The simple lab technique that changed everything How the discovery and validation of a simple lab technique called PCR by Kary Mullis and his team in the 1980’s helped science take a leap forward in understanding genetics and improved our society. November 19, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
Black holes and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity How mathematician Roger Penrose’s black hole modeling in 1965 provided evidence for the Theory of Relativity and earned him the 2020 Nobel Prize. October 22, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
The Chemistry of Fireworks How the ancient Chinese discovery of gunpowder and a scientist burning different metals led to the fireworks we know and love today July 16, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
The little molecule that repairs your heart after a heart attack Recent experiments in mice have demonstrated how a molecule of circular RNA called circCDYL might be able to help a heart repair itself after a heart attack by acting like a molecular sponge. June 25, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
Why We Have Gadgets: Electromagnetism James Clerk Maxwell was the first person to finally prove the relationship between electricity and magnetism using math, unifying the two theories and allowing for much faster advancement. June 18, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
How does life handle the harshness of space? Experiments on the International Space Station showed that lichens, a combination of algae and fungi, survived in space-like, flight, and Mars-like environments. June 3, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
How did we discover the first virus? The recovery of the cause of tobacco mosaic disease by Dimitri Ivanovsky eventually lead to the discovery of the first virus. April 23, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
A glow-in-the-dark protein called luciferase improves medical diagnostics The study and commercialization of a firefly’s famous ability to illuminate, called bioluminescence, is helping us explore biology and medicine in new and fascinating ways March 17, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
O, the Drama! The discovery of oxygen How oxygen’s controversial discovery dismantled the phologiston era and changed science forever February 20, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
Which came first, the cysteine or the egg? The amino acid cysteine was thought to be needed to manufacture itself, leading scientists to wonder where the first cysteine molecule came from. February 13, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More
