All Stories by Aina Abell
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, scientists suspected that lost sense of smell could be restored
Cells responsible for humans’ sense of smell can regenerate. Now, research spurred on by the pandemic could help answer questions about the process.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, scientists thought coffee might treat hyperactivity
Decades of follow-up research into whether caffeine can treat the symptoms of kids with ADHD has come up with more questions than answers.
- Science & Society
Sea life offers a lens for self-exploration in ‘How Far the Light Reaches’
In a collection of essays profiling 10 marine animals, author Sabrina Imbler mixes in stories of their own family, self-discovery, sexuality and healing.
- Life
Marcos Simões-Costa asks how cells in the embryo get their identities
Marcos Simões-Costa combines classic studies of developing embryos with the latest genomic techniques.
- Anthropology
Tina Lasisi wants to untangle the evolution of human hair
Tina Lasisi is pioneering studies of human variation in an ethical and scientifically sound way.
- Earth
Jacky Austermann looks to the solid earth for clues to sea level rise
Jacky Austermann’s work could help inform practical climate change solutions for at-risk coastal cities.
- Tech
50 years ago, the future of solar energy looked bright
In the 1970s, scientists and engineers were coming around to the idea of “farming” the sun’s energy on a large scale.
- Humans
50 years ago, freezing sperm faced scientific skepticism
In 1972, scientists debated the long-term viability of frozen sperm. Fifty years later, children have been conceived with sperm frozen for decades.
- Space
These discoveries from 2021, if true, could shake up science
Discoveries in 2021, from hidden subatomic particles to the oldest animal fossils, could shake up science. But more evidence is needed to confirm them.
- Neuroscience
50 years ago, scientists were on the trail of ‘memory molecules’
In the 1970s, scientists found the first “memory molecule.” Several other candidates have popped up in the decades since.
- Science & Society
The spoken word album ‘Experimental Words’ weaves rhyme with reason
The spoken word album Experimental Words, a collaboration between researchers and poets, explores the intersection between science and art.
- Environment
50 years ago, chemical pollutants were linked to odd animal behavior
Fifty years after studies hinted that pollution interferes with how aquatic creatures communicate, scientists are still unraveling its myriad effects.
