Sciences Division
Science with a Twist: Harvard Researchers Discover Helix Shape
It might be time to take a closer glance at the nearest landline phone cord. Harvard researchers recently discovered a new shape—the hemihelix—which can be found in helical-like structures such as phone cords or slinkies. Shapes like the hemihelix might shed light on the process of creating three dimensional shapes from two dimensional starting materials, researchers said.
Green Labs Symposium Promotes More Energy-Efficient Labs
The symposium included a networking session, workshops, and a case study of the Smart Labs Initiative at the University of California Irvine.
MCB To Revamp Requirements, Programming, and Concentration Name
The Molecular and Cellular Biology concentration will revamp its requirements and extracurricular programming to allow concentrators greater flexibility and incorporate recent “astonishing changes in biomedical research,” MCB head tutors Susan Mango and Rachelle Gaudet announced in an email to concentrators on Monday.
OEB Concentration Renamed Integrative Biology
The Organismic and Evolutionary Biology concentration will be renamed Integrative Biology, according to an email announcement sent to concentrators Thursday.
Adjustment to New Technology Improves Efficiency of Genetic Editing
New technology being researched by professors at Harvard Medical School has made methods of gene surgery more efficient and accessible and can potentially help to address major diseases caused by genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia.
Scientists Modify Cotton and Polyester to Display Repellent Properties
By modifying cotton and polyester fabrics with a coating that repels almost any type of substance, a research team from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering could be close to changing the nature of several consumer and industrial products—as well as the need for laundry.
Professors Mull NIH Proposal To Change Grant Awards Structure
Harvard professors said proposed changes to the National Institute of Health’s grant giving policy would increase the flexibility given to Harvard’s senior faculty while posing new challenges for younger researchers and associate professors just starting their labs.
Harvard Official: A- is Median Grade and A Most Common Across All Three FAS Divisions and SEAS
The new information challenges the belief held by some that grade inflation is less prevalent in courses in the sciences than in the humanities.
Review of Life Sciences Concentrations Presented to Faculty
Student interest and satisfaction have both increased since the restructuring of concentrations and advising within the life sciences. In 2012, the life sciences concentrations graduated 52 percent more students than in 2006. Concentration satisfaction—a major concern before the restructuring—has also risen significantly, according to the report.
Energy Official Advocates Climate Adaptation
John M. Deutch, who served in multiple capacities for the Department of Energy and later directed the Central Intelligence Agency under President Bill Clinton, lectured Wednesday on the future of global energy, expressing a need for adaptation and not just mitigation to climate change.
Scientists Discover New Species in Australia
A recent scientific expedition to the Cape Melville rainforest in Australia, led in part by a Harvard researcher, resulted in the discovery of three new vertebrate species. The scientists identified a golden colored skink, a leaf-tailed gecko, and a boulder-dwelling frog—all of which have been isolated in their environment for millions of years.
Scientists Use Zebrafish To Turn Human Stem Cells into Muscle Tissue
Harvard researchers have used Zebrafish, a tropical freshwater fish, to develop a way to turn human stem cells into muscle tissue.
Addressing the Elephant in the Room in Cancer Genetic
Researchers from Harvard Medical School have predicted that many more tumor suppressor and oncogenes have a combined effect on the development of disease than originally thought, concluding that cancer is even more complex than imagined.
Mazur Criticizes Forms of Assessments
Current academic assessments fail to teach students skills that are applicable in the real world, argued Area Dean for Applied Physics Eric Mazur during a lecture to a packed hall in the Science Center Tuesday afternoon.
Center for Astrophysics Workers Furloughed Following Government Shutdown
As debate over the federal government shutdown continues in Washington, funding for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has dried up and approximately 100 federal workers at the Center have been sent home.
Harvard Today: Sept. 30, 2013
Happy last day of September, folks! The leaves are turning red and classes are getting real, so it must be nearly October.
Harvard Today: September 26, 2013
Well, Dunkin' Donuts is back, and Ted Cruz has finally finished reading out of the phone book. Enjoy the sun today—maybe one of the last days to jump off of Weeks Bridge?
Harvard Today: Sept. 25, 2013
Try something new by attending a lecture on a controversial poet or groundbreaking astronomy research, or stick to the tried-and-true Italian favorites in the d-halls. Wednesdays are all about options.
Harvard Today: Sept. 16, 2013
Happy Monday! Everyone’s favorite day of the week is upon us once again, so put a spring in your step as you bound out the door this morning, and check out what’s going on at Harvard today.
What To Do When You Didn't Win the Lottery
So the course of your dreams—convenient time slot, knocks out a Gen Ed, cross-counts for concentration credit—has been lotteried, and the professor writes to you: "Looking forward to a great semester of this class—except without you in it." No need to panic just yet, though. On this Study Card Day Eve, Flyby's got you covered.
Study Reveals Early Malnutrition Affects Personality Formation
In a new study published last March in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Harvard researchers reveal that even a single incident of malnutrition in early childhood can have a profound effect on an individual’s adult personality. Individuals who had suffered from severe starvation as infants tended to be more neurotic and less adventurous, sociable, curious, and organized as adults.