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The field of neuroscience is rapidly expanding day by day. Study dopamine in the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways; explore shattered brains in traumatic brain injuries; and delve into the mechanics of motion. Neuroscience Articles The field of neuroscience is rapidly expanding day by day. Study dopamine in the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways; explore shattered brains in traumatic brain injuries; and delve into the mechanics of motion. You may also like: Biology , Immunology , Medicine Dopamine in the movement and reward pathways Aka the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways Pseudo-Angelman syndrome A rare neurological disease that causes intellectual deficits. Article #10 in a series on Rare diseases. What does depression do to your brain? The biological explanation of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Article #1 in a series on psychiatric disorders and the brain. Neuroimaging and spatial resolution Which type of brain scan has it all? Beyond the bump A breakdown on traumatic brain injuries How does physical health affect mental health? The effects of exercise on the nervous system Mastering motion Looking at reflex, rhythmic and complex movements The brain of a bully The neurological basis of bullying Inside out: the chemistry of depression The role of neurotransmitters. Article #2 in a series on psychiatric disorders and the brain. Vertigo Physiology, causes, relevance Why brain injuries affect adult and children differently Differences in anatomical development, brain plasticity and learning stages are main reasons why Previous

Synaptic plasticity is the process of connections within the brain changing to adapt to new information over time. It is of increasing significance in neuroscience, especially in the field of memory. Early research into synaptic plasticity was conducted by many of those Go Back Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Our understanding of how the brain forms connections between things we’ve learnt, and how London taxi drivers fit in Last updated: 13/11/25 Published: 05/01/23 Synaptic plasticity is the process of connections within the brain changing to adapt to new information over time. It is of increasing significance in neuroscience, especially in the field of memory. Early research into synaptic plasticity was conducted by many of those now considered the pioneers of neuroscience. For instance, Terje Lomo (1966) experimented on rabbit hippocampus with repeated, high-frequency stimulation, identifying long term potentiation, the persistent strengthening of synapses leading to enduring increases in signal transmission between neurons. Prior to work by Lomo, Ramon y Cajal (1911) proposed the idea that the strength of synaptic connections had to change to alter existing memories. One key question which is pertinent for both humans and other animals alike is how to keep track of our surroundings - how do our memories encode and store information on the places we visit so we can remember the directions for next time? Seminal work by Maguire et al., (2001) assessed whether physical changes “could be detected in the healthy brain” of London taxi drivers, given the repertoire of spatial experience required to navigate London without aid. Sixteen taxi drivers were studied with fifty controls. Using (structural) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it was found that taxi drivers’ posterior hippocampi were larger than that of control subjects, and the more experience the drivers had, the greater the size of their right posterior hippocampi. Such changes in tissue volume take place gradually over time, because of task-related training. Recent work by Spiers et al., (2022) looked at the difference in spatial navigational ability between city-dwellers and those living in rural areas. A subset of ~400,000 participants from 38 countries played a video game to test their skill in spatial navigation, with city-dwellers performing worse than those who grew up outside cities. More specifically, individuals were better at navigating in environments that were topologically like where they grew up. Hence, one interpretation of these results is that the place where a person grows up impacts their ability to accurately navigate new, unfamiliar environments since this is based on the synaptic connections made between existing information in the brain. In conclusion, synaptic plasticity is the change in connections in the brain over time; interest and research in this field, especially spatial navigation, are increasing significantly. Written by Manisha Halkhoree Full article published in Brain Insights- BNA Bulletin (Issue no. 96, Autumn 2022) Related articles: The wonders of the human brain / The brain-climate connection / Why brain injuries affect adults and children differently REFERENCES Nicoll, R. A Brief History of Long-Term Potentiation. Neuron. 2017 Jan 18; 93(2): 281-290. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627316309576 Maguire E, Gadian D, Johnsrude I, et. al. Navigation-related structural change in the hippocampi of taxi drivers. Proc Natl Sci U S A. 2000 Apr 11; 97(8): 4398–4403. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC18253/ Coutrot A, Manley E, Goodroe S., et. al. Entropy of city street networks linked to future spatial navigation ability. Nature. 2022 March 30; Nature 604: 104-110. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04486-7

