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Work-life balance

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An inquisitive dog and cat get in the way of a computer screen on a work desk.

[An inquisitive dog and cat get in the way of a computer screen on a work desk.]

I am writing about work-life balance, the subjective idea of basically having a life outside of our job or schoolwork. Experts say that a healthy work life balance is when we are able to fulfil our responsibilities to our jobs, families, and other parts of life that are important to us. It has been the buzz on social media lately. Why? It seems at times there is almost an expectation to constantly be working, known as “hustle culture.” This can be fed by many things including changes in job demand, a fast-paced work environment, and the inability to escape work because of that darn internet. People early in their careers have not been satisfied with this and are pushing to discuss better balance…

A quick summary of the immune system and the COVID-19 vaccine

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[This image shows a person’s hand, and a syringe is being held between the person’s fingers. The needle of the syringe is pointed towards a round pathogen cell with small projections.]

There are many strategies when it comes to developing a vaccine, but the idea behind all of them is similar. Vaccines are designed to pose a foreign invader, such as a virus or bacterium, to your adaptive immune system without causing you to be sick. Our immune systems are quite amazing, which also makes them quite complex. Here, we will focus only on a few aspects that are important for understanding vaccine development. 

Potluck of neuroscience: Meet microglia, your brain’s National Guard

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[An illustration of a microglia.]

One of the first things you’ll learn about if you start studying the brain is that it is made of cells called neurons. While neuroscientists have a decent understanding about how neurons work, it turns out that at least half of the brain is actually made of non-neuronal cells called glia*. Glia, named based on the Greek word for ‘glue,’ were initially thought to be a type of connective tissue in the nervous system, acting just as scaffolding, while the neurons did all the communicating. In the last couple decades, the growing field of neuroimmunology has highlighted the importance of a certain kind of glia: microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells.  

The beneficial attributes of vaccines

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[This image shows three pathogens, including measles, chicken pox, and the flu respectively, with their existing antibodies that have built up due to exposure of disease within our bodies. The last antigen shown is a new pathogen with no antibody near it because it is a new exposure.]

Vaccines remain a hot topic in this country, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand the importance of why we should be vaccinated, we first must understand how the immune system responds to an infection. When a disease-causing microorganism, called a pathogen, is introduced into our bodies, our immune system is signaled to initiate an attack on this intruder. Specifically, our immune system will try to stop the pathogen from multiplying, which will prevent the pathogen from spreading and decrease the infection.

Sunscreen Myths

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[Pictured is an extended arm holding a small, white bottle of sunscreen.]

We all know that feeling of smearing sunscreen across our face during the hot summer months. Heavy, oily, and greasy… it’s not the most elegant experience. But how important is sunscreen really? Well, as it turns out, it’s pretty essential for our health. Sunscreen protects us from ultraviolet (UV) rays, which come in two forms, UVB and UVA. Science shows that wearing sunscreen not only protects against sun damage and cancer, but also prevents visible signs of aging, evens skin tone, and reduces dark spots on the skin. Unfortunately, despite all of these health benefits, more than 85% of men and 70% of women do not wear sunscreen regularly. So why is that? 

The Beginnings of Cryptozoology

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[A medieval map with a giant, green sea serpent entangled around a ship as it’s crossing the ocean.]

Cryptozoology is the “study of the unknown, legendary, or extinct animals whose existence or survival to the present day is disputed or unsubstantiated.” It was made a field of study in 1955, however, cryptozoology has been around since the 15th century BC. There’s significant misinformation concerning the field, with the majority of individuals not understanding what cryptozoology is or it’s beginnings. Cryptozoology isn’t people running around trying to catch vampires and werewolves, but rather one where scientists analyze both folklore and biological data to understand the phenomena of our world…

Clean Water, Healthy Town: The importance of the Monroe Watershed

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[A retention pool covered in grass sits in a large parking lot.]

Lake Monroe is one of the best spots in Bloomington: trails, water skiing, boating, what more could you ask for? But little did you know, Lake Monroe is a lot more than just a leisure activity. It is the main water source for Bloomington and the surrounding areas. Each day the Monroe Water Treatment Plant pumps an average of 15 million gallons of water for people to use. We bath in this water and even drink it. But where is all of this water coming from? It turns out the answer is all around us…

“They have seaweed in the library?”: Algological books by Victorian women

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[A picture of an open book with two specimens of seaweed pasted onto the right-hand page and a description of the seaweed on the left.]

Of all the wonderful things a great library can be, “a vessel for preserving the natural world,” may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the library can be a preservational space as significant as a national park or a wildlife preserve. Not just in words and images, but in actual specimens. Take, for example, the copy of a rare and unusual book by Elizabeth Allom, The Sea-Weed Collector, found at IU’s Lilly Library. 

Five skincare ingredients for fall and winter

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[Picture is a pipette with oil coming from it and a small gold spoon with shea butter on it, both placed on a background of lotion.”]

Making sure your skin is properly hydrated and moisturized is essential for healthy skin. However, with Fall and Winter upon us, this weather can throw us off balance! We have all experienced that uncomfortable feeling when our lips are chapped, our cheeks are red, and our face feels tight or dry when walking through the blustery cold. With so many products on the market, it can be impossible to know what ingredients to look for. Depending on your skin’s needs, you may benefit more from certain ingredients over others. Some people suffer from dryness whereas others experience dehydration…

Science with Nemo: Ethics of Care in Animal Research

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[animated GIF of seven tropical fish of various kinds, who are all in plastic bags, floating in the ocean. The image captions one fish, speaking, who asks the group, “Now what?”]

We are all familiar with the plot of Finding Nemo: a scuba-diving dentist takes a small clownfish, Nemo, from a reef, keeps him in a fish tank in his office, and Marlin (Nemo’s father) goes on a whirlwind adventure to rescue his son. Obviously, Disney’s creative fiction is just that — fiction. However, many millions of fish are kept in tanks in the real world, for both recreation and research. Although we cannot know the fate of home-kept fish, for fish used in scientific research, there are specific rules for ethical treatment and proper care for fish of all kinds. How and why do scientists use fish in research anyways? 

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