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Science & Technology

OPENSTAX ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY / CC BY 4.0 This pre-mRNA strand undergoes splicing where non-coding sequences of mRNA called introns are removed by the spliceosome.

Science news in review: Nov. 5

By GRACE OH | November 5, 2024

As the leaves continue to change color, scientific research similarly advances with new progress and innovation. Here are some of the recent studies in the fields of biotechnology, health and chemistry. Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona recently authored a study published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science, which reports analyses regarding the components and functions of the spliceosome. 

COURTESY OF ARYA KAZEMNIA HopSat is gearing up to launch a nanosatellite powered by passive solar propulsion, which could be the largest solar sail ever sent into space.

Aiming for the stars: HopSat’s mission to solar sailing

By ANNIE HUANG | October 31, 2024

In a buzzing corner of campus, a group of students is pushing the limits of student-led space innovation. The newly established student organization, JHU CubeSat Club (HopSat), is gearing up to launch a nanosatellite powered by passive solar propulsion, with the ambitious goal of deploying the largest solar sail ever sent into space.

NIH IMAGE GALLERY / CC BY-NC 2.0  Stem cells are used to drive organ growth in nonhuman animals, a key focus of human-animal chimera research. 

The pitfalls of xenotransplantation

By SHREYA TIWARI | October 31, 2024

A chimera is an organism composed of cells from two or more distinct genotypes. Human-animal chimeras are a budding area of research and involve the introduction and growth of human tissues in an animal. Chimerism research holds great promise in improving the availability of organs for organ transplantation, which is a major issue due to the current severe organ shortage. Initial chimerism studies involved smaller organisms, such as one where researchers attempted to grow a rat pancreas in a mouse.

COURTESY OF NEHA TRIPATHI Tripathi (left) in front of her research poster at the Rising Stars in Cell Biology Symposium. 

Exploring drosophila: Neha Tripathi's research journey at the Matunis Lab

By SHAAN UDANI | October 30, 2024

Neha Tripathi, a senior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Public Health, is currently a member of the Matunis Lab. The lab, located at the School of Medicine, generally focuses on stem cell dynamics and regeneration. During an interview with The News-letter, Tripathi shared information about her research journey and described not only her role but also the greater importance of her research work.

COURTESY OF ALEX PAN On Oct. 25, Detlef Weigel presented a talk titled "Imperfect Plants in an Imperfect World."

Imperfect plants in an imperfect world: Lessons from Arabidopsis thaliana

By ALEX PAN | October 30, 2024

The Department of Biology hosted Detlef Weigel, director at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and member of the National Academy of Sciences, on Friday, Oct. 25. Weigel gave a talk titled "Imperfect plants in an imperfect world,” which explored his research group’s work on genetic variation in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE / PDM 1.0 Several recently published studies state that soil texture plays an essential role in ecosystems. 

Science news in review: Oct. 29

By GRACE OH | October 29, 2024

Let’s dive into the latest in scientific news and explore recent breakthroughs, discoveries and advancements that are shaping our understanding of the world. This week’s column looks into an unanticipated effect of a type 2 diabetes treatment, explores a recent report in the field of public health and dives into updates in ecology.

COURTESY OF MIHIR RELAN Jaakkola discusses the applications of generative AI to molecular biology.

Tommi Jaakkola presents on the power of generative AI in molecular sciences

By MIHIR RELAN | October 25, 2024

The Department of Computer Science hosted Tommi Jaakkola, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Institute for Data, Systems and Society, on Tuesday, Oct. 15. In his talk, titled “Generative AI for (Molecular) Sciences,” Jaakkola highlighted the advancements in generative artificial intelligence (AI) for molecular science and material design. 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY / CC BY 3.0 AlphaFold helps predict protein folding and structure, helping researchers better understand protein function. 

Science news in review: Oct. 23

By SHREYA TIWARI | October 23, 2024

We hope that the fall break was a good time to take a rest. Before diving back into the semester, catch up on the newest scientific discoveries! A team of researchers led by Manu Prakash at Stanford University collected water samples and observed the behavior of one phytoplankton species in particular, Pyrocystis noctiluca (P. noctiluca). Researchers learned that this species, which is most well-known for its bioluminescence, use cellular inflation to drive this migration.

C.K. KOAY / CC BY-NC 2.0 Last week, the Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine were announced.

Science News in Review: Oct. 14

By GRACE OH | October 14, 2024

As fall break looms ahead, let’s take a look at the recent scientific news. In the past week, laureates of the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physics and Physiology or Medicine have been announced.

NIHR EVIDENCE / CC BY 4.0  Venkat argues that deepfakes have negative consequences on healthcare and public health guidance, and that action must be taken to curb their impact. 

AI misinformation has set back pandemic preparedness

By ESHA VENKAT | October 10, 2024

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was increased hesitancy about vaccine effectiveness. One form of misinformation is deep fakes, which are becoming more prevalent and pose serious concerns for healthcare. Deep fakes are digitally altered videos or images that can use artificial intelligence to manipulate the words of popular figures, such as politicians or health experts, and can exacerbate global health issues like epidemics and pandemics. 

