Science & Technology

Our cells have to distinguish between foreign cells and the cells from our own body, but they also have to distinguish between friendly microbes and pathogens that will harm us. A recent study from UC Davis has found that a previously studied protein has much more to offer than we thought. “We have to ignore […]

First I want to talk about the air — and not in some mystical and ancient way like finding your qi. I literally want to talk about the gaseous fluid medium that we, human beings (about 7 billion) like to live in and breathe. It’s nothing unusual or special, but it’s an important thing to […]

It is unlikely that you hear the word “microglia” very often during your classes, and it’s even less likely that you know what it is. The UC Davis Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, or MIND Institute, studies microglia and has recently discovered a new role they play in our brains’ development. Microglia are a part […]

If it ever seems like all the stress in your life may be driving you to the edge, it just might be. Susan Charles, UC Irvine professor of psychology and social behavior, along with her colleagues, conducted a study investigating the long-term effects of minor stress events in people’s lives. “If you were to ask […]

Medical Technology: A 16-year-old in London has recently been fitted with a bionic arm to replace the arm he lost to meningitis as a child. What’s more impressive, however, is that he can control his arm from a smartphone. It runs off a rechargeable battery, and can articulate over 25 common gestures such as shaking […]

A disturbingly large fraction of Americans are just dying to be skinny, and dying is no mere understatement. The psychological health disorders anorexia and bulimia nervosa are exceedingly prevalent among the U.S. population. Roughly 20 million Americans (about 1 in 15 people) suffer from these diseases, and many more likely go undiagnosed. Combine that with […]

YouTube, one of Google’s most popular services and the third most popular website worldwide, offers the most features and content of any video sharing website to date. With roughly a billion unique visits every month, the company is constantly upgrading and adding features. Naturally, it is useful to know some of the tips and tricks […]

Editor’s note: This article is part one of two in a series about the human intersection of technology and medicine. Although the body is one single entity, it is one single entity that is far greater than the sum of all of its many interconnected parts. Look at the body as a set of systems […]

Most people are familiar with the image of corporate America. An image of men in business suits in a very tall building comes to mind. We associate these images with wealth and status, which have always been very important societal values. Wall Street, Fortune 500 companies and other big business, and even many scientific fields […]

Day in and day out, the U.S. population is bombarded with controversial opinions and claims about global warming. As with many mainstream scientific issues that implicate mankind of wrongdoing, there appears to be a split in popular belief. There are even those who simply have no desire to acknowledge different arguments. Some people are of […]

Medicine: Medical researchers have recently developed a “nano-sponge” that can enter your bloodstream and soak up deadly bacteria like MRSA that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. The nano-sponge, which measures about 1/300,000th of an inch, is surrounded by a membrane that mimics a red blood cell. The harmful bacteria attach harmlessly to the sponge and […]

You have to give a presentation. Whether it be for class, for work or in a desperate attempt to try to convince your parents of something, presenting an idea can be a daunting task. In such a situation, nearly everyone turns to their trusted friend: PowerPoint. It’s the simple, standard way to organize ideas and […]