This article critically examines the evolution and current state of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, focusing on the intersection of transdisciplinary approaches, ideological forces, and the pressing need for diversification.
What if the key to happiness isn’t how much we earn, but how we think about spending? Behavioral economics offers insights into why our perceptions of income and consumption often defy traditional logic—and how these insights can reshape public policies to boost societal well-being.
The ever-pervasive nature of climate change has impacted all facets of society and spurred scientific research into alternative energy sources, developing carbon-negative materials, and designing sustainable infrastructure, amongst many other research topics. These research directions seek to develop new technologies to tackle climate change consequences before they happen. However, along with looking towards the future, it is just as important to understand how we can preserve the past as climate change impacts historical items, materials, and architecture. Focusing on the impact of climate change on historical sites, cultural conservation research has evolved to include understanding how climate change impacts cultural heritage sites, and how we can continue to preserve these sites.
Beginning in the 19th century, the field of genetics saw significant growth in thought. Though concepts of heredity were postulated long before the term entered the scientific lexicon, it wasn’t until Gregor Mendel’s work on pea plants in 1865 that the concept of heredity was fully understood. By 1944, Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty discovered that DNA was the “transforming principle,” the fundamental chemical component of genes (“1944: DNA Is \"Transforming Principle\,"” n.d.).
Throughout human history, tyranny is always a constant threat that rears its ugly head from Hitler and the Nazis to Mussolini and his Brownshirts, to the plethora of dictators of the Roman Empire that fill the history books. With how often a dictator rises, it's good to know the warning signs of a dictatorship rising and what the average citizen in any country can do to prevent them from ever reaching power.
The roads we drive on daily, the technologies that run our world, the food we eat, and the products we purchase all rely upon fossil-based resources. Our extensive use of fossils makes them necessary for a functioning society as we know it. The raw materials and all relevant supply chains are subject to government regulation and often centralized in international affairs. The matter is highly politicized, with heavy debate surrounding climate change, energy independence, and a myriad of related topics.
There is, however, one incontrovertible truth underneath each discussion – the reality of peak oil.
Scientists have been able to uncover evolutionary relationships between different plant species utilizing DNA sequencing. Studying these relationships is beneficial for our understanding of biodiversity and conservation biology. Additionally, we can improve our conservation efforts, detect invasive species, and understand the effects of climate change. Today, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role. It helps monitor read alignment, variant detection and analysis, and Genome assembly. In addition, it serves other functions that we will further explore throughout the article.
Although Hawai`i is home to many diverse species of plants, it is also known as the endangered species capital of the world (Rare Plant Program, n.d). “Hawai`i has 272 plants considered endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act [...]” (Hawaiian Plants, 2023). When the islands were first formed, plants were brought over by birds, wind, and ocean currents. Although they originated elsewhere, those plants are considered native since they came to Hawai`i before people arrived. Many of the native plants are classified as endemic, meaning that they are found only in Hawai`i (Hawaiian Plants, 2023). “This means that after their arrival, as these plants adapted to their new environment, they changed so much from their original ancestors that they transformed into a new species” (Hawaiian Plants, 2023). Because of this, they are sensitive to changes in their environments. Human activity, land development, climate change, and non-native plants and animals have all chipped away at Hawai`i’s ecosystems. But how exactly has the flora and fauna of the islands changed over the years? This article aims to provide an introduction to endangered Hawaiian plants by examining the evolution of Hawaiian forests.
A sleeping couple shuts their blinds. Although it’s the dead of night, the fire burning above the neighboring refineries casts near daylight through their window. On her daily commute, a school teacher holds her breath past the seven miles of chemical plants to avoid their stench. A blue-collar man gets a cancer diagnosis at age 42.
1.6 million people live and work in Cancer Alley, a 100–mile stretch of Louisiana from New Orleans to Baton Rouge (Ellis, 2024). In Cancer Alley, there’s no border between industrial and residential, and the citizens pay dearly.
The concept of “cute” is highly dependent on the cultural context. In essence, the concept can be defined as anything that seems appealing in a pretty or endearing way. Cuteness has long been a subject of research, even before a dedicated field was developed. Psychologists, neurologists, and anthropologists have all observed the way that cuteness as a concept is embedded into the human species.
