Pop, lock, and… ouch! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Over twenty million people in the U-S suffer from joint pain, or osteoarthritis. Our joints are cushioned by cartilage. As we age, this cushion wears down but doesn’t grow back. Current treatments manage the pain
Continue readingSinging Mouseketeers
Mousey in conversations? You’re not alone! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some conversations just flow naturally. Others…not so much! Imagine small talk with the in-laws! Ugh! You have to tiptoe around sensitive topics, AND coordinate a hundred different mouth muscles! How does your brain
Continue readingClock and Awe
Short on time? Wouldn’t it be AWE-some to have more? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Time seems to stand still when you’re staring at the stars. Or standing on edge of the Grand Canyon! But does contemplating something vast and awe-inspiring make you feel
Continue readingDesigner Venom
Snakes are taking “you are what you eat” LITERALLY! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The effects of snake venom can range from harmless to deadly. But why not a one size fits all approach? Or one BITE, as it were. Kevin Healy from the
Continue readingChummy Chimps
Stressed out? SERENITY NOW! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Social interactions help keep our stress response well-balanced. But are all social encounters created equal? Enter researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. To understand how friendship impacts stress levels, they monitored wild chimpanzees
Continue readingTrust Your Gut
Money can’t buy happiness…but can bacteria? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Bacteria that live in our guts help us digest food. However, these little microbes do more than that! Recent studies show that the bacteria living in our bellies can influence overall physical health.
Continue readingCuteness Overload
You are cute enough to EAT…or…SQUISH?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When you see adorable, chubby babies, don’t you just want pinch to them? Maybe even BITE them? Well, you’re not alone. This feeling is called “cute aggression.” Huh? How can aggression be cute?
Continue readingHivers win chemistry department awards
One of our former managing editors, Lauren Fleming (left photo), was awarded the E.K.C. Lee fellowship award from the Chemistry department at the Edward K. C. Lee Lecture and Award Dinner on May 22, 2019. The award is given “to support an outstanding student in chemistry” for their research accomplishments. She
Continue readingTangled Tresses
You think you’re having a bad hair day? Ach du lieber! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The Germans call it Struwwelpeter or “Shockhead Peter.” It affects people with dry, frizzy blonde hair. Those who have it comb and brush, spray and spritz, but nothing
Continue readingVictoria speaks at high school awards dinner
Victoria Lim was selected to give the keynote presentation at the 56th annual Orange County American Chemical Society high school awards dinner on May 21, 2019. This awards dinner honored high school students in Orange County who excelled in their first year chemistry exams, Chemistry Olympiad competitions, and Science Olympiad
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