Does time flies?

The clock was invented by human beings to keep track of time. The atomic clock is one of the most accurate clocks in the world,  it will not gain or lose one second in 15 billion years. Therefore, the time will not fly. However, sometimes we do feel that the time pass by quickly when we are having fun. The time seems to crawl when we are having a boring class.

 

Ytterbium Lattice Atomic Clock took by National Institute of Standards and Technology https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ytterbium_Lattice_Atomic_Clock_(10444764266).jpg

Some people suggest that when we are having fun, we are paying attention to what we are doing. Therefore, we can not notice that the time pass by. However, when we are feeling bored, we will focus on time and notice that the time crawls.

 

Dr. Michael Shadlen said that “Every thought has various horizons”.Time flies according to these horizons. When we are really focusing on doing something, our mind can see the near horizons and the distant horizons. This makes the time goes by fast. In contrast, when we feel bored then we can only notice the near horizons and the horizons are not link to each other. As a result, time crawls.

It can also be related to the cells in the brain. Neuroscientist Joe Paton found out the neurons in our brain will release neurotransmitter dopamine which is a type of chemical that impacts how the brain feels about the time. When we are having fun, the neurons will release much more chemicals than usual. These chemicals make us feels that less time goes by. On the other hand, if we release lesser this type of chemicals, the time will go slowly in our mind.

In conclusion, time does not fly in reality. However, it does fly in our mind when we are having fun.

Young Blood, Old Soul

We often hear our grandparents telling their stories in those “good old days”. Indeed, who doesn’t want to stay forever young? Humans all experience physical and mental function declines as we are inevitably getting old and a lot of researches have been done so far to solve the mystery of aging. As evidence piles up, scientists say that the fountain of youth may lie in the blood.

Credit: Geralt

Can we reverse aging? Credit: Geralt

A recent paper published on Communications Biology showed a restored cognitive function in old mice after they received bone marrow transplantation from younger mice. They found that the level of a critical chemical, called CCL11, in blood was lowered in young bone marrow recipients mice and therefore reasoned that hematopoietic (blood cell generating) system may play a special part in regulating CCL11. This molecule is thought to have an inhibitory effect on nerve cells regeneration, which is a hallmark of aging.

However, this is not the first study in the field. In fact, discoveries on the rejuvenating power of young blood can be dated back as early as 1970s when scientists surgically connected the blood vessels of two lab mice with different ages so that they could share the same circulating blood. The old mice did become younger in terms of some physiological aspects. And more researches have found similar results and pinned down some critical molecules responsible for aging.

https://youtu.be/yKLlXRjktak

Blood transfusion reverses aging in mice
Credit: GeoBeats News

 

Those findings are very promising in helping us understand the mechanism of aging and develop drugs or therapies to fight some of the age-related disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in the future. However, our keenness to stay young has already been taken advantage of by some people. A start-up company in California called Ambrosia charged $8,000 to give clients one-time infusion with blood plasma from young people. Just in last month, FDA stated that “we’re concerned that some patients are being preyed upon by unscrupulous actors touting treatments of plasma from young donors as cures and remedies.” Soon after that, Ambrosia stopped their transfusion treatments.

Indeed, it’s not the time to jump the gun yet. First, those findings in animal models may or may not be applicable to humans yet: we still need more evidence to prove that. Secondly, such treatments are generally beyond the regulation of FDA, and they may bring other risks, such as blood-borne diseases, not to mention the societal consequences. Therefore, it seems we do have a long way to go before we find the real fountain of youth.

Written by Xin Dong

Does blue creatures really exist?

Ever seen blue creatures?

Have you discovered that there are all kinds of colors in nature, but only blue is rare?Have you ever seen blue ingredients or tigers,dogs,cats in color of blue?Even we all think that the blue sky and the ocean are not real blue.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-sky-and-white-clouds-231009/

Reason

Take the example of the ocean, which is not really blue in itself. Because the sun light is roughly composed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. The light of each color has a different wavelength. When the sun shines into the sea, the light of the red, orange, yellow and green colors is easily absorbed by the water molecules. The blue and purple light is scattered. So the ocean looks like blue.

https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rayleigh_sunlight_scattering.png

Animals can display a variety of colors, mainly because they have pigments of various colors on their body. But for many blue animals, there is no blue pigment in it. They pass through the microstructure of their surface and interact with the light, let us think they are blue.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Morpho.jpg

For this blue morpho,we zoomed in on the scales of his wings and saw some ridged surfaces like Christmas trees.It is this ridge branch that allows blue morpho to offset the light of other colors and eventually reflect only the blue light. When the light shines in, some will reflect at the top, some will penetrate inside and reflect at the bottom.But if you look at it from other angles, the butterfly you see will not be blue.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/8023114584

The animals which are real blue

In nature, animals with true blue pigments may not even be 1%.There are about 12 elusively blue animals in the world.The reason of why animals are more likely to be blue due to its own structures,Some colorists have speculated that birds and butterflies evolved to see blue a long time ago, but they have no way to evolve blue feathers. If they have blue, it means there is more way to communicate and survive between the populations. It’s much easier to change the microscopic structure of their body surface and make themselves look blue than making blue pigment genes.

