Protein to DNA

Where can I get some new DNA around here? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Usually, cells make new DNA by copying existing DNA. Or so we thought?! Enter Pujuan Deng and team from Stanford University. They’ve turned this idea on its head, studying a

Continue reading

Sweetening the Bitter

When life gives you grapefruit… BLECH! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Bitter fruits can be hard to enjoy. Citrus grown in colder climates is extra bitter! If only there was a way to turn bitter into sweet…  Well, Elena Plesser and team at the

Continue reading

The Gut Fix

Peanut allergies drive me NUTS! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Severe peanut allergies can trigger anaphylaxis, a fast, life-threatening reaction. Luckily, the Epipen can calm reactions. But what if our bodies could fight these allergies… naturally? Enter Elisa Sanchez-Martinez and team from the Autonomous University

Continue reading

A Second Wind for T cells

Tired of being a T-cell? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Killer T-cells are immune cells that defend against tumors and viruses. But! One type of T-cell kills tumors, while another… becomes exhausted and just gives up. The problem? Telling them apart! H. Kay Chung

Continue reading

Matcha Boost

Did Popeye eat spinach… OR MATCHA! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Green tea is known for its benefits to muscle and metabolic health. Matcha, a powdered form of green tea, packs even more nutrients than traditional loose-leaf green tea.  Could that give your workout

Continue reading

Old Plastic, New Life

A new life for plastic. Imagine that… This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. PET is a common plastic in water bottles. Recycling it is costly and energy intensive! How can we make better use of it? Enter Pavel Kulyabin and team from the University of

Continue reading

Buzzing for Good Vibes

“BEE don’t kill my vibe! BEE don’t kill my vibe!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. A good mood is contagious, right? Is that what makes us human? Or is that what makes us… bees?! Enter Jose Romero-Gonzalez and team at Southern Medical University. They

Continue reading

Air To Water

You can’t pluck water out of thin air!…..Can you? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The atmosphere holds a lot of water! The tricky part? Harvesting it. Condensing vapor by heating and cooling air eats up a ton of energy. So now what? Enter Ikra

Continue reading

Onion Tears

Masterpiece Theatre presents: Tears of an Onion. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Cut an onion, and enzymes break up sulfur compounds. But how do they get in your eye? Zixuan Wu and team at Cornell University compared onion cutting with varying knife sharpness and

Continue reading