Puberty shown to influence facial recognition

Recent research conducted by Pennsylvania State University Assistant Professor of Psychology Suzy Scherf suggests that facial recognition transforms as adolescents transition into adulthood. That is, Scherf identifies puberty, not age, as refining one’s ability to recognize faces.

Lab develops hybrid organic solar cells

New research, led by Xiaoyang Zhu, a professor of chemistry at Columbia University, reveals the potential of using a new kind of material, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs), to manufacture solar cells. The results conclude that HOIPs can achieve much higher solar efficiencies than traditional solar cells, which are typically made out of silicon.

Swedish researcher edits human embryo

Developmental biologist Fredrik Lanner of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm recently publicized his successful editing of human DNA in embryos. Despite previous attempts to edit genes in human embryos, Lanner is the first to yield viable human embryos after gene editing and announce it to the public.

The thrill of earning an Academy of Sciences title

Blind use visual cortex to process numbers

Hopkins neuroscientists published on Sept. 19 new findings that the brain network involved in numerical reasoning is identical in both blind and sighted people.

Genes help water bears survive harsh conditions

If you consider Siberian tigers or saltwater crocodiles to be the toughest animals on the planet, think again. Tardigrades, also known as “water bears,” are microscopic aquatic animals with four pairs of legs that average half a millimeter in length.

Nanoparticle tattoos treat chronic diseases

Temporary tattoos might someday become the primary form of treatment for chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Nanoparticles called PEG-HCCs (polyethylene glycol combined with hydrophilic carbon clusters) were created in the lab of James Tour, a chemist at Rice University. They help inhibit T lymphocyte cells that sometimes mistakenly attack innocuous cells in the body.

Wirtz revolutionizes study of pancreatic cancer

Vice Provost for Research Denis Wirtz, a polymer physicist, is on the way to making one of the largest breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer research... without having taken a single formal biology class.

A new app to help you sleep better: f.lux

Researchers associate cancer with sugary drinks

A study published in the 2016 issue of Translational Cancer has suggested that there may be an association between certain cancers and sugar-sweetened beverages. The study was conducted at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and states that the link between cancer and sugar-sweetened drinks varies with age.

Researchers discover new ways to combat deadly superbugs

At a United Nations General Assembly meeting on Sept. 21, the first ever called only to discuss drug-resistant bacteria, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that antimicrobial resistance is a “fundamental threat” to global health and safety.

Autism connected to late-in-life pregnancy

A recent study done by the Copenhagen Centre for Social Evolution showed that parents who have kids later in life are more likely to have children with autism disorders. However, the link between later reproduction and schizophrenia in children was disproved.

Wrap up: the latest in technology...

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope

Medhacks 2.0

Students from across the country competed in the second annual MedHacks, where medicine and technology meet.

FDA bans antiseptics in consumer products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a ban prohibiting the sale of consumer antibacterial soaps containing antiseptics the FDA deemed “not generally recognized as safe and effective.” This final ruling solidified a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of Dec. 17, 2013.

Study analyzes effect of genetically modified crops

From soda to soup, crackers to condiments, it has been determined that more than 75 percent of processed food on our supermarket shelves contain genetically engineered (GE) ingredients.

July and August tie for hottest months on record

This past July and August have tied each other for the hottest months on Earth since NASA’s record-keeping began in 1880. The past two months boast temperatures averaging 0.84 degrees Celsius (1.27 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the earth’s average temperature.

Persevering over failed science experiments

Synesthesia heightens connections between sensory experiences

Researchers from Emory University have discovered that people who experience synesthesia, the mixing of senses, are more sensitive to associations between shapes and the sound of words.