 

No Whey!

The increasing popularity of whey protein for athletes is largely a financial strategy from dairy farmers. Not only is protein powder consumption unnecessary and expensive, it may come at a cost to your health. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that whey protein powder became popular. But why?

Whey powder in a measuring spoon. (Photo uploader: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/30934111318)

History of Whey

Prior to the invention of whey protein powder, dairy farmers had a huge problem. When producing cheese, only about 20% of the milk turns into cheese while the other 80% is whey by-product. Dairy farmers tried to dump the whey into streams, but this was extremely detrimental to the environment. As a result, governmental agencies implemented laws and regulations preventing farmers from doing this. Farmers also tried to use the whey as feed but unfortunately it was not a healthy diet for their cattle.

Still in need of a solution, farmers turned to the knowledge of scientists. The scientists realized that it was high in essential dietary proteins. They created a way to process the whey and turn it into a dietary protein supplement. After investing millions of dollars in marketing, the worldwide whey protein market value was estimated at $9.4 billion in 2017.

What’s the Problem?

According to  Canadian statistics, nearly 100% of Canadians consume an acceptable amount of protein. Consuming more protein than necessary is not recommended. Studies show that consistently consuming too much protein can result in nausea, weakness, diarrhea, obesity and even death. Other studies have shown a correlation between high protein intake and osteoporosis, kidney stones, cancer, and heart disease.

About 65% of adults have difficulty digesting lactose, which is present in high quantities in whey. Therefore, after consuming whey it is very common to become bloated. Whey protein also causes a spike insulin (a hormone involved in controlling a cells energy), which shuts down the burning of fat in the body. Whey has been shown to have a more dramatic effect on insulin levels than pure glucose. Thus, it is not uncommon to become obese if you’re consuming whey protein powder.

Another major concern about whey protein powder is lack of regulation. Protein powder falls under the category of dietary supplement, so it is not regulated by the FDA. That means it is up to the company to be honest and accurate with their labels. An organization called the Clean Label Project “…uses data and science to revel the true contents of America’s best-selling consumer products”. In many cases, the Clean Label Project has found unsafe levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA and BPS (chemicals used in production of plastics) and other toxins.

Should I Stop Using Whey?

If you’re not protein deficient, which you probably aren’t, then the only time protein supplements could potentially be beneficial are after intense exercise. Plant based protein powder may be a better option for many people because it is easier for your body to digest. In the end, time and dedication is what will grow muscle, not protein powder.

 

Nick di Lello

Marine Evictions

Anyone who has seen the any of our world’s oceans can easily appreciate their immensity.

 

The ocean’s cover 71% of the surface of Earth. Retrieved March 4, 2019 from https://www.goodfreephotos.com/people/woman-standing-next-to-the-ocean.jpg.php

But don’t be fooled. Contrary to what you might think, they aren’t open expanses of habitable environment where any marine species can live and thrive.

As anyone with any background in biology can tell you, just because the space is there, doesn’t mean it can be occupied by any living organism. This is especially true when it comes to the marine environment.

Marine species have to face a number of challenges that many terrestrial species simply would never have to worry about. One of these challenges, that poses a more serious threat because of climate change, is the availability of oxygen.

The Oxygen Minimum Zone

Many complex physical, biological, and chemical processes are constantly taking place within the ocean. Some of which are highly variable, and others are relatively constant.

One feature that arises from a combination of these processes, is the Oxygen Minimum Zone (or OMZ), which are pockets within the water column that contain low levels of dissolved oxygen. These areas are present throughout the world’s oceans and usually occur at a depth of 200 to 1000 metres.

Oxygen Minimum Zones occur naturally and don’t pose a serious threat to marine life. However, researchers have begun to see that some of these low oxygen areas are beginning to expand, as a result of global warming.

Sea surface oxygen levels. Purple are the lowest concentrations and red are the highest. Retrieved March 4, 2019 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WOA09_sea-surf_O2_AYool.png

The Problem

One benefit of living in the ocean that many terrestrial animals don’t have, is the ability to not only migrate horizontally, but also vertically. In fact, many marine organisms undergo these vertical migrations for many different purposes, such as escaping predation.

There are many studies being conducted, and that have already been done, where researchers are trying to measure how well different marine species are able to tolerate low levels of oxygen.

They can measure this through physiological responses, like metabolism, or behavioural responses, like the frequency and duration of movement within the water column.

One key observation that some researchers have made is that many fish species cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen. So, if the oxygen minimum zones continue to expand, their habitat will become more and more limited.

What Does This All Mean?

Some species with a higher tolerance to low oxygen levels may have an advantage as they are able to escape predation and other competing species.

