Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
November 25, 2024

Science & Technology



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Researchers hope to apply knowledge of TraE to destroy harmful bacteria.

Blocking TraE can stop antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in human medicine. And in addition to treating a plethora of different diseases in humans, antibiotics are widely used on animal and plants in farms and plantations to prevent the spread of bacterial infections that result in loss of consumable crops or meat.


This artist’s impression shows the first interstellar asteroid: `Oumuamua. This unique object was discovered on 19 October 2017 by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawai`i. Subsequent observations from ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile and other observatories around the world show that it was travelling through space for millions of years before its chance encounter with our star system. `Oumuamua seems to be a dark red highly-elongated metallic or rocky object, about 400 metres long, and is unlike anything normally found in the Solar System.

Scientists spot asteroid from another solar system

On Oct. 19, 2017, scientists in Hawaii spotted a visitor from beyond enter our solar system. Named ‘Oumuamua, it is the first known interstellar asteroid, and it flew in faster than anything astronomers have ever seen. ‘Oumuamua, according to NASA, is a term for “a messenger from afar arriving first.”


Potential new tech innovations can combat climate change

Over the past hundred years, human activity has brought about a rise in global temperatures, more extreme weather patterns and a drastically changing ecosystem. The effects of climate change and environmental degradation can be harmful to human health, with consequences such as water and food shortages, rising sea levels and pollution.


COURTESY OF THE DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
A student works with the DMC’s Microsoft Surface Studio.

The DMC combines technology with art

Over Halloween weekend, students gathered in the Mattin courtyard to drop pumpkins off the second floor balcony, make their own masks and engage in some intense gaming competitions. The annual game night was hosted by the Digital Media Center (DMC), a multimedia lab space that serves as an equipment, printing, software and knowledge resource for students on campus.


Spiders have extremely short circadian rhythms

For many college students, the start of a new day is marked by the shrill ring of an alarm clock in the morning and the end is dictated by our brains becoming too exhausted to process the textbook we are reading at the end of the night. But, in the absence of alarm clocks or a study schedule, when would we wake up and go to sleep?


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Software: C1 SE for Windows

Video games can act as a substitute for IQ tests

Those who enjoyed Orson Scott Card’s science-fiction classic Ender’s Game may remember how the governments in Card’s futuristic world used computer simulation games to train the best and brightest children to beat an alien invasion.


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Stem cells can be embedded into scaffolds to repair spinal cord injury.

Epithelial stem cells can treat spinal cord injury

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 250,000 to 500,000 people suffer from spinal cord injuries each year. A lot of these injuries are due to preventable causes, such as car crashes and falls.





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Aerobic exercise, such as jogging, may temporarily remedy brain loss due to memory diseases.

Exercising can prevent brains from shrinking

In this day and age, there is hardly a need for another reason to pick up a gym membership. The apparent benefits of exercise are seemingly endless, with a number of positive physical and emotional changes associated with taking a bit of time to sweat.


HORTON HARVEY/CC BY 2.0
When a high-calorie diet is introduced, weight gain is particularly noticeable.

A single gene may affect susceptibility to obesity

Obesity is a health issue that has been affecting growing numbers of Americans in recent years. While people generally believe that obesity is caused by eating and various lifestyle habits, researchers are working to pinpoint a gene that might be directly responsible for obesity.


ROCKYROE/AUSAID/CC BY 2.0
Diastolic heart failure can be treated by surgically implanting a shunt that reduces pressure build up in the heart.

Researchers find new treatment for heart failure

It’s widely known that the heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. With its contracting and relaxing motions, the heart is able to pump blood to different areas within the body, thus providing nutrients and various necessary hormones to ensure the body operates at an optimal level.


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Limiting fat content through a low-calorie diet improves the liver’s response to insulin in rats.

Low-calorie diet reverses type 2 diabetes in rats

In the United States 9.4 percent of the population suffers from diabetes, affecting over 30 million people. The disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes is $245 billion. Clearly diabetes is no small issue.


CC BY-SA 3.0 / JJ Harrison
Scientists and virologists suggest that Zika may be around indefinitely.

Scientists worry Zika virus will return soon

Recently, the number of people suffering from Zika virus throughout the world has significantly decreased. However, biologists predict that Zika will return with a vengeance, potentially leading to more infections.






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