Author Archives: alexgibson18

The Super Supercapacitor.

Posted on March 18, 2013 | 1 comment

I’m sure some of you out there have, at one point or another, thought “is the lifestyle we live in the first world sustainable?” The overwhelming scientific consensus is that things need to change if we are going to keep things the way they are now. This is much easier said than done though since we are a society that is heavily dependant on fossil fuels and batteries for energy, and incidentally these are two of the reasons why our environment is changing for the worse.

These problems we are facing opened the door for a potentially world changing discovery. Back in 2010, the nobel prize in physics was awarded to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov for their groundbreaking work with a material called graphene. Since then research into this material has exploded and the potential applications seem boundless.

Graphene by AlexanderAIUS via Wikimedia Commons

Graphene itself is about 100 times stronger than steel; if you were to make a 1 square meter sheet of the material and make it 1000 times thinner than a piece of paper and hang this up like a hammock it would be able to hold up a 10 pound cat, but would weigh less than one of its whiskers. Aside from its possible application of an awesome super light hammock, this material has researchers buzzing about its potential for the technology and energy industries.

Graphene also has the ability to act as a super capacitor, which means that it is able to store large amounts of energy while only taking a fraction of the time to charge compared to batteries. Imagine a cell phone you could charge in a few seconds or an electric car that only takes a few minutes to charge up and not a few hours. This has been the central property of a new discovery made by Dr. Richard Kaner and his colleagues. They found that they could convert liquid graphite oxide into graphene using only a consumer grade DVD drive.

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The Super Supercapacitor by focusforwardfilms

Things like the cell phones or smart screens that can be rolled up, or ultra thin computers could become a reality because of graphene. Think it doesn’t get much better than this? Think again. On top of all the wondrous possibilities graphene could have for cell phones, computers and car batteries, but because this material is purely made out of carbon it is not only bio degradable, it is completely compostable.

I don’t know about all of you but I’m pretty excited for what the future holds now.

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Posted in Issues in Science

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BPA health risks beginning to be better understood

Posted on February 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

I’m sure at one point or another you’ve heard someone say that plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and that all they do is create landfill waste. Then i’m sure you thought well if i recycle the bottle then it won’t be creating waste. Well it turns out the environment effects of plastic bottles may not be all you have to worry about. Research started coming out Back in 2007 that showed BPA (Bisphenol A) may be causing a variety of unwanted health risks to humans. Regardless of the finding of these early studies, it took the FDA 5 years until it banned the use of BPA in some plastic containers back in 2012. At first it wasn’t well understood how BPA was causing these problems, but a new study that was published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Science may have found at least one mechanism of how BPA is effecting the development of our young.

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What is Bisphenol A? by riskbites

BPA is a manmade organic chemical that is a major component of polycarbonate plastic as well as epoxy resins that are used to coat the insides of many containers  such as food cans and plastic water bottles. The main purpose of BPA is to prevent corrosion of the container itself by its contents. The problem with BPA is that it can mimic estrogen and disrupt our endocrine system.

Pocari Sweat by srowdrowa via Wikimedia Commons

During our development our neurons contain high levels of chloride ions, but as we mature the levels of chloride inside the neurons drops because of a chloride transporter called KCC2. When the developing neurons are exposed to even small levels of BPA these KCC2 transporters don’t work as well and chloride concentrations remain high inside the neuron. As a result of this the developing neurons suffer damage caused by the abnormal chloride levels. Although both male and female neurons are affected, female neurons seem to be more susceptible to BPA’s toxicity. This requires further research to be more certain, but it could could a possible factor in neurological disorders such as Rett syndrome among others that tend to plague females more so than males.

It may be time to start second guessing the use of those disposable plastic water bottles and consider replacing them with a BPA free reusable water bottle. Since the results of the many studies that preceded this one have come into light these more health friendly metal water bottles have become a very popular substitute. And hey it helps reduce a little waste at the same time….win win.

-Alex Gibson

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Posted in Biological Sciences

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Possible Clinical Benefits of Yoga

Posted on January 28, 2013 | 3 comments

There are many myths among the general public regarding yoga. For example, some believe that yoga is only for those who are super flexible, or perhaps, only for women. I’m writing this to convince you that these myths are very false, and as it turns out yoga may hold some other lesser known benefits for its practitioners.

Yoga Pose By Lululemon Athletica via Wikimedia Commons

Yoga is a good way to improve on flexibility, it can help you with breathing as well as core strength. However, did you know that it may be able to help you lift you mood or help you sleep? A review of 16 recent studies found that yoga could help those who suffer from depression as well as those who complain of sleep problems. The studies suggested that yoga was able to influence chemical messengers in the brain, inflammation in the body, and other biological processes that influence us.

The way yoga influences our mood is by the effect it has on GABA. Low GABA levels in the body are associated with depression and other anxiety disorders. A study was performed on a group of people who regularly attended yoga classes and compared these people who went on walks instead. The study found that people who were doing yoga had higher GABA levels than those who walked, even though the two groups were burning similar amounts of calories. Also, it was found that these same people also reported a better overall mood and general well being compared to the walkers.

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Health Benefits of Yoga by CTV Edmonton

When hormones in the body are out of sync, many processes we take for granted can get thrown out of whack. For example, Cortisol (AKA “the stress hormone”) can have many negative effects on our body. It has been known to increase blood pressure, decrease immune function, impair cognitive function, increase abdominal fat, as well as a laundry list of other symptoms. Many of these problems can be treated by prescription pharmaceuticals. However, there is also one other widely recommended treatment for all of these problems……you guessed it, yoga!

For those of you out there looking for a new form of exercise that isn’t as high impact as running, or simply just looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, yoga could be the thing for you. It is not just the slow exercise solely for holistic women that everyone seems to think it is. It has become more popular in recent years because of its health benefits becoming known by the general public. I have recently taken to doing yoga a few times a week, and i can vouch for its efficacy. It’s a great way to get into a more healthy lifestyle for all of you out there who are falling behind on those new years resolutions.

– Alex Gibson

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Posted in Science in the News

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