Category: Biology
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When Science is Against Humanity: Exposing the Tuskegee Tragedy
In the 1930s, America struggled with a silent epidemic—syphilis, a bacterial sexually transmitted disease that afflicted nearly one in ten people in the US. The symptoms were harrowing: painful sores and rashes could plague the body for up to two years. In its advanced stage, syphilis wreaked havoc on vital organs like the heart and…
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Tales of Reproduction: It’s Not Simple as You Think!
Back in school, the topic of reproduction in biology always left me baffled. No matter how much I tried, the concepts seemed to tangle up in my mind. But the day I finally unraveled the mystery, everything changed—I started acing biology effortlessly. So, how did I crack it? It wasn’t through rote learning or endless…
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Stem Cell: The Unsung Hero of Our Body
In ninth grade, I first encountered the term “stem cell” during a biology class with our teacher. At the time, it seemed like just another cell. However, I later discovered that stem cells are far from ordinary; they are the very foundation of our existence. Stem cell possess the remarkable ability to transform into various…
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On the evolutionary origin of RNA and DNA
In the grand orchestra of life, proteins and nucleic acids stand as the most pivotal players. These two biomolecules not only sustain the intricate workings of living organisms but are also believed to have composed the first whispers of life itself. From the simplest unicellular beings to the most complex multicellular creatures, countless biochemical reactions…
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GM Crops: Concerns and Awareness
The rise of GM crops is deeply rooted in society’s ongoing battle against hunger and food scarcity. To truly understand why GM crops became a necessity, we must journey back through history. In the early 19th century, English economist Thomas Robert Malthus proposed a population theory that sent ripples through intellectual circles. His theory, in…
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Fetus in Fetu: The Surprising Case of a Twin Inside a Twin
Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared to be pregnant in the 1994 movie Junior. But that’s just a movie. What if I told you that similar things actually happened before in real life, where male patient carried a fetus? Fetus in Fetu is a rare and surreal occurrence where one fetus forms within another. Throughout the centuries, humanity…
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Parasitic Tale: The Jewel Wasp and its ‘Zombie’ Cockroach
The scientific name of the creature is Ampulex compressa. The common name is the Jewel Wasp, or in Bengali, it is known as “Jewel Bolta (জুয়েল বোলতা).” It is mainly found in the African and Asian tropics. Its length is around one inch or slightly smaller. The exterior of its body has a beautiful coloration.…
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Neuralink’s Ambitious Journey: Exploring the Potential and Challenges of Brain-Computer Interfaces
The human brain is the most complex biological structure known to date. We still don’t fully understand how our brain works. However, advancements in neuroscience have not halted. From ~4,000 BCE to the present, researchers have continuously achieved new milestones in neuroscientific research. Neuroscientists have made significant progress in mapping the intricate functions of over…
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Virgin Birth in the Animal Kingdom: A Comparative Exploration of Asexual Reproduction
“Virgin Birth,” meaning giving birth to offspring without mating with a male, has been a mythical story and historical account associated with various ancient deities like Mars from Roman mythology, Horus from ancient Egyptian mythology, Kuanyin from ancient Chinese mythology, and Jesus in some Abrahamic religion. All of them were believed to have been born…