Inside a dark laboratory, a little spider hangs in front of a computer screen. Rather than a silk line suspending it from above, a complex cylindrical apparatus seems to hold it in place. The spider’s feet touch a plastic ball covered with small dark patches. As images move across the…
Life has survived for more than three billion years because it is robust, and almost no mutations can easily outwit the defense mechanisms built up through eons of exposure to potential pathogens. –Lawrence M. Krauss Every second, every minute of your life, your body is under attack. This may be…
The Universe sprang into being about 13.8 billion years ago, expanding exponentially from a point of infinite density and infinite temperature. Such a point is called a singularity, and this event is popularly known as the ‘Big Bang’. Before this point, time and space did not exist, so the word…
Sigmund Freud, the venerable father of psychoanalysis, had a lesser known distinction up his sleeve. He produced one of the first comprehensive scientific analyses of the drug Cocaine, published in 1884 under the title ‘Über Coca’. In this remarkable manuscript, amidst sections such as a detailed description of the cocaine…
If you have ever felt a yearning for a perfect picture of domestic bliss, take one look inside a simple beehive. The life of the social bee is a life of contentment and diligence, of strict order and unfailing discipline, of stratified classes and organized division of labor, and above…
Hello Folks! As promised, here is part II of our roundup of the most interesting breakthroughs in the world of science in the last couple of weeks. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. You will learn about mysterious brain cells of male roundworms, methods for remote-controlling…
Hi everyone! I meant to post this last Sunday, but as you can see, I’ve been running a little behind schedule. Nevertheless, it’s time for a short review of what has been happening in the world of science, and last week has been an interesting week as far as that…
Hi everyone! It has been an exciting week in science, and since it is Sunday evening, I thought I’d give you a brief overview of what has been happening in the scientific world this week. Discovery of a new Jupiter-like planet Scientists have discovered a new exoplanet that closely resembles…
Scientists at the Salk Institute, USA have discovered a way to control brain cells using ultrasonic sound waves. Their method, which they call ‘sonogenetics’, has been applied to the tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans, and can pave the way for advanced research into brain function by letting researchers target individual neurons…
The spined soldier bug, despite having a really cool name, is rather unimpressive in appearance. About the size of a fingernail and a muddy, mottled brown in color, this little bug does not look like it might be hiding any deep secrets. Also called the stink bug, it is often…