Author: Shuhan Yu Editors: Serena Tsao, Miriam Heikal Artist: Becky Li Water is often not given a lot of thought, but it's ubiquitous and keeps things going. We drink it, we cook with it, our bodies are mostly made up of it, and the planet is mostly covered in it. What makes water remarkable, however, isn’t just how much of it exists- it’s the unusual properties it possesses. Features like cohesion, adhesion, heat capacity, being able to dissolve so many substances, and even

Author: Alex Yang Editors: Sophia Chen, Hwi-On Lee, Faye Lin Artist: Francesca Huang What if one of the most powerful weapons for boosting a nation's economy wasn’t advanced infrastructure or technology, but something that most kids fear? A vaccine is a shot that helps the body build protection against certain diseases, and it has long been known for its health benefits, with its most notable advantage being the ability to strengthen the immune system. However, its financial

Author: Kayla Otoo Editors: Joshua Payne, Elizabeth Li Artist: Caitland So A delusion from the truth. An odd hallucination. A monotone voice that lacks substance or emotion. These factors are all symptoms associated with schizophrenia. However, what is the basis of this chronic brain disorder affecting 1 percent of people worldwide? For the past several years, geneticists have examined various factors to identify the sole contributor to the disorder. Multiple genes, such as

Author: Bryan Lin Editors: Miriam Heikal, Linzi Yeung Artist: Becky Li In approximately 4% of the population, the brain's sensory wiring operates differently, creating a world where sounds have colors and words somehow have flavor. This is a neurological phenomenon, known as synesthesia, and it comes in many different forms. Synesthesia occurs when signals between sensory regions of the brain cross in unusual ways. What exactly is synesthesia? What causes this cross-wiring?

Author: Sophie Jin Editors: Eason Gao, Justin Tai Artist: Helen Gong If you’ve ever worn a rain jacket, gone skiing, or walked through puddles without getting your feet wet, you’re probably familiar with waterproof clothing. But have you ever wondered how they’re made? The process involves using different types of materials, multiple layers of fabric, and special techniques to ensure that you stay warm and dry. There are two main goals of all waterproof clothing: To block p

Author: Vincent Guo Editors: Ethan Tai, Jonathan Chen Artist: Alicia Chen Typically, one might think that health is all about biology and genetics, but health inequalities and social determinants of health also play a huge role. Health inequalities are issues that result from social, economic, and environmental conditions. They are systematic and are avoidable health differences between different groups of people. One example is that areas with low income have higher rates o

Author: Elaine Guo Editors: Fiona Cheng, Hwi-On Lee, Serena Tsao Artist: Stanley Zhao Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that forms in the mesothelium, a tissue that surrounds and protects many internal organs. There are many different types of mesothelioma, including pleural, pericardial, and testicular. Specifically, pleural mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that most commonly appears in the lining of your lungs, accounting for approximately 85% of cases. Still, it can a

Author: Lillian Dong Editors: Joshua Payne, Oscar Chen Artist: Christina Chen A human’s world is composed of five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. Many people believe that these senses encompass everything there is to be experienced, but have you ever thought of “seeing” which direction points north? Or “feeling” the electrical field around a friend? Trying to imagine senses that humans do not possess is like trying to see out of your elbow, so in this articl

Author: Sophie Jin Editors: Fiona Cheng, Eason Gao, Hwi-On Lee Artist: Caitland So  Have you ever wondered how detectives use voice recordings to identify speakers, collect evidence, and link suspects to crime? The technique they rely on is voice recognition, a powerful tool that can connect voices to people and provide valuable evidence in criminal investigations. By comparing an unknown recording to a known sample, experts can use special tools to determine if the voicepri

Author: Alex Yang Editors: Jonathan Chen, Justin Tai Artist: Becky Li The global paradigm shift to focusing on renewable energy has created opportunities and challenges in electricity consumption and storage. Solar and wind are considered the cleanest forms of energy, and yet, they are intermittent. The sun is not always present, and the wind is inconsistent; therefore, these sources do not have the capacity to constantly supply power. This demand-supply synchronization dete

