The Zika Virus: A Harmless Harbinger
This week's How Things Work discusses the history and mechanics of the infectious Zika virus, a virus transferred from mosquito to human.
Mini-nukes: innovative or invitation for destruction?
Student Pugwash is a non-advocacy organization on campus that discusses the implications of science. This article is a summary of last week’s discussion on the miniaturization of nuclear weapons.
Hugs and social support linked to physiological benefits
Research coming out of Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences has pointed to the immunological and stress-relieving effects associated with hugs.
Why people play Powerball despite those abysmal odds
Carnegie Mellon’s George Loewenstein, an economics and psychology professor, has engaged in research to try and determine what factors make such terrible odds seem worth the effort and resources.
SciTech Briefs
This week's SciTech Briefs cover aging patterns, genetics of schizophrenia, nanosheets, forming methanol from carbon dioxide, proton beam cancer therapy, and a new kind of polymer.
CMU chemist leads team to confirm four new elements
Thanks to the efforts from Carnegie Mellon chemist Paul Karol, the seventh row of the periodic table of elements is now complete.