You’ve probably heard of hypnosis and how it can make people do crazy things – like feel as if they’re stuck to a chair or think an onion is an apple- but how does hypnosis really work and what is used for? Hypnosis is when a person’s attention is completely detached from his or her immediate environment and when that person is focused on inner experiences like feelings and thoughts. In fact, they’re so focused on their thoughts that what they’re imagining feels real. This doesn’t mean that it magically makes the impossible possible but instead makes the person believe that it has happened. Yo ..read more

Every day, we hear about new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), from devices like Amazon Alexa and ChatGPT. With just a simple voice command or text input, we can access a wealth of information, control our smart homes, schedule appointments, make purchases, and even have conversations. However, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have identified a new frontier in intelligence and biocomputing. This technology, called Organoid Intelligence (OI), provides a future where our computers could be powered by the very cells that make up our bodies. To create an organoid, the human ste ..read more

Flushing ice down the toilet. Putting a Toothbrush under the pillow. Waking up early, hoping that school was canceled. These are then the joys brought about by snow days. Snow days are a great day to rest, relax, sleep in, and go play in the snow. They’re loved by everyone: children and adults. Snow days bring us all together.  However, with an ever-changing climate, the chances of a snow day are going down. Data beginning in 1930 has shown a small decrease in total snowfall over each year (EPA). The big reason behind this is that warmer climates cause precipitation to fall as rain instea ..read more

In the remote waters of the Arctic lives a majestic, elusive whale, a whale so special that it needs its own article separate from “An Ode to Whales” (an article that I wrote! Linked here). If it is not already abundantly clear, I am a fan of whales, which is why the plight of the narwhals, a whale species native to the Arctic, has become an increasingly concerning issue in my eyes.    I believe that all of us reading this article can agree upon one fact: breathing is important, for both humans and narwhals. Narwhals swim underneath the ice, but every so often they search for ga ..read more

When radium was first discovered in 1898, its new and exciting luminous green color garnered mass media and scientific attention. It was advertised as a “glowing” material with cosmetic and health benefits. Despite a lack of understanding of radium’s properties, the media nevertheless hailed it as a “miracle element.” Companies soon began mass-producing radium products, such as medicine, food, and cosmetics. Additionally, radium clinics and spas quickly popped up across the country, where civilians were treated and injected with radium as a form of medicine.  At the onset of World War 1 ..read more

  Almost three years into the pandemic, most of us have either tested positive for COVID-19 or know of someone who has. Not only has this pandemic become a recurring issue in our daily lives, but it has also created psychological ramifications that are important to address. According to Mayo Clinic, COVID could cause stress, anxiety, fear, and depression, or could exacerbate already existing mental health disorders. To add to all of these problems surrounding our mental health, many people who have tested positive have experienced feelings of guilt, shame, and perseverative cognition—ques ..read more

I have never been threatened or insulted by friends to cut off relationships as much as when I devilishly revealed that I grew up pouring milk before adding cereal. Yes, you read this right. Not only am I crazy to have gone along with this as a kid, but to this day, I still adamantly believe that there is nothing wrong with either method of enjoying that perfectly sugary “breakfast.” Regardless of what you choose, I won’t judge. However, I am curious if you have ever argued with your friends, classmates, or family about internet debates that feel stupid and endless but that you also can’t give ..read more

Milk, as we’ve heard over and over again, should be a staple in our everyday diets. In 1940, the US federal government championed dairy products, milk especially, as a guaranteed path towards “Health, Good Teeth, Vitality, Endurance, and Strong Bones.” Even today, milk is associated with good health and it is commonly known that dairy is an important source of nutrients and proteins. However, the truth is a little more complicated than that.  The Facts: Dairy products are generally abundant in calcium, a crucial nutrient to bone health, and have been scientifically shown to increase heigh ..read more

It’s not hard to find natural wonders within Yellowstone National Park, but the park’s largest hot spring might be the most remarkable—and not just for its size. The spring radiates extremely hot water and stunning prismatic color from its center. Don’t adjust your color settings—the Grand Prismatic Spring really is rainbow-colored! The spring was first officially named by the Hayden Expedition in 1871. But what is the cause of this vibrant and flamboyant body of water? It’s all thanks to the heat-loving bacteria that call the spring “home”. Cracks in the Earth’s surface allow heated water to ..read more

  A bacteria-infested Petri dish isn’t where one would expect to find a work of art, but it turns out cell colonies can make masterfully intricate visuals.   Mold has been blamed for the destruction of beauty for millennia–this biotic infestation is often the unfortunate cause of the deterioration of artworks. It is invisible to the naked eye until the right conditions are present. Paintings framed in wood or textile supports are especially vulnerable to fungal growth, since molds consist of microscopic fungi that feed on organic materials. In the presence of humidity, however, the d ..read more