Vaishnavi Sridhar

Vaishnavi Sridhar

Vaishnavi Sridhar completed her PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of British Columbia. She loves discussing science, taking nature walks, and cooking in her free time.

A mix of blue, purple, and yellow pixel-like cells indicating dengue virus particles, with a mosquito in foreground

New Clues Into How Aedes Mosquitoes Detect Human Targets

Aedes mosquitoes use thermal infrared radiation (IR) along with a combination of other signals to detect their human targets. By Vaishnavi Sridhar The sound of buzzing mosquitoes may be enough to send shivers down your body. Especially so in tropical ...
Peanut Allergy Protection

Eating Peanuts for Peanut Allergy Protection: A New Study

Can you prevent a peanut allergy? Scientists found that introducing peanuts into the diet during infancy protected from allergic reactions well into adolescence. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Many foods are labeled as “made in a peanut-free facility” or “nut-free.” This is ...
nighttime beach wave lit by an electric blue light running through top of wave

Bioluminescence: Why Dazzling Blue Lights Appear in Water

That trip to the beach might come with a show: bioluminescence makes sparks of blue light that sometimes flash in water at night. Read on to learn how it happens. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Many of us enjoy watching twinkling stars ...
Bee Behavior Affected by Pesticides and Temperature

Bee Behavior Affected by Pesticides and Temperature

Climate change and pesticides spell double trouble for bee behavior. Researchers in a recent study find that pesticide risk to bees varies depending on the temperature. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Every spring and throughout the summer, gardens around the world are ...
Brown algae are particularly widespread on rocky shores in temperate and cold latitudes and there absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the air worldwide. Credit: Hagen Buck-Wiese/Max Planck Institute For Marine Microbiology

How Brown Algae Mucus Combats Carbon Dioxide

Mucus produced by brown algae may be the key to protecting the ocean, as a new study uncovers how carbon dioxide gets captured and converted. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Years ago when Columbus and his group were on their first voyage, ...
Yeast grown to spell "Yeast" with a smiley face beneath. Credit: Vaishnavi Sridhar

Yeast, A Poem

Scientist, artist: Science inspires art in this poem about the properties of yeast and its similarities to human cells. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Our bodies are made up of cells. Cells are made of different parts called organelles that communicate with ...
An overweight woman in a pink t-shirt flexing her muscles while using resistance training gym equipment. Exercise such as resistance training helps diet-resistant women improve their fitness.

Diet-Resistant Women Respond Well to Exercise

Exercise may stimulate changes to the body at a cellular level, leading to new treatment possibilities for diet-resistant women with obesity. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Right from childhood, eating healthy and being active is often emphasized. Similar messages may be repeated ...
Researchers find that drumming in woodpeckers is neurologically similar to singing in songbirds. Credit: Attribution withheld at license-holder's request (CC-BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Is Drumming Like Singing? A Focus on Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers may not sing out melodies, but a new study hones in on how their drumming may be similar to birdsong on a neural level. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Have you experienced the wonderful sounds made by various birds? For example, ...
In their study of moth migration, the researchers focused on the death’s-head hawkmoth—a large, nocturnal migrant that travels up to 4,000 kilometers between Europe and Africa every year. Image credit: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Moths Know Where to Go: A Look at Moth Migration

Moth migration may be guided by an internal compass to find the way, according to a new study that tracked flight paths of individual moths. By Vaishnavi Sridhar Just like we may take an annual vacation, every year countless animals, ...
Illustration of sleeping person with brain floating above them, holding out shields against pointing shadow fingers. Sleep protects against stress.

Stress-Induced Sleep: A Built-In Snooze Button

Scientists explored how stress can induce sleep in mice and uncovered the brain cells involved in the process. By Vaishnavi Sridhar From an early age, we hear about the importance of adequate sleep; we are told that we must sleep ...