Beginning with the positives, there are reasons why future pandemics may be less serious compared to previous ones like the Spanish Flu (1918-1920), which killed approximately 500 million people or the Black Death (1346-1353), which eliminated half of Europe’s population. Go Back Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Are pandemics becoming less severe? Last updated: 13/11/24 Published: 25/04/23 Ever since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020, many people have become more aware of future pandemics and best management strategies for these health disasters. For example, an online article from 2022 discussed ways to prepare for the next pandemic such as surveilling zoonotic diseases and planning for faster vaccine production; these can be effective in overcoming another pandemic in the future, though it is important to consider factors that may inhibit the above strategies aside from exacerbating future pandemics. With this said, this article will compare the reasons for pandemics becoming less severe and the reasons why they can become worse. Beginning with the positives, there are reasons why future pandemics may be less serious compared to previous ones like the Spanish Flu (1918-1920), which killed approximately 500 million people or the Black Death (1346-1353), which eliminated half of Europe’s population. Firstly, vaccinations reduced the spread of and prevented serious symptoms of many infectious diseases ranging from the eradicated smallpox to the seasonal influenza. Therefore, undermining the success of vaccines during pandemics is not ideal since this has negative consequences, mainly prolonging pandemics and killing more people. Secondly, there are antimicrobial treatments for a person infected with either a viral, bacterial, protozoal, or fungal infection. For instance during World War 2, penicillin has decreased bacterial pneumonia’s death rate from 18% to 1% in soldiers as well as saving 14% of the UK’s injured soldiers. Therefore, this event prevented bacterial spread and a potential pandemic that could have occurred without penicillin or other antibiotics. Another important treatment is for malaria. A review and meta analysis from Ethiopia showed that for artemether-lumefantrine in 10 studies involving 1179 patients, 96.7% did not have a fever and 98.5% did not have the malaria parasite after they were treated for 3 days. Again, artemether-lumefantrine with other antiparasitic drugs reduced the possibility of a malarial pandemic. Additionally, there are non-medical interventions that may decrease the severity of pandemics. For instance, a cross-panel analysis discovered that enforcing a lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic saw new cases declining around 10 days after execution and this benefit grows after 20 days of the lockdown. Similarly, a review highlighted that social distancing of more than 1 metre between individuals led to reduced COVID-19 transmission risk by 5 times while the impact of protection two-fold for each extra 1 metre. Considering both of these methods, re-using them for future pandemics can reduce infectious disease spread in combination with vaccinations and antimicrobial drugs. On the other hand, it is crucial to consider the counter argument of why pandemics may worsen in the future. To illustrate, there is the possibility that diseases could resurge into more fatal variants similar to COVID-19, which lead to more deaths and vaccines becoming less effective. Alternatively, there may a current contagious pathogen that can combine with another one to form a new disease; this is how HIV/AIDS become virulent since the 1980s to present day as researchers uncovered that the virus collaborates with non-viral diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and viral diseases such as hepatitis C to harm/kill the patient. These instances can occur for viral pathogens along with other types (protists, bacteria and fungi). As for non-viral pathogens, it is likely that future pandemics originate from them with a review discussing bacteria like MRSA or ones causing water-borne and unsanitary food infections infecting humans and animals. It elaborated that multi-drug resistant bacteria would be arduous to destroy opposed to non-resistant ones, resulting in higher: mortalities, medical logistics, costs and hospitalisations. Going back to penicillin with other antibiotics, although it was used since World War 2 for bacterial infections, resistance towards them has exponentially increased whereby countless types of bacteria overpower their effects because antibiotics have been overprescribed and their use in agriculture has made bacteria stronger. Another reason to consider pandemics becoming worse is the counter-effectiveness of lockdowns. An article