Author archives: Invited Researcher

Earth’s oxygen has varied dramatically over time – here’s how new data could help us spot alien life

Earth’s oxygen has varied dramatically over time – here’s how new data could help us spot alien life

AstronomyBiologyEvolutionGeosciences

By Invited Researcher

Are we alone in the universe? This is a question that has intrigued humans for centuries and inspired countless studies and works of fiction. But are we getting closer to finding this out? Now that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is in operation, we might have taken one giant leap in being able to […]

Alzheimer’s disease: Is amyloid beta 42 the answer?

Alzheimer’s disease: Is amyloid beta 42 the answer?

BiomedicineMedicineNeurobiology

By Invited Researcher

In 1906, Alois Alzheimer, a psychiatrist and neuroanatomist, reported “a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex” to a gathering of psychiatrists in Tübingen, Germany. The case was a 50-year-old woman who suffered from memory loss, delusions, hallucinations, aggression and confusion – all of which worsened until her untimely death five years later. In […]

Social networks and risk behaviors of adolescents and young adults

Social networks and risk behaviors of adolescents and young adults

Sociology

By Invited Researcher

Social networks and digital platforms allow adolescents to interact with each other and to develop and maintain positive interpersonal relationships and support networks that are critical in their development. In general, teens benefit from socialization opportunities such as keeping in touch, sharing images, or interchanging ideas. In addition, social networking encourages participation, creative expression, and […]

The Somalayas are the biggest mountain range you will never see

The Somalayas are the biggest mountain range you will never see

Geosciences

By Invited Researcher

Every geography schoolbook has them: maps that look like today’s Earth, but not quite, since all continents are merged into a single supercontinent. Those maps were used to explain why dinosaurs in South America and Africa, or North America and Europe looked so alike. “Paleogeographic” reconstructions like these provide context to study the processes that […]

The dangers of agricultural big data

The dangers of agricultural big data

Computer scienceEconomicsEthicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

Most internet users are by now aware of the vulnerability of their personal data. When the news broke that tech companies misuse and manipulate our personal data, there was a widespread “techlash” against the corporate giants Facebook, Amazon and Google. The explicit motive for data harvesting is the prediction of consumer wants and needs. And […]