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The Body’s Own Defense Against Cancer
By Nicole Xu For years, cancer has been thought of as a daunting and incurable disease. However, what if the body already had a built-in mechanism to defend itself against cancer? Dr. James Allison and Dr. Tasuku Honjo have pioneered the field of cancer immunotherapy with their Nobel Prize winning research by utilizing immune checkpoints…
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How Social Immunity Protects Insect Colonies
By Xandria Ortiz If you have ever had any interactions with ants, you many have witnessed the strange phenomenon of one ant carrying around the carcass of another ant. At first glance, this practice may appear to be part of a disturbing cannibal ritual. However, the ant is actually tidying up the nest. If the…
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Aromatherapy — Does it Work?
By Andreana Chou Passing by the mouth-watering scents from local restaurants after a long day can often evoke memories of comfort food at home. But are scents universally effective across different people and powerful enough to cause significant health changes? While commonly regarded as a holistic health treatment, aromatherapy and its reported effects are…
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Dropping Octopi in Drugs
By Andreana Chou The last thing you’d expect to have in common with the octopus is increased socialization after taking ecstasy. Ecstasy, scientifically known as 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA for short, is a drug that alters our mood and perception. Although humans and octopi are separated by over 500 million years of evolution, they share a…
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New Research shows why dogs die after swimming in the Eel River
By Xandria Ortiz The Eel River is part of the third largest watershed in California. It is one of the major rivers in northwestern California, and is a major source for local industries, agriculture, and municipalities. The river is also a hotspot for outdoor recreation as many people enjoy camping and hiking around the river…
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Dickinsonia is discovered to be Earth’s first living animal
By Isabelle Chiu We can all trace our roots back to the first animal: the Dickinsonia. The discovery of the Dickinsonia fossil has puzzled scientists for decades because of its unusually large size compared to other organisms found in the Edicarian time period. However, a recent study from the Australian National University has confirmed that…
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How a UC Berkeley Professor Delivered Pure Water from Thin Air
By Sharon Binoy Climate change has been a hot button topic in the political arena in recent years. Despite its widely debated existence, its impacts in regions that already experience climate extremes are especially tangible. The harsh conditions in these areas are aggravated by climate change, dropping water availability to historic lows. Even regions in…
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Time, Language Acquisition, and the Human Genome
By Devina Sen Time: we never seem to get enough of it. Time to get groceries, to study before a midterm, or to binge-watch the latest Netflix original before the next season comes out. It even plays a vital role in our ability to learn language and master sight. But for some learners, time is…
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“It’s a Trap!”: Particle Dynamics in Solar System Genesis
By Ethan Ward Physics is an amazing science that can bring together ideas from seemingly distinct fields and turn them into a greater understanding of the workings of the universe. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a group of telescopes in Chile that allows astronomers to investigate cosmic phenomena that occur in the region…
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Receptor Shows Promise for Autism Treatment
By Mellisa Mulia ASD is a lifelong, developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior, where symptoms appear around age 2, affecting more males than females. Particularly, it inhibits social interactions with others, causing children to have a hard time interacting with others or expressing themselves. Here is where the mu opioid receptor (MOR) comes in.…