People have been fascinated by zombies for over a century. The modern zombie concept emerged in the 1920s thanks to literature, but it soon shambled toward greater popularity with the advent of cinema, television, comics, and eventually video games. Over the years, the zombie craze has refused to die (pun intended)! When most people hear “zombie,” they think of undead humans but biologists have connected the term to several real-life viruses, parasites, and bacteria. 

Continue reading “Night of the Living Dead: Viral & Parasitic Zombies”

By Laura Tran, C2ST Intern, Rush University

Vampire bats are mysterious creatures that have quite a reputation due to their unique diet. They are the only mammals that have a diet of blood, blood, and… you guessed it, blood! 

Continue reading “Why Do Vampire Bats Have A Taste For Blood?”

By Summer Seligmann, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

If you feel like you waste a lot of food, you’re not alone. In the United States, 30-40% of the food supply goes to waste. We can reduce our waste by consuming less, but some food inevitably goes bad before we can use it. If you want to divert some of that food from the landfill and give your garden some extra love, composting is the way to go. 

Continue reading “Composting 101”

By Veronica Villanueva, C2ST Intern, Rush University

There is an old fable1–told in more than one country–about the origin of chess. A wise man shows his king a game he developed about the king’s empire. The game depicted the king, his officers, and his foot soldiers battling an enemy army. The king loved the game and wanted to repay the wise man with gold and precious jewels. 

Continue reading “In The Game of Chess Humanity Has Finally Met Its Match”

By Veronica Villanueva, C2ST Intern, Rush University

When we develop new technologies, we rely on our knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and math to produce the best outcomes. Sometimes, it’s easier to take ideas from the world around us instead of having to “reinvent the wheel.” Biomimicry is when we model materials, structures, or systems based on biological processes and entities. 

One of the best known examples of biomimicry is velcro(1). In 1941 George de Mestral noticed that burrs were sticking to him and his dog as they walked. When he looked at the burrs under a microscope, he saw they were made of hundreds of tiny hook shapes. These tiny hooks inspired the creation of velcro.

Continue reading “Weaving our World with Biomimicry”

By Veronica Villanueva, C2ST Intern, Rush University

Autoimmune diseases are quite common. Most of us know someone with allergies, diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis, but–despite numerous advancements in the study of autoimmune disorders–there are still many questions left to answer about the causes and origins of these afflictions. Many studies are currently underway. While the individual purposes of these studies vary, the overall goal is the same: to give researchers a better understanding of autoimmune disorders. One detrimental autoimmune disease under study is multiple sclerosis (MS). 

MS is an autoimmune disease which impacts the central nervous system. Specifically, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath around nerve fibers. This myelin sheath acts as insulation for neurons and prevents them from taking damage. Without the protection of the myelin sheath neurons are much more susceptible to harm–this can lead to things like impaired vision, loss of motor function, and diminished coordination. 

Continue reading “Kissing Multiple Sclerosis Goodbye: The Surprising Link Between MS and Epstein-Barr Virus”