stated that comparing them between countries is insufficient because there is a lack of evidence for them tackling COVID-19 and the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu. Also, it found that it is expensive to enforce them and suggested a 20 fold death rate, indicating that a cost-benefit analysis is needed before utilising lockdowns to stop the spread of infectious diseases. Additionally, COVID-19 not only had detrimental impacts on health, it influenced non-health factors such as economics, culture and politics. For example, lots of Iranian people went to crowded places and business centres as the government did not have the finances during their lockdown to protect citizens from the virus. Overall, everyone should collaborate to prepare for the inevitability of future pandemics because historically, using a multitude of methods: lockdowns, vaccines, social distancing and antimicrobial drugs in order to minimise the time span and consequences of the pandemics. Referring back to deadliest pandemics from the past like the Black Death and Spanish Flu, it is our responsibility to prevent history from repeating itself. Written by Sam Jarada Related article: Rare zoonotic diseases REFERENCES Sridhar D. Five ways to prepare for the next pandemic. Nature. 2022 Oct 26;610(7933):S50–0. Jarus O. 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history. livescience.com. 2020 Mar 3. Rayner C. How the discovery of penicillin has influenced modern medicine - The Oxford Scientist. The Oxford Scientist. 2020 June 1. Ayalew MB. Therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2017 Nov 15;6(1). Alfano V, Ercolano S. The Efficacy of Lockdown Against COVID-19: A Cross-Country Panel Analysis. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. 2020 Jun 3;18(4):509–17. Sun KS, Lau TSM, Yeoh EK, Chung VCH, Leung YS, Yam CHK, et al. Effectiveness of different types and levels of social distancing measures: a scoping review of global evidence from earlier stage of COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 1;12(4):e053938. Singer M. Pathogen-pathogen interaction. Virulence. 2010;1(1):10–8. Salazar CB, Spencer P, Mohamad K, Jabeen A, Abdulmonem WA, Fernández N. Future pandemics might be caused by bacteria and not viruses: Recent advances in medical preventive practice. International Journal of Health Sciences. 2022;16(3):1–3. Ventola CL. The Antibiotic Resistance crisis: Part 1: Causes and Threats. P & T : a peer-rev10. Yanovskiy M, Socol Y. Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Jul 29;19(15):9295. Yoosefi Lebni J, Abbas J, Moradi F, Salahshoor MR, Chaboksavar F, Irandoost SF, et al. How the COVID-19 pandemic effected economic, social, political, and cultural factors: A lesson from Iran. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 2;67(3):002076402093998.

On the 25th of May, 2020, the world was shocked by the brutal murder of George Floyd, a black American man, by four white police officers. This led to mass outrage among every creed and race and propelled the Black Lives Matter movement to new heights, even in places like Palestine Go Back Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Micro-chimerism: a mother’s intuition and why do men call for their mothers near death? In collaboration with Dr. Aakila Sammy of Publett Last updated: 14/11/24 Published: 08/05/23 On the 25th of May, 2020, the world was shocked by the brutal murder of George Floyd, a black American man, by four white police officers. This led to mass outrage among every creed and race and propelled the Black Lives Matter movement to new heights, even in places like Palestine, a country already drowning in peril. While his last words were “I can’t breathe”, the transcripts revealed that he repeated several times, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead." As painful as it is to hear these words, especially for his mom, it's not surprising; calling out for your mom when death approaches. Many hospice nurses and soldiers recall that dying men call out for their “Mommy” or “Mama” in their last breath. Some have attributed it to its caregiver familiarity, primal instinct like calling out for your mom as a child or a Mary-Jesus connection. George Floyd (1973-2020). Image/ Publett We know that “the mother” is largely responsible for every life on earth, and most of them have the ability to make everything better, but what if that connection is more than something psychological or spiritual? I know, a physical connection to your mom outside the nine months of her carrying you? Like at this moment? Yes! Scientists call it micro-chimerism, and it may be able to explain why for most, the next greatest pain to losing a child is losing your mom. Micro-chimerism originates from the Greek mythical creature “Chimera”, a monster made up of three animals; a lion, a snake and a goat. In medicine, micro-chimerism was initially described as “alien cells”, and it is simply the circulation of cells from one individual in another genetically distinct individual. A Greek 'Chimera'. Image/ Publett And the culprit? There are several actually; natural cases like pregnancy and breast-feeding