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

Science & Technology




 Courtesy of RUCHITA KOTHARI
(Left to right) former speaker Mark Shelhamer, Chairs Ruchita Kothari and Ami Mange and Jonathan Clark.

Symposium brings flight surgeon to campus

Continuing this year’s theme “Unconventional Medicine,” Conversations in Medicine  (CiM) presented the symposium’s final talk  given by space physician and flight surgeon Dr. Jonathan Clark on April 17.


 PUBLIC DOMAIN
Growing crops will be necessary for survival in space, a possibility due to the new NASA bill.

It may be feasible to farm in outer space

In Andy Weir’s novel The Martian, Mark Watney colonized Mars by growing potatoes from his own fecal matter. In reality, that small piece of science fiction may not be so fictional after all.


 Public Domain
A rare gene mutation may make those who have it more tired.

Gene mutation may disrupt sleep cycle

The circadian rhythm, also known as the biological clock or sleep-wake cycle, governs people’s sleeping habits. The biological clock works over a 24-hour period to maintain recurrent daily changes at both the microscopic cellular and macroscopic behavioral levels.


PUBLIC DOMAIN
There are higher carbon emissions in states with a higher concentration of wealth.

Experts link wealth with higher carbon emissions

Two sociologists working at Boston College recently discovered that carbon emissions exhibit a trend of being higher in states where there is a more concentrated high-income population. On a larger scale, this trend is consistent with the positive correlation between national wealth and carbon emission levels.


olaf tausch/CC-by-3.0
Tadpole tail tissue was used to regenerate fully functional eyes.

Eye implants allow blind tadpoles to see

A number of attempts to cure blindness in humans have emerged among researchers. The use of stem cells to aid regeneration of eye tissue as well as Vitamin A therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that is characterized by the deterioration of the retina, are two possible cures for blindness.


Karl marquez/CC-By--SA-3.0
Stem cells can regrow various tissues.

Stem cells may be able to regenerate any tissue

The field of stem cell research is an area rich with discovery and hopes, especially within the past decade. The use of stem cells has demonstrated exponential growth in its ability to provide solutions to various health issues, which include treatments for healing burns without scarring and stem cell implants for individuals with heart disease.


 WAMM/CC-By-3.0
Compounds in synthetic marijuana have harmful side effects, unlike natural marijuana.

Synthetic marijuana shows lethal side effects

Although marketed as legal or safe alternatives to marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2” or “spice,” have highly toxic effects in their users, in stark contrast to regular marijuana. Scientists at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences recount the adverse effects produced by these compounds, which probably activate various receptors, in their review of existing research on synthetic cannabinoids.


 SayCheeeeeese/Public domain
A new type of solar cell is both highly efficient and long-lasting.

New solar cells break record for efficiency

A recent study led by Sang-Il Seok, a professor of energy and chemical engineering at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST),  developed a solution to support a new type of perovskite solar cell (PSC) in collaboration with researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology. Their findings were accepted for publication in Science in March 2017.


 PUBLIC DOMAIN
The discovery of where blood comes from could give insights on blood-related diseases.

Scientists discover origin of blood cells

Billions of highly specialized cells run through our veins. They make up our blood, a fascinating fluid that plays the significant roles of transport as part of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and of pathogen detection and elimination in the immune and lymphatic systems. 



PUBLIC DOMAIN
The severity of a patient’s cold and how often they are sick is linked to social isolation and loneliness.

Self-reported loneliness contributes to sickness

Researchers at Rice University recently studied the effects of loneliness on the symptoms of the common cold. They found that patients who identified as lonely reported more acute cold symptoms while more sociable patients tended to report feeling less under the weather.


 PUBLIC DOMAIN
Exposure to airborne lead oxide can lead to lower IQ in children.

Lead exposure may contribute to lower IQ

Lead is a common element found in many different everyday objects. Despite the widespread knowledge of its toxicity to the human body, or any biological system, lead continues to be mined and used in items ranging from handheld electronic devices to batteries in cars to x-ray protective shields at the dentist’s office.


 COURTESY OF SANDRA HONG
Senior Jonathan Martinez presents on food insecurity and diet habits among public housing residents.

Student public health forum hosts conference

Public Health Studies undergraduates pinned on their nametags, set up their poster boards and hosted the eighth annual Undergraduate Conference in Public Health on April 8. Flocking to the Charles Commons Salons, these students were ready to present their research in the field of public health.


 WALDENER ENDO/CC--BY-2.5
The population of the brown howler monkey has diminished in Brazil.

Yellow fever plagues Brazilian monkeys

In accordance with current trends of animal endangerment, the brown howler monkey community has lost thousands of members. The brown howler is a New World monkey native to southeastern Brazil that has recently experienced declines in population due to mortality from yellow fever exposure.



NASA evaluates space farming development

U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed a $19.5-billion bill to fund the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including NASA’s long-term goal to send humans to Mars by the 2030s.


PUBLIC DOMAIN
Fruit-consuming species must use more brain power to find food.

Species diet shown to affect brain size

A new study has found that certain species may be more intelligent because of their diet. The discovery has thrown into question the scientific consensus that a species’ sociality determines its intelligence.



News-Letter Magazine
Multimedia
Hoptoberfest 2024
Leisure Interactive Food Map