The Mesolimbic Reward System and How It Shapes Behavior
Explore the brain's core motivation circuit and how it guides our desires, reinforces our habits, and influences overall psychological well-being.
What Lobe Controls Short-Term Memory?
Short-term memory is not the job of one brain lobe, but a function where distinct areas collaborate to actively manage, encode, and process information.
Replication Licensing: How Cells Control DNA Replication
Explore the intricate cellular mechanism that grants permission for DNA to be copied, ensuring the process occurs exactly once per cell cycle for genomic stability.
What Are Kenyon Cells and What Is Their Function?
Delve into how Kenyon cells, key neurons in insect brains, process sensory information to form unique and efficient memories, offering a model for brain organization.
Are Sweet Potatoes Naturally Genetically Modified?
Explore the sweet potato's unique genetic makeup, shaped by an ancient, natural gene transfer that sets it apart from modern lab-engineered organisms.
IL-22’s Role in Tissue Repair and Disease
Delve into IL-22, a cytokine that directs tissue repair at the body's barriers. Learn how this essential protective function can also contribute to chronic disease.
Hippocampus Injury: Symptoms, Causes, and Recovery
An injury to the hippocampus affects how we form memories, learn, and navigate. Learn about the consequences of this damage and strategies for adaptation.
Neomycin Phosphotransferase II: Function, Mechanism, & Safety
Explore the NPTII enzyme, a key protein in genetic engineering, from its molecular action to its established record of safety in the food supply.
What Is an EEG Arousal and Why Does It Matter?
Learn how brief shifts in brainwave activity, known as arousals, are measured to understand sleep fragmentation and its connection to your overall health.
What Is 2-HG and How Does It Cause Cancer?
Explore how gene mutations cause a common metabolite, 2-HG, to accumulate and promote cancer by altering a cell's epigenetic code and halting its development.
Temporal Sequence: Defining the Order of Events in Science
The order of events is a key principle shaping scientific discovery, logical thought, and how we perceive and describe our world.
Acetate Production in the Human Body
Discover acetate, a key molecule produced within the body that serves dual roles as a fundamental energy source and a complex cellular messenger.
Does Sodium Chloride Kill Bacteria?
Explore the science of how salt dehydrates and kills bacteria. Learn why its effectiveness is dependent on concentration and the specific microbe.
A Step-by-Step Ribosome Profiling Protocol
This detailed protocol for ribosome profiling explains how to generate and analyze a genome-wide snapshot of active protein synthesis in cells.
CGRP and Pain: What Is the Connection?
Learn how the CGRP protein functions within the nervous system to transmit pain signals and why it has become a key target for therapeutic intervention.
What Is Secologanin? A Key to Lifesaving Medicine
Explore secologanin, a plant-derived compound that serves as a vital molecular precursor for a wide array of complex and essential medicines.
Parasitism in Biology: Types, Life Cycles, and Effects
Learn how parasitism functions as a fundamental biological relationship that impacts host health, manipulates behavior, and drives ecological change.
What Are Bergmann Glia and What Is Their Function?
Explore how Bergmann glia, a specialized cell, are integral to both building the cerebellum's architecture and maintaining its synaptic health for motor control.
What Is Stem Cell Imaging and Why Is It Important?
For stem cell therapy to succeed, we must understand what happens after transplantation. Learn about the imaging that makes this essential observation possible.
Are Otters Territorial? How They Defend Their Space
Explore the complex social rules governing otter territories. Learn how scent marking, species, and sex influence how these animals manage and defend their space.