and artificial instances like organ or blood transplant. And it goes both ways! It could be responsible for that gut feeling you get when something is wrong with your child, also known as “a mother’s intuition”. And it doesn’t stop there; it has been observed in multiplet pregnancies like twins, which may be why twins have their own intuitive connection. So, in addition to nutrients and waste being exchanged, cells are also trafficked bi-directionally. The embryo/fetus receives cells from the mother and the mother from the fetus, and everyone coexists peacefully, sometimes spanning decades. And the burning question that might be in your mind right now is whether a biological female can have male DNA circulating in her body after carrying a male baby. Yes! Cells are also trafficked bidirectionally. Image/ Publett But what are the limits to this phenomenon? This answer is not clear-cut and varies among individuals and situations. Scientists have found maternal-fetal micro-chimerism is present as early as the embryo stage, and the further along, the more abundant it is. This allows non-invasive tests for genetic abnormalities or gender determination on the fetus using blood drawn from the mother. Another situation where it varies is trauma. We might all be familiar with the fetus releasing stem cells into the mother's circulation, which comes with healing benefits to maintain the well-being of the fetal host – and these cells can be detected up to 27 years after delivery. Even though they sound insignificant, fetal cells aren’t afraid of a challenge. Researchers have found them taking on the role of cancer immune surveillance, clustering around lung tumours in women decades after pregnancy and reducing risk of ovarian cancer in women who have later pregnancies. Now, in the case of abortions and miscarriages, the phenomenon might come as a source of comfort, heartache or both. It is unclear how early fetal cells enter the mother’s circulation; it can be when the placenta attaches around week eight or earlier. Commercial fetal blood tests start at weeks 7-8, but this is when they are abundant enough for testing, so it might very well be earlier. So, what does it mean if you have a miscarriage or abortion before week 8? No fetal cell acquisitions? On the contrary, the trauma of the process, especially in the first trimester, causes a massive acquisition of fetal cells by the mother. It is higher in the case of abortion and even higher in surgical abortions versus chemical abortions. Although the fetus is described as having parasitic nature, this last farewell release of healing benefits to its host is nothing short of pure. While controversy still exists around the role of maternal and fetal microchimeric cells, we still crave answers to questions like: How is the phenomenon affected when the fetus carries genetic abnormalities? Do fetal cells from a previous pregnancy enter the circulation of the fetus sibling in a subsequent pregnancy? It might also result in psychologists reframing questions they ask their male patients; are they worried about becoming your father, or should they be more concerned about becoming their mothers? Plus, we need more on the association between parous women and autoimmune diseases, especially in fetal Y-chromosome carriers. Micro-chimerism is a promising and exciting area of research with much to reveal for many fields. While no concrete evidence exists, we know that these cells are resilient to stress and trauma and offer a new perspective to inter-individual bonds and intuitions. Many scientists believe that individuals are calling out to these cells in times of survival, and maybe that’s why kids call out to their moms first or men their mothers near death. -- Scientia News wholeheartedly thanks Aakila Sammy , co-founder and CEO of Publett , for this fascinating piece of work on a lesser-known genetics topic of micro-chimerism. We hope you enjoyed reading this! Follow them @Dr.Publett on Instagram and/or @Publett Limited on Linkedin for more information. -- Related article: The Y Chromosome Unveiled

Luigi Galvani was an Italian physician and biologist, and is known for his work on bioelectricity, and for laying the foundations of electrophysiology- the branch of science focusing on electricity in the body. He was born in 1737 in Bologna, Italy, and died in 1798 when the age of electricity was approaching. Go Back Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Electricity in the body: Luigi Galvani Last updated: 07/11/24 Published: 05/12/23 Luigi Galvani (1737- 1798) Luigi Galvani was an Italian physician and biologist, and is known for his work on bioelectricity, and for laying the foundations of electrophysiology- the branch of science focusing on electricity in the body. He was born in 1737 in Bologna, Italy, and died in 1798 when the age of electricity was approaching. Galvani began his career as a doctor after he graduated with a thesis in 1762, at the University of Bologna. The same year, he became a Reader in Anatomy at the university. He was then given the Chair of Obstetrics at the Institute of Sciences, owing to his surgical skills, and became