biology Archives

How Habits Are Formed

September 20, 2018April 3, 2021 Science Connectedbiology, brain, it's okay to be smart, neuroscience, videos

Do you have some bad habits that bother you, but you just can’t seem to break? That’s because habits are literally wired into your brain. Every single thought, action, and feeling changes your brain a little bit. For example, this is what loneliness can do to your brain. When repeated enough times, a habit is formed. Some are good, some are bad, but you’re not likely to forget any of them without serious effort. Learn about which parts of your brain are responsible for forming habits, how long it takes,…

Biology Get to Know a Scientist

A Day in the Life of a Vascular Biologist

September 18, 2018May 2, 2021 Science Connectedbiology, cells, science experiments

A vascular biologist studies blood vessels. Follow one in the lab as she conducts blood cell research and learn how experiments are designed.

Biology Health Science Videos STEM Education

Science with Sophie: Scab Science

August 30, 2018March 25, 2019 Science Connectedbiology, health, science experiments, Science with Sophie, student science experiments

Scab Science It’s happened to all of us. You’re running or riding your bike, you slip, you fall, and you skin your knee. After a few days, you notice that the cut where you skinned your knee has formed a scab. What happens to our bodies when we get hurt? Why do we get cuts, and why do we get scabs afterward? Learn how white blood cells, proteins, and skin cells work together to help you get better after you get hurt in this episode of Science with Sophie! Do…

Environment

When Aquatic Invasive Species Take Over

August 23, 2018January 14, 2022 Science Connectedbiology, ecology, environmental science, invasive species

What is an aquatic invasive species? It is non-native species that has been introduced into an area, and it is a big problem. By Natasha Parkinson @schrodicatsci The weather is hot, and everyone is trying to cool off any way they can. Everyone with a boat is out on the water, tubing, waterskiing, fishing, or cruising around. Anyone that has been around boats knows about boat safety: wear a life jacket, and don’t operate watercraft under the influence. But one aspect that is less discussed is preventing the spread of…

Fire Management in California's Chaparal: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducted a controlled burn of central marine chaparral at Fort Ord, Calif., Oct. 15, to expose unexploded ordnance at the formerly utilized defense site. The burn, carefully coordinated with local agencies, lasted less than two hours and was timed so that prevailing winds would help blow the smoke away from population centers. The controlled burns are part of a comprehensive ordnance removal program at Fort Ord, which closed in 1994 under recommendation from the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. (U.S. Army photo/Released)

Biology Environment Zoology

Fire Management in California’s Chaparral Harms Birds

April 2, 2018March 31, 2021 Science Connectedbiodiversity, biology, birds, california, ecology, fire, plant sciences

A fire management practice known as mastication, or mechanically crushing vegetation to prevent forest fires, threatens bird communities.

Linguistics Science Videos

Language Detectives

January 18, 2018May 2, 2021 Science Connectedanthropology, biology, language, linguistics

Where did the Uto-Aztecan language originate? An interdisciplinary research project looked at a set of 100 words to understand the sound sequences of this language. Watch this video to see how an anthropologist and a computational biologist carried out this research. This is another in the Shelf Life series from the American Museum of Natural History. Museum curators Peter Whiteley, an anthropologist, and Ward Wheeler, a computational biologist, joined forces to trace the evolution of Native American languages by applying gene-sequencing methods to historical linguistics. I became fascinated by the idea…

Citizen Science Environment

Citizen Science Promotes Environmental Engagement

January 4, 2018March 18, 2021 Science Connectedbiology, citizen science, climate change, education, research, students

When people get to help scientists with research projects, public scientific literacy and environmental engagement increase.

Health

Fabulous Fat: Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Combat Malnutrition

November 14, 2017November 14, 2017 Science Connectedbiology, health, medicine, nutrition

By Shayna Keyles @shaynakeyles Malnutrition affects hundreds of millions of children around the world. As of 2017, about 23 percent of children under five suffer from stunted growth because of malnutrition and about 8 percent experience extreme wasting, which is characterized by a low weight-to-height ratio. Although over the years many treatments have been developed that reduce chances of mortality, increase weight gain, and improve lean tissue creation—all signs of healthy development—more work is necessary to create an inexpensive, accessible, and long-term solution. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; also known as…