Map Me Oblivion

Science Is Kind of Really Freaking Cool

I haven’t taken the opportunity to get to know those who are in the Science Tumblr community and/or those who are following my blog (I still can’t quite understand why people follow this blog, but I’m okay with it). So, I would like to ask anyone who’s reading this: What makes you passionate about science? What about science interests you? I’d love to know!

I only started university this past September, so I’ve had a little bit of everything thrown at my face all at once, essentially. I’ve been given a taste, if you will, of what’s out there. It really blows my mind to know that there is so much more to learn, but I am really excited by that. In all honesty, the more I learn, the more I feel like I don’t really know anything, which kind of scares and excites me at the same time. It’s a strange feeling, I know. However, I’m extremely excited to see where my career in science takes me.

I apologize for this post being a lot more “me” than my “usual posts,” but I recently started taking a Calc III class and had a “Jimmy Neutron Brain Blast” moment when I realized that a lot of the things I learned in the past make much more sense now that I know the Math and the reasoning behind it. I can appreciate those things a lot more. I feel the same way about science. I appreciate life a lot more as I keep discovering the answers to all my “Why?” questions.

I hope you’re all having a nice day :)

micro-scopic:

Vitamin C Crystallites

Ascorbic acid, also known by the chemical name L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a powerful antioxidant. Although most animals can synthesize vitamin C, others — such as including humans and other primates and guinea pigs — obtain it only through their diets. Vitamin C is commonly found naturally in peppers, citrus fruits, tomatoes, melons, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip, and mustard greens.

Rock Star Scientist Posters by Megan Lee

Sergio Cittolin, a scientist working on the Large Hadron Collider, combined his two passions of art and science to create a series of incredible drawings of various elements of the LHC, in the style of Leonardo da Vinci.

Don’t forget to take the time to see his other beautiful drawings of the LHC! They’re definitely worth having a look.

Credit: CERN/Sergio Cittolin

This Is Your Brain On Sugar

Your midterm is tomorrow yet somehow, procrastination put you into a deep hole where only energy drinks, large amounts of sweets and no sleep exist. Most of us know the dangers of fructose, such as its role in diabetes and obesity, but how bad is it really? How does it influence the brain?

A new UCLA rat study is the first to show how a diet steadily high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning - and how omega-3 fatty acids can counteract the disruption.

Considering “the average American consumes more than 40 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year,” UCLA decided to focus on a high-fructose corn syrup commonly added to food products as a sweetener and preservative.

In the study, two groups of rats were given a “fructose solution as drinking water for six weeks.” One group received omega-3 fatty acids, which “protects against damage to the synapses - the chemical connections between brain cells that enable memory and learning,” while the other did not. Five days before starting the experiment, the team observed “how well the rats were able to navigate [a] maze, which contained numerous holes but only one exit.” Six weeks later, results showed that the group who received the omega-3 fatty acids were able to navigate the maze much faster than the group who did not receive the omega-3 fatty acids.

The team noted,

The DHA-deprived rats also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates synaptic function in the brain. A closer look at the rats’ brain tissue suggested that insulin had lost much of its power to influence the brain cells.