its president in 1772. He held his chair for 33 years but was dismissed in 1797 when Napoleon’s army invaded but was reinstated sometime later. Galvani's discovery Galvani was performing experiments on frog legs at the University of Bologna, when his assistant touched his scalpel to the crural nerves of the frog, when he was drawing spark from the brass conductor of the electrostatic machine, and the frog leg twitched. Due to the current, muscular spasms were generated throughout the body. Galvani was intrigued and performed more experiments to see if he would get the same result. He did- the experiment was reproducible. Galvani used a Leyden jar (a device which stores static electricity, an early form of capacitor), and an electrostatic machine to produce this electricity. He knew that metals transmitted something called electricity, and a form of this electricity was presumably generated in the frog tissue to allow muscular contraction- he named this ‘animal electricity’. He believed this ‘animal electricity’ was different from static, and natural electricity e.g. lightning. Indeed, in 1786, during a lightning storm, he touched some frog nerves with a pair of scissors and the muscle contracted. Galvani thought ‘animal electricity’ as a fluid secreted by the brain, which flows though nerves and activates the muscles. This is how his experiments helped pave the way for electrophysiology in neuroscience. In 1786, during a lightning storm, Galvani touched some frog nerves with a pair of scissors and the muscle contracted. Galvani's experimental setup consisted of frog legs, a Leyden jar, and an electrostatic machine. He knew that metals transmitted something called electricity, and a form of this electricity was presumably generated in the frog tissue to allow muscular contraction- he named this ‘animal electricity’. A first step in the branch of electrophysiology. Galvani's progress in the field Galvani’s work was accepted by all his colleagues except for Volta, the professor of physics at the University of Pavia. Though Volta could reproduce Galvani’s experiments, he did not like Galvani’s explanation of ‘animal electricity’. Volta believed it was the two dissimilar metals producing the electricity, he named it ‘metallic electricity’, and there was no current running inside the frogs- there was no ‘animal electricity’. Galvani argued that there were electric forces inside organisms, and in 1794 he published an anonymous book Dell’uso e dell’attivita dell’arco conduttore nella contrazione dei muscoli (“On the Use and Activity of the Conductive Arch in the Contraction of Muscles”), where Galvani described his work on how he obtained electricity inside the frog, without the use of any metal. It was reported that he did this by touching the exposed muscle of one frog with a nerve of another, and the muscle contracted (Dibner 2020). This seems doubtful as Galvani’s forceps must have been in contact with spark for there to be movement. Still, it was the first attempt to demonstrate the existence of bioelectric forces. Outside of neuroscience The term ‘animal fluid’ Galvani used, is reminiscent of ‘animal spirits’, which was used by Rene Descartes, French philosopher, in the 1600s. Descartes described ‘animal spirits’ as a fluid flowing through the brain and the body, and Galvani unwittingly built on this belief with his findings on bioelectricity; the spirits ‘became’ “electricity”. There was a paradigm shift as Descartes thought that nerves were water pipes, but they were electrical conductors. This illustrates how Galvani was able to build on existing ideas in science. Limitations Even with the vigorous experiments and support, there was one limitation. For a direct correlation between frog muscle contraction and electricity generation, Galvani needed to be able to quantitatively measure the electrical currents generated in the muscle. This was difficult to do at the time since there was not enough technology to measure the currents- the currents were too small. Eventually, in the early 1900s when there were major advances in technology, Muller, Bois-Reymond, and Helmholtz, three German physiologists, managed to successfully measure the conduction of electrical activity along the nerve axon. This breakthrough furthered the branch of electrophysiology which Galvani had started. Summary In conclusion, Luigi Galvani was an influential physician and biologist, who founded the branch of electrophysiology with his experiments on frogs and metals. His results were crucial to the development of neuroscience, particularly the beginning of understanding electrical activity along the axon. Written by Manisha Halkhoree Related article: Nikola Tesla and wireless electricity

