Whenever I fly to or from the Houston, I am always amazed at the vast greenery the city has to offer that I am able to view from my airplane window during descent and ascent. Although many look at Houston as an overcrowded, sprawling, and polluted metropolis, I absolutely love the place and its many...
When a pathogen reproduces, it synthesizes both essential and non-essential molecules. Genes important for the production of molecules that are not as important can easily be mutated without much difference to the function or survival of the pathogen. However, genes important for the production...
Every week while researching the latest news in plant research, I notice an abundance of articles pertaining to genetic modification. Whether scientists have sequenced a particular plant’s genome or discovered a gene regulator, such as the riboswitches we discussed last week, genetic modification...
Over the course of 20 years, I have witnessed my mother prepare some odd homemade remedy for an illness that my siblings or I had contracted. When young, I never really thought to question the effectiveness of these treatments, because I always believed that mother knew best. But now, I often wonder...
Perhaps the most devastating effect of deforestation is the immense diversity of plant and animal life that is lost in the process. This effect is even further compounded when we talk about the tropical rainforest deforestation that has steadily become more and more commonplace over the past few and...
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology have recently uncovered a new method for genetically modifying plants by manipulating the genes found in chloroplast.
As you may already know, the chloroplast aids in plant survival, as this organelle takes on the responsibility...
In my Spanish class recently we learned the future tense. In an attempt to keep things interesting, the topics covered by the future tense chapter were space travel and genetic engineering. We discussed the consequences of creating babies “a la carte”, and for our final assignment we had to write...
Although the phenomenon of potatoes darkening after cooking or processing is widely known, after-cooking darkening (ACD) had not been researched thoroughly enough (until recently, that is) to determine methods of prevention. Although the darkening does not compromise the nutritional value or the flavor...
As a child, I would often ask my mom why things in nature are the way they are and she would always give me the same answer: to provide an overarching balance to the world. Although this answer seemed overly simplistic to me even as a kid, I have come to realize over the years that there was great...
Stress is the number one reason why students underperform and get depressed; as a college student, I can definitely attest to the negative effects of stress that I feel, especially during midterms. Sometimes, the pressure of too many things on my plate can push me to be productive, but when I feel...
About a month ago, just before getting into my car to head to work, I noticed that my shiny black car had taken on a completely new color without ever having visited the paint shop. As I quickly swiped my finger across the trunk, the culprit for this sudden color change was identified – pollen! ...
Major impediments to plant growth include disease, malnourishment, and predators. Limiting any of these factors would greatly benefit plants struggling to survive. Researchers at the University of California at Irvine have concluded that insect-eating animals such as birds and lizards can reduce the...
Almost everyone is familiar with the many uses of silicon in plastic surgery and the nanotechnology industry. What may shock you are the effects of this commonly used metalloid on plants. From ancient times, sunflowers provided extraordinary nutritional benefits and their beautiful flowers have...
In the last few decades, genetic engineering has been a hot research area. Genetic engineering techniques have succeeded in feats such as mapping the human genome, cloning various animals, creating hybrid animals (such as Ligers!), increasing resistance to diseases, and, the most common application,...
For most, the act of defense may be associated with the process of a physical attack; however, because of the immobility of majority of plants, they must possess unique methods of defense against the environment in order to survive in nature. Although plants may not mount a physical attack on a...
St. John’s wort, a plant widely known for relieving symptoms of depression, may have more curative properties than originally thought. St. John’s wort can refer to any species in the plant genus Hypericum, which persists throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere, and researchers at the Agricultural...
Asthma and allergies afflict over 60 million people in the United States, making it the most prevalent chronic disease in the nation. Many people visit their local allergists to be treated, and treatment can often include the prescription of an inhaler that relaxes the muscles of constricted airways....
