Cosmeceuticals promise anti-aging products, pose health risks
By Aristides Theodoropoulos, Technograph Writer
April 26, 2019
Some, more than others, are coming into contact with cosmetic products purported to exhibit anti-aging effects. These products, now being called cosmeceuticals, can be found all over the internet as well as on store shelves. The term “cosmeceutical” was coined in 1985 and is defined as “cosmetics that c...
Breathe easy: University professor aims to help CF patients
By Yoav Margalit, Technograph Writer
April 26, 2019
R esearchers at the University recently made a breakthrough related to the treatment of cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease affecting the respiratory system. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, there are more than 30,000 diagnosed cases of CF in the U.S. with approximately 1,000 new cases being d...
Artificial leaves sprout from climate change research
By Zack Fishman, Technograph Writer
April 26, 2019
Carbon dioxide, a very small and very stable greenhouse gas, has been voluminously ejected into Earth’s atmosphere during centuries of fossil fuel combustion. It has caused widespread disruption of natural systems via climate change and threatens even worse damage in the near future. To avoid the worst ...
Study plants seed of hope for genetically modified science
By Natalie Stanowski, Technograph Writer
April 26, 2019
Whether it’s a scientific study being broadcast on the evening news or rows of fresh vegetables at the supermarket, genetically modified foods have been popping up everywhere. While the merits, or lack thereof, of GM foods have been debated around the globe, it has become especially important to Flor...
Obesity heightens breast cancer risk
By Shubhangi Joshi, Contributing Technograph Writer
April 26, 2019
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer patients who reside in low-income areas have lower five-year survival rates than those in higher-income areas at every stage of diagnosis. Those who live in low-income areas are more susceptible to food insecurity, which can make healthy and low-...
Professors prove ‘junk’ DNA has a purpose
By Ava Traverso, Technograph Editor
April 26, 2019
The science behind evolution has an interesting history, to say the least. Ever since the publication of Charles Darwin’s “On The Origin of Species” in 1859, famous for citing the “survival of the fittest” ideology, evolution has been continuously refined in recent years. Because of this, many...
Mycology is an ever-expanding field
By Serina Taluja, Assistant Technograph Editor
March 7, 2019
The study of the vast natural world around us is something humans have participated in since long before the term “ecology” was coined. Similarly, people studied things like plants, animals and fungi for thousands of years before words like “botany,” “zoology” and “mycology” were developed. The ...
Quantum Information Science emerges in University’s physics department
By Molly Nguyen, Technograph Writer
March 7, 2019
Quantum Information Science, or QIS, may not be present in everyday life, but pretty soon, it will be. According to the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology center’s newly named director Paul Kwiat, professor in LAS, this area of research may be the future’s foundation for solving...
Microplastics found to infiltrate Illinois groundwater
By Zack Fishman, Technograph Writer
March 7, 2019
Samuel Panno is concerned about plastic pollution in the environment. He recalled clusters of water bottles in the ocean while in North Carolina and described images of washed-up whale carcasses full of plastic as “shocking.” The geochemist said 8 million tons of the petroleum-based material is added to the ocean every year, and the statistic elicited a sigh of exaspera...
Urban planning research targets Chicago heat vulnerability
By Molly Zupan, Technograph Editor
March 7, 2019
When we think about climate change, immediate thoughts jump to extreme storms or rising sea levels. But the repercussions of excessive greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of natural ecosystems are much greater than the average person acknowledges, particularly in metropolitan regions where residents a...
University experts warn of false information regarding vaccinations
By Ava Traverso, Technograph Writer
March 7, 2019
In a time where health sciences are more advanced than they have ever been in human history, many health issues remain highly politicized. One of the most hotly debated issues in modern times is vaccinations. Whether or not to get vaccinated in today’s society has become a hot-ticket issue and has re...
Researchers invent ‘microbubblers’ to destroy harmful bacteria
By Zack Fishman, Technograph Writer
November 15, 2018
Biofilms, or surface-sticking clusters of bacteria, cover everything from bathroom floors to medical devices and are a major cause of hospital infections. These collections of dangerous cells are tough to crack and require thorough scrubbing to be removed, but what if they live in spaces too small to ...