Resources such as: other websites, textbooks, YouTube videos, and books to help! Aiding university students studying STEM subjects. Extra Resources A masterlist of other websites, textbooks, YouTube videos, and books to help with your studies, research and revision. You may also like: A-level resources, IB resources, Entrance exam preparation, FREE CV and PS checks!, STEM book reviews Representation in STEM Sisterhood in STEM GENERAL INFORMATION Referencing guide: Cite Them Right Cite this for me ZoteroBib (fast, free reference generator) Phrasebank to help with essays Free notes and textbooks: Studocu Grammar checker: Grammarly (available as a browser extension) Money financing for students: Save the Student Others: New Scientist (print and online magazine) BBC iPlayer science and nature documentaries WEBSITES TO AID STUDIES Science and maths: MME Revise Cognito Resources Access Tuition Maths Genie LibreTexts: biology , chemistry , physics , maths , engineering , and medicine HELP WITH RESEARCH Databases: - PubMed - MEDLINE (by National Library of Medicine) - ScienceDirect - Web of Science - Literature search: Google Scholar - Participate in actual research: Zooniverse - citizen science - Top multi-disciplinary journal in the field: Nature PHARMACOLOGY AND RELATED Reference sites: - Pharmgkb - Drug Bank - Check which drugs are in trial Textbooks: - Katzung's Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 16th edition by Todd Vanderah, PhD - The Top 100 Drugs: Clinical Pharmacology and Practical Prescribing by Andrew Hitchings, Daniel Burrage, Dagan Lonsdale and Emma Baker BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES TEXTBOOKS Biology: - Campbell & Reece - Molecular biology and genetics: Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4th edition - Molecular Cell Biology by Lodish et al - Anatomy and physiology: Marieb - Principles of Animal Physiology by Moyes and Schulte - Animal Physiology by Hill, Wyse, and Anderson - Developmental Biology by Barresi and Gilbert - Cancer: The Biology of Cancer by Robert A. Weinberg Biochemistry: - Medical Biochemistry b y N. Mallikarjuna Rao Neuroscience: - Purves et. al - Kandel Immunology: - Immunobiology, 5th edition The Immune System in Health and Disease Genetics: - Emery's Elements of Medical Genetics and Genomics by Turnpenny & Ellard - Lewin’s Genes by Krebs, Goldstein, and Kilpatrick - Human Molecular Genetics by Strachan and Read CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOKS Physical chemistry: - Atkins Physical Chemistry (latest edition) - Solid State Chemistry (Fourth Edition) by Lesley Smart and Elaine Moore Organic chemistry: - Jonathan Clayden Organic Chemistry (latest edition) Inorganic chemistry: - Atkins Physical Chemistry (latest edition) - Housecroft Inorganic Chemistry (latest edition) - Electronic Structure (Basic Theory and Practical Methods) by Richard M. Martin - Two-minute Neuroscience - Amoeba Sisters (biology related) - Khan Academy (all STEM based) - TEDx Talk - Royal Society (range of science videos) - NumberPhile - patrickJMT (maths) - Tyler DeWitt (general chemistry) - Crash Course - Stanford Medicine (wellness) PHYSICS Resources: - Astronomy Picture of the Day - NASA STEM activities Textbooks: - University Physics by Young and Freedman - Introduction to Electrodynamics by Griffiths - Introduction to Elementary Particles by Griffiths - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths - Modern Quantum Mechanics (Third Edition) by J. J. Sakurai and Jim Napolitano - Introductory Statistical Mechanics by Bowley & Sanchez - Statistical Mechanics: A Survival Guide by Glazer & Wark - Electricity and Magnetism by Morin and Purcell - Concepts in Thermal Physics by Blundell and Blundell - Introduction to Solid State Physics by Mittel & McEuen - Solid State Physics by Ashcroft and Mermin - Space, Time, and Geometry by Sean M. - Density Functional Theory by David S. Sholl and Janice A. Steckel - The Physics of Semiconductors: An Introduction Including Nanophysics and Applications by Marius Grundmann - Quantam Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur by Tom Lancaster & Stephen J. Blundell - Condensed Matter Field Theory (Second Edition) by Alexander Altland and Ben Simons - Condensed Matter Physics by Michael P. Marder MATHS Textbooks: - Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers by Riley Benson and Hobson - Mathematics for Natural Scientists 1 and 2 by Lev Kantorovich - Advanced Engineering Mathematics by Kreyszig - Thomas's Calculus by George B. Thomas - Mathematical Methods for Science students by G Stephenson - Contemporary Abstract Algebra by Joseph A. Gallian Read this article on how to excel in maths COMPUTER SCIENCE AND RELATED Resources: - Codeacademy - W3Schools ( has tutorials for HTML/ CSS/ Javascript, Python, Java, and many other languages) - Adacomputerscience - TeachComputing - Codewars (practise coding with your friends) - freeCodeCamp ENGINEERING Resources: - eFunda- formulae - Engineering statistics handbook - The Engineering Toolbox - free tools, calculators, and more - Engineers Edge - Online Ethics - ethics in engineering and science PSYCHOLOGY Resources: - QMUL resource guides - Psychology Today - Royal Holloway activities and research - Verywell Mind INFORMATIVE YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Peruse through the current treatment discoveries for one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Learn about the factors that cause tumour growth, metastatic processes and blastomas. Cancer Articles Peruse through the current treatment discoveries for one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Learn about the factors that cause tumour growth, metastatic processes and blastomas. You may also like: Biology, Medicine Arginine and tumour growth Another breakthrough in cancer research Unveiling the cancer magnet Stem cells in vertebral bones can act like cancer magnets for spinal tumour metastasis Brain metastasis in cognitive impairment Researchers used machine learning to investigate this Novel neuroblastoma driver Uncovering the role of IGF2BP1 in neuroblastoma and its potential as a therapeutic target Previous

