microbiome

Week 3: Kombucha and Microbiomes

On Thursday the 20th I began the fermentation of my kombucha using a kombucha home-brewing kit that my family was given a year ago (I was surprised to find that the SCOBY alive and well, and ready to make kombucha!). After making the sweet tea and cooling it down, I opened the SCOBY package and immediately recognized that kombucha smell. As of now the SCOBY has been fermenting in the jar for three days – in five more days I will start taste testing the kombucha to see if it is ready.

W3: Using data from microbiomes.

Something that interests me is the growing knowledge of microbial biomes that allow scientists to translate conceptual understandings of them into clinical, applicable methods that can potentially feed into patient care.  Because every microbiome is unique to its host, being able to decipher it will allow medical practitioners to gather much more information about the subject since it is related to every part of the body.  This can eventually lead to personalized c

Microplastic Dangers...

    This morning I saw an article in Scientific American about micro plastics and was interested to explore them further and their potential affect on our health (1). This article was based on a study in a remote area in France about how micro plastics fall from and travel through our atmosphere. It found that even in these remote regions, micro and nono-plastics are polluting the air. It found that these particles had “blown in on the wind from at least 100 kilometers away and likely much farther”.

Kathy High's Works and Her Innovative Approach to Fecal Transplants

Spending a whole week with Kathy High taught me a lot about artists in science. She spoke a lot about her prior works, and the ones that stood out most to me were her projects with transgenic rats and blood wars. She had created an artificial home for rats with various genetic diseases, and had tried to extend their lives as much as possible with various treatments to see if it could carry over to human treatments as well. She eventually concluded that these rats had lived longer and happier lives.

Changing perspectives on Science: Rats, DNA, and Microbiome

As someone who deals with rats on a regular basis in a lab, I was very intrigued by Kathy High's work with rat laughter. I have always wondered if animals feel the same emotions as humans do - happiness, sadness, etc. Hearing Kathy's recording of the rat laughter - that was lowered so that we hear their laughter in the ultrasonic range - has convinced me that they do to some extent.

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