered that speaking in a foreign language affects a person’s moral judgment. What they determined was that speaking in a foreign language encourages the speaker to act in favor of the “greatest good for the greatest number” of people.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Children may sleep less when their mothers experiences insomnia.

Children and mothers share sleep patterns

By AVERY GULINO | September 14, 2017

If you ever find yourself tossing and turning one night, it might actually be a behavior you picked up from your mother. Researchers at the University of Warwick recently found a link between a mother’s insomnia and the sleeping behavior of children.

PUBLIC DOMAIN Chemicals found in food preservatives can disrupt human hormonal systems.

Preservatives may contribute to obesity epidemic

By CINDY JIANG | September 14, 2017

Have you ever picked up an item at your local grocery store and wondered how the expiration date could be so far into the future? You’ve probably wondered a few times whether those preservatives could inflict significant damage upon your health.

New blood test might help detect Alzheimer’s

By ANNA CHEN | September 14, 2017

As research methods and new technologies continue to spur medical discoveries, some scientists and doctors have shifted their focus from treating the symptoms of a disease to stopping it at the source.

Public Domain Reduced REM sleep was found to contribute to an increased risk of dementia later in life.

Less nightly REM sleep may predict dementia

By ISAAC CHEN | September 7, 2017

Up until the 1950s, people have believed sleep to be a singular process in which the brain stops working and restores its functions. However, Nathaniel Kleitman and Eugene Aserinsky demonstrated through their electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings in 1953 that sleep is composed of five distinct stages.

Public Domain Human fertilizer production creates large amounts of harmful ammonia.

Microbe holds potential to slow global warming

By CINDY JIANG | September 7, 2017

As of late, climate issues have become one of science’s hot topics. Solutions ranging from carbon capture technology to unique biofilters continue to be researched. One of the newest potential solutions actually uses one of Earth’s smallest creatures to fix one of its largest problems.

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Scientists explore how caffeine affects taste buds

By RACHEL HUANG | September 7, 2017

Coffee is often considered to be an important part of one’s daily morning routine. On the way to work or class, most people stop by the nearest coffee shop to grab a cup of caffeine to help kick start the day. Along with their coffee, people will often reach for a donut or muffin in the nearest display case. According to researchers at Cornell University, there’s a scientific explanation for why we’re tempted to grab that sweet treat.

Courtesy of NOAH PRESLER Presler, Semester.ly co-founder

Semester.ly platform becomes open source

By ELAINE CHIAO | September 7, 2017

Noah Presler, a recent Hopkins graduate who received his B.S. in computer science, is one of the three co-founders of Semester.ly. This website serves as  an course scheduling platform for college students originally established at Johns Hopkins and quickly spreading across many institutions across the United States and Canada.

COURTESY OF ROLLIN HU Students, staff and families gathered on the Beach to watch the Aug. 21 partial solar eclipse.

Partial solar eclipse leaves Hopkins in awe

By PAIGE FRANK | September 7, 2017

During the year of our nation’s founding in 1776, there was a solar eclipse visible only in America. On Aug. 21, 2017 it happened again. Over 500 million Americans were in a position to view the total eclipse, and many more rushed from all over the country to join them.

Protein reverses eye disorder symptoms

By RACHEL HUANG | May 4, 2017

Researchers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the Shiley Eye Institute have collaborated with researchers in China to discover a way to reverse the effects of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in mice.

17P drugs is marketed as being able to reduce pre-term births.

Preterm birth prevention drug proves ineffective

By JOAN YEA | May 4, 2017

Makena is the only drug to date that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for preventing recurrent preterm births. Makena’s chemical compund name is 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) and it was approved by the FDA in 2011.

2D liquid crystals are commonly used in smart phone and television display screens.

Quantum computing utilizes 3D crystals

By WILLIAM XIE | May 4, 2017

Researchers at the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) recently discovered a new state of matter, the 3D quantum liquid crystal.

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