Our great gamble as individuals composed of trillions of cells is that every cell is going to get along together and play by the rules. Our gut cells wake up and slay the nutrient uptake game every day, our retina cells are on top of processing incoming light, and even the humble cells in our […]
Author Archives: Joseph Herdy
A Genetic Identity Crisis: Mosaicism in the Brain
posted by Joseph Herdy
We carry with us every day trillions of copies of one of the best stories ever written: the human genome. Carefully drafted and edited over 4 billion years, our genome contains all the information necessary, and then some, for making a human being from scratch. Often we think of this recipe book as a monolith: […]
Plants: What are they thinking about?
posted by Joseph Herdy
As fauna, we look at the floral contemporaries in our lives as little more than living scaffolding: unthinking entities more akin to the truly lifeless- like mountains -compared to us as fast paced, conscious creatures. However, if you’ve ever felt like your house plants were feeling a little neglected after the holiday travels, maybe you’re […]
Genomic Imprinting: A Genetic Custody Dispute for Your Brain
posted by Joseph Herdy
During this holiday season, we would do well to reflect on what we’ve inherited from our parents. You might have your mother’s sense of humor but your father’s sense of direction. You and your Ma might share the same tastes in music, but you prefer your Pa’s tastes for ice cream. Although heavily influenced by […]
NeurosciANTS
posted by Joseph Herdy
[En español] You probably walk past thousands of ants every day and give them no more than a passing glance, but the ecological impact of an entire ant colony is comparable to that of enormous animals like elephants. Together in colonies that can surpass 300 million individuals, ants have a profound effect on the landscapes […]
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