Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
March 27, 2026 March 27, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Science & Technology

The Brain Wave: Scientists use fMRI to help read subjects’ minds

By DUY PHAN | March 5, 2015

The exploration of the mind has always been the center of intense research interest. The brain is the least understood organ in the body, and nobody knows exactly how it works. One approach to solving the brain puzzle is looking at neuronal activities of different brain regions. This strategy has led to important insights within the field of cognitive neuroscience, allowing for investigations into the biological mechanisms of brain function. Even more excitingly, such an analysis of brain activities may allow us to some day be able to delve into a person’s mind and gain access to their deepest thoughts — science fiction transforming into tangible reality. But how can we build a mind reading machine?

Study shows sex can weed out genetic diseases

By TONY WU | March 5, 2015

Every hour, thousands of couples around the world engage in amorous acts. The rush of endorphins and the bonding that results from sex create a sense of pleasure, but humans also use sex to procreate and ensure the survival of the species.

FCC to vote on net neutrality debate

By Catie Paul | March 5, 2015

One of the most important debates you may have never heard of is the debate over net neutrality. The concept that the Internet should be treated like a public good, with cable companies giving no privilege to certain sites over others, has been a hot topic issue for years. On Feb. 26, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will vote on whether to reclassify Internet use to telecommunications, ensuring net neutrality.

Pollution levels reach global high in India

By SARAH SUKARDI | March 5, 2015

Consider the word “pollution.” What comes to mind? Perhaps constellations obscured by thick smog, perhaps the bright-red skyline of some industrial city by night, perhaps factories expelling billows of smoke. Perhaps even specific cities as Beijing and Shanghai, places notorious for having extreme amounts of pollution, to the discomfort of residents and travelers.

Hopkins develops Ebola modules for hospitals

By ELLE PFEFFER | March 5, 2015

Any patient who enters an emergency room with an infectious disease poses a potential threat not only to him or herself, but also to the other patients, doctors and personnel in the hospital. These days, medical institutions across America are finding it necessary to prepare for one infectious disease in particular: Ebola.

Study highlights the prevalence of Lyme disease

By SARAH SUKARDI | February 19, 2015

You are enjoying your vacation on the East Coast in the thick of the heady, swollen heat of summer. You spend your days roaming swamps, swimming in lakes and sunbathing by the water. One particularly hot day you notice a rash on your leg — it looks a little like a target, or a bulls-eye, but you don’t think much of it. After all, bugs are a consequence of East-Coast weather, and you look forward to when the rash subsides. After a few days, it does.

Languages show bias toward “happy” words

By JOAN YEA | February 19, 2015

The plethora of F-bombs used in everyday life seems to indicate universal human dissatisfaction. Yet, according to researchers at the University of Vermont, all languages — despite the swearing — reflect a bias for the use of happy words.

The “Great Firewall” limits international business

By Catie Paul | February 19, 2015

Are China’s strict Internet controls acting against its best interests? A survey released on Feb. 12 by the European Chamber of Commerce in China found that most businesses believe they are. Foreign companies that operate in China are frustrated by the fact that China blocks certain websites and restricts Internet access. Eighty-six percent of the companies, which are based in the European Union (EU) and operate in China, said that their business has been negatively affected by the blocking of websites in China.

Kicking the habit with electronic cigarettes

By REGINA PALATINI | February 19, 2015

In 1964 the United States Surgeon General published the first federal government report outlining an indisputable link between smoking and cancer, heart disease and other health problems. Since then, individuals and public health groups have proposed countless methods to help people who are addicted to smoking “kick the habit.” The American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages smokers to participate in the “Great American Smokeout” each year, which proposes that smokers refrain from smoking for 24 hours. The ACS emphasizes that when smokers are engaged in such a behavior, five percent of them go on to quit smoking permanently. Such behavioral therapies began in the 1970s, but they were met with limited success. In the 1990s, pharmacotherapy made its appearance and included nicotine patches and gum. Some individuals chewing nicotine gum stopped smoking, but they became addicted to the healthier but more expensive option of the gum. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs) were introduced to the world about ten years ago, and since then, their use has been fraught with everything from confusion to praise to condemnation. Many smokers want to stop smoking tobacco, and with the onslaught of advertising from e-cigarette manufacturers they may believe that they have found the perfect solution. Many teenagers, some of whom have never smoked, have also taken to using e-cigarettes. Some e-cigarettes are designed to look like conventional tobacco cigarettes and can be purchased in flavors that are appealing to teenagers.

Vitamin A intake may help prevent malaria

By TONY WU | February 19, 2015

Those who live in tropical areas around the world are at risk for malaria. In fact, malaria is a top cause of infant mortality in some countries. Numerous advances have been made to curb the instances of malaria, and medical devices have also been developed to detect malaria in underdeveloped countries. However, a new study at the Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests a far simpler solution. The researchers propose that a timely increase in vitamin A intake may decrease the chances of being infected.

HIV drug could treat degenerative blindness

By Catie Paul | February 12, 2015

Going blind is terrifying. Finding out there’s nothing that can be done to help you is even worse. This is what millions of people face each year when they are diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. However, there soon may be a new treatment option: drugs that are already being used to treat HIV.

Specialized neurons help maintain balance

By TONY WU | February 12, 2015

Walking on a frozen road in the middle of winter requires intense concentration. One misstep and you can end up face down on the ground. Even though most of us have fallen at least once from slipping or otherwise losing our balance, we’ve had many more times when we recovered and stayed upright. How did we manage to maintain our position?

Microsoft, Samsung reach agreement on court case

By Catie Paul | February 12, 2015

Since August 2014, the two technology giants Microsoft and Samsung have been battling it out in court over unpaid royalties. However, on Feb. 10 they announced that they had come to an agreement and that the dispute was over.

After near extermination, bedbug numbers increase

By REGINA PALATINI | February 12, 2015

Bedbugs are here to stay, and thanks to evolution, they are getting stronger every day. When Charles Darwin wrote his classic The Origin of the Species, little did he know that his landmark theory would be applicable in 2015 to the lowly bedbug.

Nerve cell receptors help form memories

By JOAN YEA | February 12, 2015

With each new piece of information or sensory experiences, our dynamic and malleable brain alters its connections which leads to long-lasting changes in neural pathways. While the misconception of the inert brain has mostly subsided, the underlying molecular mechanisms resulting in structural changes in neurons are still under much scrutiny in neuroscience.

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