Author: Joshua Payne Editors: Ethan Tai & Eason Gao Artist: Helen Gong In the dead of night, a gloved hand reaches into a pocket, producing a lockpick. Silent and precise, it unlocks the door. The gloved hand returns the pick to the cargo pants pocket and turns the knob without resistance. The intruder enters, moving deftly and quickly. One gloved hand slides open a drawer, rifling through it for cash and tucking the wads deep into his pocket. The other presses against the w

Author: Simone Maimon Editor: Serena Tsao Artist: Francesca Huang Why can humans speak, but not apes? One main difference between us and other species is our ability to communicate complex words and ideas. Sure, other animals may be able to gesture, echolocate, and dance. But none can create coherent speech. The scientific zeitgeist explains that our development of speech comes from unique physical capabilities that make certain sounds. On the other hand, other scientists pr

Author: Bryan Lin Editors: Alex Yang , Elizabeth Li  Artist: Alvina Zheng Believe it or not, your breakfast table represents a story of struggle. The coffee beans that make up your morning cup of coffee are climbing up mountainsides, forcing farmers to relocate from the land their families have farmed for generations. The wheat in your toast faces increasing heatwaves that threaten to wipe out whole harvests in days. Even the orange juice in your pitcher is fighting its own

Author: Vincent Guo Editors: Ethan Tai, Jonathan Chen Artist: Becky Li Many people have questioned whether AI is a reliable source to use for your health and if it is trustworthy enough to ask questions like “what could it be if I have these types of symptoms?” or “How can I treat this illness?” Well, the short answer is yes and no. You could use AI in some scenarios, but you shouldn’t rely on it exclusively. There are benefits of using AI, but it also comes with risks. The

Author: Elaine Guo Editors: Fiona Cheng, Hwi-On Lee, Serena Tsao, Alex Yang Artist: Helen Gong Schizophrenia, a chronic mental health disorder, affects less than one percent of the US population. It influences how someone thinks, feels, and behaves, producing both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms encompass experiences that are “present” which most people don’t experience, such as hallucinations, hearing voices, or seeing things that don’t exist. Negative sym

Author: Lillian Dong Editors: Joshua Payne, Oscar Chen Artist: Christina Chen Salty, sweet, tangy, sour, and spicy–the deliciousness of pickles lies in their complex flavor. Fermentation has long existed for thousands of years as a process to extend the shelf life of fresh vegetables. In the modern day, scientists are finding even more benefits of fermenting food. Chances are, you have already heard of pickles being great for gut health. But what does this phrase really mean

Author: Jeffrey Chen Editor: Kacey Ye Artist: Felicia Chen Due to the extreme weather conditions and lack of an ozone layer that allows for unhindered ultraviolet radiation, there is likely no life present on Mars today. However, signs of life on ancient Mars have been present since 1996, beginning with the discovery of evidence for microscopic life from a meteorite belonging to Mars. Over the course of the past few decades, further findings have been made to suggest that an

Author: Christine Chen Editor: Elizabeth Li Artist: Emily Hu Imagine a patient suddenly collapsing in the emergency department with low blood pressure and muffled heart sounds—yet no obvious trauma. Hidden within the pericardium, fluid presses relentlessly against the heart, and the clock is ticking. Cardiac tamponade is this invisible predator, and modern ultrasound is our tool to catch it before catastrophe. As mentioned, Cardiac tamponade is one of those dramatic medical

Author: Shuhan Yu Editors: Hwi-On Lee, Kacey Ye, Linzi Yeung Artist: Felicia Chen Starting a skincare routine can feel overwhelming with...

Author: Derek Yang Editor: Justin Tai Artist: Emily Hu Pandemics are commonly thought of as viruses, and famous examples of influenza...