Sharpen your knowledge on this subject with articles dissecting the branch of behavioural economics (the role of honesty, endowment effect, loss of aversion, libertarian paternalism, effect of time), among others. Economics Articles Sharpen your knowledge on this subject with articles dissecting the branch of behavioural economics (the role of honesty, endowment effect, loss of aversion, libertarian paternalism, effect of time), among others. You may also like: Maths The role of honesty Article #1 in a series on behavioural economics The endowment effect Article #2 in a series on behavioural economics Loss aversion Article #3 in a series on behavioural economics Libertarian paternalism and the 'Nudge' approach Article #4 in a series on behavioural economics

A CV entails a person's notable accomplishments. We check your CV for free! Our expert advisors offer to review your CV in a time-efficient manner, by providing quality feedback. Curriculum Vitae (CV) Looking to apply for a job after your graduation, internship, or placement? Read below our CV information and advice! What are CVs? A CV entails a person's notable accomplishments - for example, their education history, work experience, certifications, volunteering experience, projects, and more. They are normally made on Microsoft Word and should be one page long , however someone extremely experienced in their field of work may choose to make their CV as two pages. But isn't this a resumé? ... ... No. CVs contain a more comprehensive breakdown of education, work experience etc; a resum é is not as detailed. A resum é also excludes date of birth, address, and contact info, whereas a CV includes this. Why should you write a good CV? There are several reasons as to why you should write a good CV, with just a few listed below: Professionalism A well organised, polished CV reflects your attention to detail and makes you more likely to be considered by employers for the advertised job. First impression and employability Employers spend less than 9 seconds looking at a CV! Hence, a well-designed CV is important as it will make you stand out and increase chances of securing an interview. Career progression A CV is not only for getting a job. It shows how you have generally developed as an employee, from what new skills you have gained to the responsibilities you have picked up. Networking Having a strong CV will allow you to share your background in a quick and efficient matter at, for example, career fairs or industry events. How do I know if my CV is to the right standard? Read below to find out more. We can check your CV for free! 1. Style We will make sure your writing is coherent and flows in the correct way, such as in chronological order. We will also recommend fonts, font sizes, appropriate headings that employers prefer and more, as layout is incredibly important to consider. 2. Spelling, punctuation and grammar It is easy to make small errors that can be easily overlooked! However, we will proofread your work to make sure your sentences make sense whilst being straight to the point. 3. Sections to include More than one would think, some may include sections that are of no relevance to the employer or put lack of detail in the ones that matter most. We will help make sure you don't fall into this trap. 4. Helping you make a start It is completely normal to feel like you don't know where to start from, too! Our advisors can ask you personalised questions regarding your experience, education, and so on to give you a 'template' to work on. This can then be reviewed and personalised feedback will be given until you are satisfied. 5. Other neat tricks... There are some features of a CV that individuals may not focus on but employers actually look for (hint: super- and extracurricular). Find out more from us if you're interested! Browse some career roles and insights in jobs related to: statistics , nuclear medicine , clinical computer scientist Example universities where some of our advisors attend/have graduated from: Queen Mary University of London, Imperial College London, University of Liverpool and so on. Some of these students have secured placements, internships, and jobs with companies such as GSK and STATIC St. Andrews ! Just like personal statements , our expert advisors offer to review your CV in a time-efficient manner, by providing feedback on the following: Fill the form out below and we will contact you* * Alternatively, you can email us at scientianewsorg@gmail.com . Please keep the subject as 'CVs'. Email Subject Your message Send Thanks for submitting!

