Science
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Panelists Discuss ‘Hidden’ Math in Everyday Life
April 15th, 2009Although it may be hard to identify, math is becoming more prevalent in everyday life as technology becomes more and more advanced and society becomes more dependent on it. “Math is hidden,” Prof. Lars Wahlbin, mathematics, said. “You don’t have to be a mathematician to take a pill or be cut up by a surgeon." Read More
The Scientist: David Usher
April 15th, 2009Scientific research often takes place at an interface, between people and between fields of study. Assoc. Prof. David Usher, chemistry and chemical biology, seems to live at such an interface, boasting a diverse range of interests in both his scientific research and his hobbies. Usher studies the origins of life, a controversial topic in science. He currently teaches the large lecture course CHEM 2080: General Chemistry. Read More
Biofortification
April 7th, 2009Many simply do not have enough food to survive. These are the world’s hungry. According to the United Nations, however, more than 840 million people receive all the calories they need and are still dying. They suffer from what is known in nutrition circles as the Hidden Hunger: malnutrition. “We asked: can plants fortify themselves?” Ross Welch, Lead Scientist for the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Laboratory, said, “and the answer was yes.” Read More
Drastic Increase in Diagnoses of Autism Moves Scientists, Charities to Action
April 7th, 2009“Dread. It permeated our home, seeped into the nooks and crannies of our lives,” wrote Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook. “By late August, Ryan was coming on his third birthday. His evaluation showed little, if any, improvement. Now, instead of having the skills of a 14-month old, he had the skills of a 15-month old.” Sparks' son was diagnosed with autism, a critical brain developmental condition. The Sun examines current trends in research on the fastest growing developmental disability for autism awareness month. Read More
Annual Engineering Conference Showcases Student Research
April 7th, 2009Sun Science reports on the annual engineering research conference, which took place on Apr. 3. This conference, unlike many others in the engineering school, spanned applied research from a wide range of engineering departments at Cornell University. Read More
Eat Less, Live Longer?
April 7th, 2009In 1934, Prof. Clive McKay made an extraordinary discovery about the effect of caloric restriction on health and longevity. McKay found that rats fed considerably less food lived approximately 40 percent longer. In fact, rats on a low calorie diet displayed a reduced incidence of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other ailments. Since then, research has been targeting a variety of animals — most interestingly humans. Read More
Bioacoustics Is Music to Conservationists' Ears
March 31st, 2009Life without vocal communication is quite hard to imagine. Humans rely on communication for social interactions and to exchange information — many animals also use vocal communication to develop complex social networks. However, research into animal communication has only picked up in the last 50 years. In the emerging field of bioacoustics, conservationists are keeping listening for new solutions. Read More
Chemical physicist and poet Roald Hoffmann may be the only Nobel laureate with his own cabaret
March 31st, 2009Renaissance man and professor emeritus Roald Hoffmann, chemical and chemical biology, spent his early years fleeing conflict spurned by Nazi Germany. Years later, he runs a cabaret in New York City. The Sun sits down the Nobel Laureate to discuss what happened in between. Read More
Miracle Fruit Sensation Is a Trip for Taste Buds, Not Brain, Scientists Say
March 31st, 2009On Mar. 28, intrigued students flooded Risley Hall to experience a night of sensory overload at Cornell Underground’s Flavor Tripping event. While the phrase “flavor tripping” may imply that the fruit’s effect is drug-induced, the berry is entirely safe unless the consumer has an allergy to it. The fruit, in fact, has no effect on the brain's neurochemistry. Read More
Nordlander Lecturer Diagnoses U.S. Healthcare Problems
March 31st, 2009For a country whose president is proposing universal healthcare, visiting lecturer David Healy — a professor of psychological medicine at Cardiff University, North Wales — said it is essential to foster an understanding of what good healthcare really is. Healy was the featured professor at this year’s Nordlander Lecture in Science and Public Policy on Wednesday, Mar. 25, established by the science and technology studies department in memory of J. Eric Nordlander, a prominent educator and scientist. Read More