Biology Bytes
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The Chikungunya Virus is in the U.S.: Get to Know the Virus
Have you heard of the chikungunya virus? The virus (pronounced chik-en-gun-ye) was discovered in 1952 in Africa, and has been slowly making its way around the world… although the pace has been quickened in recent years. The first U.S. case was reported just earlier this month, on July 17, 2014, and a second case soon … Continue reading
Our Microbiomes: In Sickness and in Health
Last week, we took a look at the amazing diversity of microbes (bacteria, fungi, and others) that live on, and inside of, our bodies. This week we’ll dig deeper into our microbiomes and explore what’s known about how they help keep us healthy, and why they sometimes make us sick. Shown here are Lactobacillus bacteria … Continue reading
Our Microbiomes: Who Are Our Microscopic Neighbors?
Our bodies are made up of many more microbe cells — bacteria, fungi, and other microscopic critters — than human cells. These microscopic organisms are clearly important for making us who we are. And yet, there’s so much we don’t understand about them. How do our microbiomes help keep us healthy, and why do they … Continue reading
Magnetoception and Changing Geomagnetic Poles
You may have heard the news that the Earth’s magnetic field (also called the geomagnetic field) is changing. (The field itself is created by the molten iron in the Earth’s outer core and other factors.) Specifically, it’s been significantly weakening over the last 200 years (by about 15%), and the geomagnetic North pole has been … Continue reading
The Importance of Getting an Uninterrupted Night’s Sleep
A new study may not only make you want to head to bed on time tonight, but also try to make sure you don’t get any interruptions during the night. Why is that? It turns out that not getting enough sleep can be just as detrimental as repeatedly getting woken up at night. (This may … Continue reading
The Hobby Lobby Ruling: Contraceptives and Abortifacients
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that, due to religious objections, Hobby Lobby (and other for-profit companies) does not have to provide health insurance coverage for contraceptives that are part of the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, Hobby Lobby objected to four contraceptive methods – Plan B, Ella, and two intrauterine devices (IUDs) – because Hobby … Continue reading
Creating Lucid Dreams
Have you ever had a lucid dream? Lucid dreams can be quite fun and freeing — they are when the dreamer realizes that they are in a dream, and can control the dream to be what they want it to be. And recently, researchers found out how they could cause somebody to have a lucid … Continue reading
Life Beyond Earth
Are we alone, or is there life beyond Earth? It’s a question we’ve been trying to actively answer for decades now, with increased interest in more recent times. While there almost certainly is life outside of our world, we have yet to find it. Based on our understanding of the spectrum of organisms that live … Continue reading