✴︎ The
Hypothesis
The Online Edition of the Berkeley Scientific Journal
Research & Blogs Department
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Newly Discovered Neural Mechanism of Social Isolation
By Nicole Xu Social isolation is by no means a new phenomenon, but the issue is currently being highlighted as lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have severely dwindled person-to-person interaction. People of all ages struggle with social isolation, but it can have especially detrimental and long lasting effects in developing children.…
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Concerns over Insufficient Vitamin D: A Valid Excuse for Not Wearing Sunscreen?
By Tiffany Liang We know that we should wear sunscreen when heading outdoors on a hot, sunny day, but slathering on the sun lotion is often the last thing on our minds during the cold, dark days of winter. Besides, we need all the Vitamin D we can get, right? Well, let’s first break down…
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The “New” Science Field That Might Cure Our Existentialism
By Aarthi Muthukumar What does it mean to be human? Perhaps it’s our anatomy, and the way we’ve categorized ourselves in evolutionary theory. Or maybe it’s the fact that we have big brains, dedicated to solving complex problems and contemplating the meaning of existence. Whatever the answer may be, we can all agree that…
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Shaping Light with New Materials: A new take on Chromatic Aberration
By Yi Zhu Ever wonder why rainbows contain, well…a rainbow of colors? The science behind rainbows was first demonstrated by Isaac Newton in 1666 when he showed that white light passing through a glass prism will spread out into a wide spectrum of colors. We observe a rainbow from materials such as…
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You’re Overthinking: The Spotlight Effect
By: Hosea Chen The teacher asks for a volunteer to sing their favorite song in front of the class. Would you do it? What if I told you that you’d feel more inclined to hit those high notes in front of your peers by the end of this article? Well, let me introduce you…
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Lower Voice Pitch Correlates with Higher Electability, but not Necessarily Leadership Ability
by Nanda Nayak Vocal communication can serve a variety of purposes in the animal kingdom. Male white bellbirds, for example, attempt to coo females they are interested in by loudly screaming in their face, reaching up to 125 decibels in volume — about as loud as a jackhammer!) Tigers may roar to intimidate competition and…
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Artificial Intelligence: A Potential Platform for Breast Cancer Diagnosis
By Liane Albarghouthi When you hear of artificial intelligence, what first comes to mind? You may not immediately jump to breast cancer screenings — but with the developments of exciting technologies, this seemingly unlikely pairing is within reach. Now, scientists are unraveling trailblazing artificial intelligence applications throughout a vast range of fields — including cancer…
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Deep brain stimulation: a potential new treatment for schizophrenia
By Andrea He Schizophrenia is a severe disease that affects 1% of the worldwide population and reliable, effective treatments are almost nonexistent. Symptoms of hallucinations and delusions mark this mental disorder, changing the lives of patients and their families. However, a new treatment using the deep brain stimulation technique could improve the condition of patients.…
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What’s Killing the Tasmanian Devils? And What’s Saving Them?
By Emily Matcham Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) is as horrific as it sounds. Classified as a transmissible cancer, the disease, when present in Tasmanian devil populations, can reduce the populations by approximately 80 percent. Tasmanian devils, which are small, carnivorous marsupials native only to Tasmania, are scavengers and are instrumental to the maintenance of…
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Metal-Organic Frameworks show promise for a hydrogen-centric fuel economy
By Noah Bussell With parts of California locked in a smoky haze for much of the fall and other regions of the world facing climate catastrophes of their own, the negative effects of fossil fuel dependence continue to reveal themselves in full force. As such, with the byproducts of fossil fuel-based processes leading to potentially…
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The Return of Birdsong
By Rebecca Park When was the last time you heard birdsong over the cacophony of honking cars, screeching tires, and roaring engines? Chances are, probably not recently—and even if you did, it would be like hearing the thin cry of a lost child in the midst of a bustling crowd—nearly imperceptible. Unlike lost children, male…
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Predicting Empathy Unconventionally
By Tiffany Liang How would you tell how empathetic someone is? You might base it off of how they react to emotional situations, how caring they are, how well they pick up on the feelings of others, and so on. Here’s a brain teaser: how would you tell how empathetic someone is, without asking them…