However, the expansion of the oxygen minimum zones will bring even more challenges to species who need to avoid the low oxygen levels.

This is especially concerning if this includes certain fish species that are an integral part of the food web; not only as a source of food for many other marine organisms, but for the fisheries industry that depends on a large expanse of fish populations.

 

Cameron Carvalho 

 

 

 

 

 

Is Genetic Editing the Future?

Genetic editing, is it good or is it bad?

Many people have been debating about this for a while now. One recent news that came out in November talked about a scientist who genetically edited a pair of twin girls. The scientist, He Jiankui, used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the babies genome which he claims would allow the babies to have a better resistance to HIV and AIDS.

Human egg cells. Image by Виталий Смолыгин. Retrieved from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=42719&picture=cell

What the scientist did was that he disabled the gene, CCR5. This disables the HIV virus from entering the cell because the gene forms a protein pathway. With it disabled the virus cannot get in since there wouldn’t be a pathway. The problem with disabling the gene is that people without this gene has a greater chance of being infected by other viruses.

An image of DNA structure. Image by Виталий Смолыгин. Retrieved from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=31530&picture=structure-of-dna

There have been many concerns on how this genetic modification can affect the babies because of the fact that this method hasn’t been truly tested. A professor in the University of Oxford, Julian Savulescu, said, “Gene editing itself is experimental and is still associated with off-target mutations, capable of causing genetic problems early and later in life, including the development of cancer.”

Many people condemned the scientist for his seemingly unethical way of human experimentation. But gene editing has been happening for a while and have been proven to heal genetic diseases, it is just that it hasn’t been experimented enough to know for sure that it is safe to be used on humans. One example would be a team of researchers that was led by Gerald Schwank. They were able to successfully correct the mutated genes in the liver cells of mice thus healing the mice from the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria.  Another example is that gene editing was used to reduce cholesterol levels in mice that were still in their mother’s womb. This is done by targeting the gene that regulates cholesterol. The experiment was successful and the mice born were healthy.

So, would you consider gene editing the future?

This video talks about genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9. Published by McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.

This video is about the scientist, He Jiankui, and his experiment on the two twin girls. Published by The He Lab.

Gloria Chan

Adderall: Performance Enhancing… at a Cost

In almost all facets of competition, new technologies and supplements have raised the ceiling on human potential. In sports, this is seen through Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED’s) such as anabolic steroids. However, a new PED has burst into the scene and has become a daily habit of many adults, namely university students. Many universities, including UBC, have begun to implement guidelines on its use. This drug is most commonly known as Adderall™, or, to the avid science nerd, d-amphetamine. But how does it compare to other cognitive enhancers, like coffee?

Adderall: A Quick Rundown

Adderall is an amphetamine used to treat people with attention disorders (e.g. ADHD). As a stimulant, it raises nervous activity in your body and allows you to remain alert for longer. While the exact “nitty gritty” of how it works is unclear, it is known that it increases dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain.

File:30xAdderall10mg.jpg

Photo of Adderall Pills Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:30xAdderall10mg.jpg

Caffeine: A Stimulant Sans Stigma

There is another stimulant drug which is commonly used without stigma and is sold on the corner of almost every block in Vancouver… CAFFEINE. By increasing the amount of ATP hydrolysis in your brain, caffeine causes you to feel more energized.

Photo of a cappuccino coffee Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cappuccino_at_Sightglass_Coffee.jpg

Caffeine vs. Adderall: What’s the Difference?

Caffeine and Adderall are both stimulants that serve a similar purpose: increasing daily productivity. How come there is stigma surrounding one and not the other? Well, while a cup of coffee a day does not have serious long-term side effects, taking Adderall regularly, especially in unprescribed doses, has been shown to cause negative side effects. These may include:

  • Increased heart rate/blood pressure
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Addiction
  • Physical dependence
  • Risk of heart attack
  • Risk of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)

Video that outlines the side effects of Adderall
Source: https://www.youtube.codrugsm/watch?v=ifutqKQ6KQE&t=1s

Breaking Bad Habits

Since it is an amphetamine, it is very similar in structure and effect as the infamous drug methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth”. Although methamphetamine is rarely used medically due to higher toxicity, the similarities should not be ignored. The increase of dopamine in the brain causes users to feel bliss and euphoria, which can lead to psychological addiction. Furthermore, many users become physically dependent on the drug and report that their ability to concentrate is WORSE than it was originally when they are not taking the drug.

Do you Really Need It?

The lines are blurry between someone who “needs” Adderall and someone who is taking it when not necessary. It has become increasingly popular as a study aid and various ethical issues have arose due to its performance enhancing effect.

Friendly Pointers

Although I am not a physician, nor am I here to guilt-trip you, I would advise you to look into alternatives to enhancing your efficiency when studying. Here are a few that may be of interest to you:

  • Caffeine
  • Exercise (I am a keen advocate for this one)
  • Good study habits (e.g. planning your days, taking breaks, balancing social life)

By: Juan Gomez

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