Science & Research

Lecture dispels vaccine myths

Ancient form of justice survives in baseball

What do ninth century Iceland and Boston Red Sox games have in common? According to a recent study by Fiery Cushman, assistant professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, the two have more in common than one might think. ...

Conference fosters innovation of materials

Researchers explore water in past Martian climates

Many people wonder if there has ever been water on Mars. But researchers from the Department of Geological Sciences have a few more questions ­- What did the water contain? How long might it have been there?

Study examines military reserve alcohol abuse

Implants with nanofeatures may provide breast cancer therapy

It's simple mechanics - going through a doggy door is not a challenging task for a tiny puppy, but it is fairly difficult for a larger human. 

NSF protocol heightens competition for grants

In recent years, funds for science research have been stretched thin, with the number of researchers growing faster than the number of dollars. Though it was created in response to this competitive climate, a new proposal procedure at the National Science Foundation has posed additional challenges for ...

Zimmer shares science writing experiences

Renowned science writer Carl Zimmer spoke about whales, viruses and the current state of journalism Thursday night, telling an almost-full Metcalf Auditorium "how an English major ended up with a tapeworm named after him."

Climate lab reports on UN negotiations

The Climate and Development Lab, an environmentally savvy group of 15 undergraduate and graduate students, released the Brown Report from Durban today. The report brings to light the details of the lab's trip to the 2011 United Nations climate change negotiations in Durban, South Africa.

Vernal Equinox illuminates Sci Li courtyards

As midday approached yesterday, the white marble slabs in the four Friedman Study Center courtyards were flooded with light in a peculiar symmetry. In each atrium, areas covered with white marble slabs were completely illuminated with sunlight, while mulched areas remained in the shadows. The illumination ...

Paxson research analyzes Katrina's impact

Tufts prof weighs in on DNA vs. free will debate

Assistant prof wins Department of Defense grant

Mark Zervas, assistant professor of molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, won a $716,769 Department of Defense grant to study tuberous sclerosis, a developmental genetic disorder. Tuberous sclerosis occurs in approximately one in 6,000 live births and causes epilepsy, autism and cognitive ...

'Spliceman' app catches disruptive mutations

Spliceman is not a superhero, but it does have the power to accomplish superhuman feats. Developed by a team of University researchers, the web-based application to identify mutations in gene processing was described in the journal Bioinformatics last week.

Faculty receive one-year research grants

Fifteen faculty members and four faculty research groups were honored Wednesday afternoon as the recipients of the Seed Fund and the Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award. The University-sponsored awards, distributed by the Office of the Vice President for Research, were presented in a ceremony ...

Gene swapping can cause adaptation

A study published last week in the journal Current Biology illustrates plants' ability to swap genes with one another, not just pass them on from parent to offspring. Brown evolutionary biologists, along with researchers at other universities, demonstrated that Alloteropsis grasses held the ability ...

Research links nature with nurture

In the long-debated question of nature versus nurture, the emerging field of behavioral epigenetics may hold significant insight, suggesting that nature responds to the effects of nurture. 

Pollution may trigger strokes, research finds

Even at levels that comply with federal regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency, air pollution may increase the risk of stroke, according to research led by Gregory Wellenius, assistant professor of epidemiology. Wellenius' study was published last month in Archives of Internal Medicine. ...

Nicotine itself may threaten cardiovascular health

The link between cigarette smoke and cardiac disease is well-established, but research conducted by Professor of Medical Science Chi-Ming Hai found that nicotine alone has negative effects on vascular health. While nicotine replacement products such as patches or gums have long been considered safe ...

Prenatal test identifies chromosomal defects

Most people do not think of fetuses as tumors. But it was this idea that revolutionized how scientists approach prenatal tests.