HARRISON KEELY / CC BY 4.0 Henrietta Lacks's story brings to light the intersection of medical ethics, race and the treatment of marginalized communities in research and healthcare. 

2024 Henrietta Lacks memorial lecture: Addressing disparities in research and healthcare

By ADITYA SHIVASWAMY | October 9, 2024

The Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical & Translational Research hosted the 14th annual Henrietta Lacks Memorial Lecture on Oct. 5 to honor the lasting legacy of Henrietta Lacks. Her cells, taken without her consent in 1951 became one of the most important tools in biomedical research, leading to countless breakthroughs in science. However, her story also brings to light the intersection of medical ethics, race and the treatment of marginalized communities in research.

BANGO RENDERS / CC0 1.0 Oh highlights the progress in the field of gene therapy, including the emergence of nanotechnology. 

Current progress and innovation for gene therapy delivery systems

By GRACE OH | October 9, 2024

As of October 2024, there are more than thirty FDA-approved gene therapies, spanning a diverse array of diseases such as certain cancers, hereditary disorders and chronic diseases. There are multiple ways that new genetic material can have therapeutic value. One of the most direct ways is through the replacement of a gene. 

NASA WORLDVIEW / PUBLIC DOMAIN Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact highlights a larger trend in the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters. 

Hurricane Helene’s devastating effects call current policy into question

By ALEX PAN | October 8, 2024

From Sept. 24 through Sept. 29, Hurricane Helene ravaged the Southeast, causing over 200 casualties and a staggering $250 billion in damages. Millions of Americans were left without power, and the devastation in states like Florida and Georgia was clear — thousands of buildings were flooded or destroyed, and the land the storm ripped through looked like a wasteland.

COURTESY OF SHREYA TIWARI Stanford University professor Michael Bernstein discussed new research in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) in a talk held by the Center for Language and Speech Processing. 

A "more human" AI: enhancing human-computer interaction

By SHREYA TIWARI | October 7, 2024

On Sept. 30th, Michael Bernstein, an associate professor of computer science at Stanford University, presented a talk at the Center for Language and Speech Processing about current efforts to improve behavioral simulations. His talk was titled “Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior“ and spotlighted the simulated town, Smallville, which his team worked on.

Ernesto del Aguila III / CC BY-NC 2.0 CRISPR editing is a technique that allows scientists to make precise changes to the genome by cutting DNA at specific locations.

Science news in review: Oct. 7

By ANNIE HUANG | October 7, 2024

Here are some of the most groundbreaking developments in science this week, ranging from a novel approach to rejuvenating brain cells using CRISPR, new insights to understand the link between the TET2 gene and cancer, the global impact of species loss and the discovery of single-electron covalent bonds in carbon atoms.

COURTESY OF MIHIR RELAN Chen discusses a new class of microrobots and their applications. 

Taking flight with robots the size of bees

By MIHIR RELAN | October 3, 2024

The Laboratory for Computation Sensing and Robotics hosted Kevin Chen, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Wednesday, Sept. 25. In his talk, titled “Insect-scale Micro-Aerial-Robots Powered by Soft Artificial Muscles,” Chen explores the development of robots, the size of insects and their potential applications in our world. 

SCIENTIFIC ANIMATIONS / CC BY-SA 4.0 A woman underwent stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes which was recently confirmed to fully reverse her disease. 

Science News in Review: Sept. 30

By SHREYA TIWARI | September 30, 2024

This week’s Science News in Review is filled with new discoveries. From advances in therapeutics for schizophrenia treatment to fish that can taste with their legs, news this week focuses on groundbreaking innovations but also provides a reminder to stay cautious when reading scientific literature.

COURTESY OF TOM WANG Tom Wang, Andy Shi, Lily Ru and Harry Jiang competed in Hop Hacks 2024 on the philanthropy track. 

36 hours: innovating for inclusion at HopHacks 2024

By SHREYA TIWARI | September 25, 2024

A coding project that aims to challenge undergraduates to come up with creative solutions and present them to a panel of specialized judges. HopHacks — a competition that brings students passionate about computer science and engineering together — embodies all this. The competition fosters broad-scale innovation through its many tracks, from the open-ended general track to more specialized tracks such as the Patient Safety Technology Challenge and the Philanthropy Track. 

mikemacmarketing / CC BY 2.0 A research team at University of Limerick’s Bernal Institute has published a new study in Nature that proved the feasibility of designing molecules that could revolutionize computing.

Science News in Review: Sept. 23

By ANNIE HUANG | September 24, 2024

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has seen significant advancements, and this week’s review showcases some of the most groundbreaking developments in AI foundation models and their interdisciplinary applications. These highlights include a breakthrough in neuromorphic hardware that could improve energy efficiency in AI, AI surpassing humans in predicting odor, Google’s progress in detecting AI-manipulated images and promising uses of large language models (LLMs) for debunking conspiracy theories. 

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