How the agricultural revolution impacted man’s best friend
By Emma Gruner, Staff writer The Agricultural Revolution is well-regarded as a turning point in human history in more ways than one. Socially, this shift marked the beginning of modern civilization, but scientifically, it marked a major change in the makeup of the human genome. As our ancestors transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to primarily sedentary farmers, their bodies, and ultimately their DNA, were forced to adjust to...
Researchers identify potential “vaccination” against fake news
By Kayla Britt, MST Editor Fake news, disseminated by sites that often mimic the appearance of authentic news sources, is becoming a major issue. Fake news sometimes have a political agenda; they sometimes utilize humor and satire in ways that could be construed as misleading. The rise in the importance of social media has propagated fake news, which can easily go viral and reach hundreds of thousands of people within days. Fake news...
New chemical reaction could help reverse climate change
By Sam Siomko, Staff Writer Sometimes, new scientific discoveries are not the result of enormous research ventures or million-dollar companies. Often, breakthroughs are the result of accidents. And one accident that recently came from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee might have the potential to save the world. Researchers happened to discover a chemical reaction that can turn carbon dioxide into ethanol, which, if widely...
Research suggests your social status could affect your health
By Emma Gruner, Staff Writer In today’s modern world, biology and sociology are often considered separate disciplines. The former governs the basic functionality of living creatures, while the latter governs the more complex, nuanced world of human interaction. Yet as one recent study shows, the two fields can intersect in surprising ways. A collaborative research team from Duke University, Emory University, and the University...
New chemical reaction could help save world from climate change
By Sam Siomko, Staff Writer Sometimes, new scientific discoveries are not the result of enormous research ventures or million-dollar companies. Often, breakthroughs are the result of accidents. And one accident that recently came from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee might have the potential to save the world. Researchers happened to discover a chemical reaction that can turn carbon dioxide into ethanol, which, if widely...
Pickled dinosaur: First fossilized dinosaur brain discovered
By Aphra Murray, Staff Writer Dinosaur smarts were a mystery — until now. Researchers in the United Kingdom claim to have found the first fossilized dinosaur brain, leading to more concrete information about the external “plumbing” of the brain. Believed to be about 133 million years old, the fist-sized brain was discovered in a tidal pool in southern England. The brain would have been buried in sediment at the time when the...
