Reflections
When taking stock of the last semester, I have found that the most enjoyable moments of this class were those that overlapped with my academic interest in public policy, anthropology, and law. These science topics included climate change, ethics, pseudoscience, and more recently artificial intelligence. When discussing climate change and other environmental issues such as […]
Ashwaganda and Alzheimer’s Disease, an Unlikely Connection
Few are familiar with Ashwaganda, a green herb which has been used in Indian medicine for years. Recent studies on mice have now shown that the herb could play a role in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease which afflicts roughly 5.4 million people. Mice with Alzheimer’s received ashwaganda, and afterwards there was a […]
Anti Cancer Chemicals Found in Marine Sponges
The chemical agelisphin was recently found in the in marine sponges and it may play a role in future cancer treatments. Agelisphin acts as an NKT cell activator. NKT cells strengthen the immune system and thus when they are activated by chemicals improve the quality of the immune system. The chemical is currently being tested on […]
Solar Panels
Solar panels are one of the more recent discoveries have made in order to cut down on the usage of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels pose major damage to the environment and they provide finite energy, unlike solar panels which provide a renewable and sustainable source of energy. Solar panels work by harvesting photons of light directly […]
Thoughts on Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant
Growing up I always knew that the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant existed and it was relatively close to my neighborhood in Queens, but I never gave it much thought. The closest I’ve ever been to it was when one of my friends made a wrong turn while driving. Neither of us knew what it was […]
Mosquito Bites and Improving the Microneedle
It’s easy to get a mosquito bite an not notice it. We often find ourselves with multiple bites before even realizing what happened. This seamlessness is due in part to the design of the tip of the mosquito’s mouth, also known as the proboscis. The mouth of the mosquito is made up of multiple parts which […]
Rising Waters in Western Queens
Growing up, I considered the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Woodside, and Long Island City to an extent to be my home. All of these neighborhoods will be affected as waters rise in the next 80 years. In the past, New York City has seen an average rise in sea level of 1.2 inches per decade, […]
Public Health at Risk: Toxic Algae Growth on the Rise as Ocean Temperatures Increase
As global temperatures rise, we often forget that our ocean temperatures are rising as well, affecting our environment and public health in ways we haven’t even begun to consider. Over the course of a 34-year study monitoring rising ocean temperatures, researchers are beginning to understand the possible health impacts from something as seemingly insignificant as algae. […]
Asbestos in New York City
Because of its silicate makeup, which allows it to be divided into strong thin strands which are heat resistant, asbestos has long been a part of the history of construction, until now. Used to fireproof buildings, asbestos was mined through surface mining. The mining and use of asbestos has been linked to many health issues. […]
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