February 2015

Latte foam: Photo by Piyato via freedigitalphotos.net

Science of Sloshing: Why Foam is Important

February 24, 2015April 7, 2021 Science Connectedchemistry, coffee, fluid dynamics, materials science, physics

Have you noticed that adding foam to the top of a coffee makes walking with it easier? Foam reduces sloshing in drinks and other liquids. By Kate Stone Most of us know that carrying a full cup of hot coffee can be precarious and just one wrong move could send a wave of java sloshing over the rim. But have you ever noticed that adding a bit of foam to the top of the coffee makes moving with it easier? Scientists have found out why just a few layers of…

Medicine for sick bees: A bumble bee collects nectar containing iridoid glycoside secondary metabolites from a turtlehead flower. (Leif Richardson)

Biology Environment

Nature’s Medicine Cabinet for Sick Bees

February 18, 2015September 4, 2015 Science Connectedagriculture, bees, biology, ecology, environment

By Kate Stone Around the world, honey bees are in decline and under constant threat from parasites. This ongoing problem threatens fruits, vegetables and other crops that make up much of the food supply for people. However, naturally occurring chemicals found in flowers of certain plants could be just the right prescription for sick bees, according to new research from Dartmouth College. The chemicals that occur naturally in floral nectar “may play a vital role in reducing bee-parasite interactions,” according to researcher Rebecca Irwin. The study found that chemicals in…

Signs of life on Earth: The oldest rock samples, from 3.2 billion years ago, were collected at this site in the desert in northwestern Australia. (R. Buick / University of Washington)

Biology Paleontology

Life on Earth May Be Older than We Thought

February 17, 2015September 4, 2015 Science Connectedbiodiversity, biology, earth science, evolution, geology, origins of life, paleontology

Life on our planet could be at least one billion years older than previously thought, according to new geological research from the University of Washington. Nitrogen is a chemical element that is essential for building genes. Without plenty of nitrogen, life on the early Earth would have been scarce. Researchers looking at some of the planet’s oldest rocks have found evidence that organisms were already pulling nitrogen out of the air 3.2 billion years ago, and converting it in ways that could support larger communities of lifeforms. Finding Ancient Life…

Planet Earth Control Panel, Eleanor Lutz

Astronomy and Astrophysics Science and Art

Planet Earth’s Control Panel

February 16, 2015September 4, 2015 Science Connectedastronomy, infographic, science and art, space

This planet earth control panel infographic is the work of the fabulous Eleanor Lutz. Lutz is a Seattle-based graphic designer with a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology. She created this particular work of science-meets-art as a celebration of America’s tax-funded space program: NASA. NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA was started in 1958 as a part of the United States government. NASA is in charge of U.S. science and technology research that has to do with airplanes, space, and atmospheric conditions. From Planet Earth to Spaceship Earth “I wanted to…

Psychology

Psychology of Valentine’s Day Gifts

February 12, 2015November 30, 2022 Science Connected

Research says that if you want to give a Valentine’s Day gift, choose something that the recipient will enjoy. Don’t try to show off.

Treadmill Desk (Photo courtesy of Marcolm via freedigitalphotos.net)

Health

Walk While You Work: Do treadmill desks help?

February 10, 2015May 3, 2021 Science Connectedbusiness/economics, exercise, health, public health, treadmill desk

Treadmill desks help sedentary office workers get out of their chairs and get moving, but researchers at Oregon State University have found that walking while you work will not automatically rectify an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle. Seth Roberts, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley designed a treadmill desk in 1996. Since then, this kind of hybrid workstation — part office furniture, part exercise machine — has been gaining popularity. How effective is a treadmill desk for weight loss? In a 2007 study, James Levine of the Mayo…

Bluefin Tuna at the Hopkins Marine Station, Monterey Bay Aquarium in California (©Monterey Bay Aquarium/Randy Wilder)

Biology Oceanography Zoology

Tuna Stay Warm with Cold Hearts

February 9, 2015September 4, 2015 Science Connectedaquaculture, fish, marine biology

The heart of a bluefin tuna keeps pumping during extreme temperature changes that would stop a human heart, according to a joint team of scientists from the University of Manchester and Stanford University. Pacific bluefin tuna are top predators renowned for their epic migrations across the Pacific Ocean. They are also unique amongst bony fish as they are warm bodied (endothermic) and can raise their core body temperature to 20°C above that of the surrounding water. They can also dive down into much colder water 1000 meters or more below…

15 Minute Blood Test: A user presses the bulb of the smartphone attachment to initiate the fluid flow. (Tassaneewan Laksanasopin, Columbia Engineering)

Engineering Health New Technologies

Dialing in Blood Tests with a Smartphone

February 5, 2015April 4, 2021 Science Connected

Researchers at Columbia University have developed a low-cost smartphone accessory that tests for infectious diseases — HIV and syphilis — from a finger prick of blood in only 15 minutes. The device replicates all of the functions of a lab-based blood test. Furthermore, it does it all with power from any smartphone. With this little gadget, health workers around the world can quickly perform blood tests without sending vials of blood to a lab. The 15-minute Blood Test The prototype blood test attachment (or “dongle”) is designed to be small…

Frey suggests that the cerebellum, a region of the brain that has changed very little over time, may play a critical role in assistive technologies benefiting the disabled. (MU News Bureau)

Biology Health New Technologies

How the Brain Can Control Robotics

February 3, 2015September 4, 2015 Science Connectedbiology, biomechanics, neurobiology, robotic prosthetics

We recently reported on new technology that enables amputees and other disabled people to control robotic arms with their brains. Since then, scientists at the University of Missouri, Columbia have been further investigating how the human brain interacts with such robotic limbs and the findings are fascinating. A simple hand motion, such as grasping an object, actually involves a complex set of brain functions. First, the brain receives and processes visual signals. Next, other areas of the brain use these signals to control the hands as they reach for and grasp…

Viral DNA: Photo courtesy of Amanda Mills via the CDC

Biology Health

Virus DNA in Humans: What’s in Your Genes?

February 2, 2015April 6, 2021 Science Connectedbiology, evolution, human dna

We all carry remnants of DNA from viruses that infected our ancestors millions of years ago. In fact, all mammals have virus DNA in their genes, but the human species has far less, according to a new study. Why? The reason could be that humans were exposed to fewer blood-borne viruses as we evolved to use tools, rather than our teeth for hunting and fighting. If you’re surprised to learn that we do have some virus DNA in our genes, don’t panic. It’s normal. Despite natural defense systems, a retrovirus…