Your brain is truly an extraordinary structure, and it’s the reason you can do all the amazing things you do. This mass of wrinkly material weighs only about 1.3 kilograms, yet it controls every single thing you will ever do. It’s the engine that drives our behaviour and allows us to interact with the world.  Go Back Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Discovering the Wonders of the Human Brain Last updated: 18/11/24 Published: 13/04/23 Your brain is truly an extraordinary structure, and it’s the reason you can do all the amazing things you do. This mass of wrinkly material weighs only about 1.3 kilograms, yet it controls every single thing you will ever do. It’s the engine that drives our behaviour and allows us to interact with the world. Despite its relatively small size — the brain makes up only 2% of our body mass — it’s an incredibly energy-intensive organ. In fact, it consumes more than 20% of our oxygen supply and blood flow and uses more energy than any other tissue in the body. This is because it has a dense network of neurons, specialized cells that transmit signals throughout the nervous system. There are around 100 billion neurons in the human brain, each connected to thousands of other neurons, passing signals to each other via trillions of synapses. The human brain has more connections than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy and it can process information at a speed of up to 120 meters per second! Even when you are asleep your brain never really “shuts off”! While you’re snoozing away, your brain is busy consolidating memories, processing emotions, flushing out harmful toxins and keeping your mind sharp and healthy. One more key feature that sets our brain apart is the cortex, the outer layer of the brain responsible for many of the higher cognitive functions that are unique to humans, such as abstract reasoning and language. While all mammals have a cerebral cortex, the human cortex is disproportionately large, accounting for 80% of our total brain mass, and it’s much more complex than any other animal. Now, have you ever wondered how the human brain compares to the brains of other animals? Some animals have much larger brains than we do. For instance, the brain of a sperm whale weighs around 8 kilograms, making it the largest brain of any animal on Earth. To put it into perspective, that’s about five times the size of a human brain! Similarly, the brains of elephants are also much larger than ours, weighing in at around 5 kilograms. Comparative neuronal morphology of the cerebellar cortex in afrotherians, carnivores, cetartiodactyls, and primates. We might not have the largest brain compared to other species however, the human brain is larger than most animal brains relative to body size. Why did humans evolve such large brains in the first place? The question has puzzled scientists for years, but there are a few theories that have gained traction. The “social brain” hypothesis suggests that our large brains evolved as a result of our ancestors’ increasingly complex social structures. As early humans began to live in larger groups, they needed to be able to navigate the complex social dynamics of their communities, for example cooperating for resources and maintaining social relationships. Another theory known as “ecological intelligence”, suggests that the pressure for larger brains was driven by environmental conditions. Our ancestors had to adapt to the challenges posed by the environment, such as finding food and shelter. Finally, the “cultural intelligence” hypothesis emphasizes the challenge of learning from different cultures and teaching their own. While each of these theories has some evidence to support it, there is still much debate among scientists about which theory (if any) is the most accurate. It is likely that all three theories played a role in the evolution of the human brain, to varying degrees. The human brain is a fascinating organ that has captivated scientists are researchers for centuries. Despite all our advances in neuroscience, however, there is still so much that we don’t know about how the brain works and what it is truly capable of. Written by Viviana Greco Related article: The brain-climate connection REFERENCES González-Forero, M., & Gardner, A., 2018. Inference of ecological and social drivers of human brain-size evolution. Nature, 557(7706), Article 7706. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0127-x Jacobs, B., Johnson, N. L., Wahl, D., et. al, 2014. Comparative neuronal morphology of the cerebellar cortex in afrotherians, carnivores, cetartiodactyls, and primates. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnana.2014.00024