Category: Feature
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How does space affect the body?
From microgravity to radiation, space is an extreme environment. Kate Summerson examines the impact this can have on the human body. As we know, NASA plans to increase the length of space travel, making deep space more accessible than ever before. To achieve this, NASA has been increasing its efforts to understand how longer term…
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How smart are you? Artificial intelligence can tell based on your Twitter feed
A new machine learning algorithm could predict students’ academic performance based on the length and quality of their social media posts, with potential to uncover previously overlooked factors contributing to learning outcomes. It might even find applications in social research far beyond the domain of education. The algorithm was developed by Ivan Smirnov, leading research…
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Can the US reclaim global leadership on the climate crisis?
On the 4th of November, the US officially withdrew from the Paris Agreement. This came as no surprise, as president Trump announced his intention to leave back in 2017. Joe Biden promised to rejoin the deal on “on day one in office”. Can America, originally a key part of the deal, take back the lead…
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Electricity from bacteria: the future of clean energy?
Elle Bethune discusses how bacteria can power batteries, and how these can be used for clean energy on Earth and finding life in space. Clean energy has become a hot topic in science, and for good reason. While most of us have heard of wind, solar or even geothermal energy as alternatives to fossil fuels,…
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Are mRNA vaccines our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Seán Dunphy discusses recent developments in COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine development is complex and often takes 10 to 15 years of research. With this in mind the scientific response to the Covid-19 pandemic is remarkable. In a single year, 54 Covid-19 vaccines have been brought to human trials, and 13 of these are in the final…
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Celebrating disabled scientists: Dorothy Hodgkin
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1910-1994) was the 1964 Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry, and the first and only British woman to obtain a Nobel Prize in Science. The prize was awarded “for her determinations by X-ray techniques of the structures of important biochemical substances”, including vitamin B12, insulin, penicillin, and vitamin D. This enabled them to…
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Zombie neuroscience: it’s all about the braiiiiins
Ellie Bennett uses neuroscience to explore what has gone wrong in the zombie brain to make them the lumbering, flesh-hungry creatures depicted on our screens. A lumbering gait, no recognition of loved ones, the inability to verbalise above moans and grunts, and an insatiable appetite. It’s the archetypal zombie. He’s been staggering his way through…
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Back Off Chalmers: protect those accessing abortion services
Talking to the campaign Back Off Chalmers, Katie Pickup explores the impact of anti-choice protesters at abortion clinics and discusses some of the science behind abortion. Imagine you have made a deeply personal decision and are seeking medical treatment. Now you are being heckled and shamed on the way to the medical centre, making the…
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Bacteria in space: why biological life support systems are the future of space travel
One of the greatest challenges limiting our ability to send astronauts on long-haul missions is the need for constant resupply of essential materials from Earth. Any manned spaceflight needs to carry enough food, water and oxygen to sustain a crew for the duration of the mission, but there is only so much weight a single…
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Fear: from ancestral origins to modern thrill-seekers
Fear as an emotion is universal; whether it be the fear of the dark, spiders, or heights. This intense, emotional reaction to a perceived threat infects the minds of many. It may seem more hindrance than help, however, for without fear we would all be reckless beings, putting our lives at risk. Not so great…