CuriosiTEA Journal Club 

Student Summary by Olivia Liu Original Source: Berkley Luk, et al., PLOS ONE, May 15, 2018 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0196510 Image created by Olivia Liu Abstract Background: Our body is a residence to trillions of bacteria, which start making themselves at home the minute we're born. Most bacteria in the body are probiotic/commensal bacteria, or in other words "good bacteria." Some bacteria that are categorized in this section are bact

Student Summary By Olivia Hwang Original Source: Maddie Burakoff, Audubon, May 29, 2025 https://www.audubon.org/magazine/hummingbird-rapidly-evolved-longer-beak-slurp-more-nectar-feeders-new-study-finds Image Photographed By Olivia Hwang Abstract Background: Anna’s Hummingbirds were historically found only in a small range of chaparral habitat in southern California and northern Mexico, where the mild climate let them feed on nectar year-round. However, with the recent commer

Student Summary by Elizabeth Li Original Source: University of Birmingham, SciTechDaily, June 18, 2026 https://scitechdaily.com/these-tiny-birds-became-giants-on-remote-scottish-islands/ Image created by Elizabeth Li Abstract Background: A common evolutionary pattern found in species of animals isolated on islands for prolonged periods of time is a change in body size. This pattern is sometimes called the “island rule” or island gigantism, and it belongs to a broader set of c

Story by CuriosiTEA JC Team Original Research Article: Han et al., Nature Methods, 2022. Journal link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-022-01453-y When COVID-19 spread around the world, scientists needed a safe way to study it. So they grew organoids (i.e. tiny models of human organs) in the lab from human cells. With these little models, they could watch how the virus affect different organs and test medicines and vaccines. Organoids are also animal free, because the

Student summary by Emma Seo Original Source: Carl Zimmer, The New York Times, Published: October 17, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/science/microbes-endangered-preservation.html Image created by Emma Seo Abstract Background: Humans need microbes to help pandas, rainforests, whales, oceans, and everything else, but microbes are declining. Humans are driving this decline by destroying their habitats, like cutting down forests and turning grasslands int

Student summary by Olivia Hwang Original Source: NEIL SAVAGE, Scientific American, April 2,2025 https://www.scientificamerican.com/custom-media/ul-research-institutes/the-new-materials-that-could-ease-climate-impacts/?mvt=i&mvn=c72419d6bafe46a58cf37beafcb7118d&mvp=NA-SCIEAMER-11239494&mvl=%20%5BHopper%20Native%20Grid%5D Abstract Background: Climate change is a growing issue, and with the world using many petroleum-based materials, a United Nations study reports that water

Student summary by Elizabeth Li Original Source: Alex Parrish, Virginia, June 2nd, 2025 https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/05/eng-me-bartlett-worch-recyclable-circuits.html Image created by Elizabeth Li Abstract Background: So many electronics such as phones, tablets, and computers have been thrown away in the past few years, and the recycling process is proving to be too slow to accommodate so much waste. The amount of electronic waste (e-waste) is piling u

Student summary by Olivia Liu Original Source:National Public Radio (NPR), September 15, 2021 by The Associated Press Image Created by Olivia Liu Abstract Background: A significant environmental problem is the huge amount of urine waste coming from cows. Cow urine holds nitrogen, and when it is mixed with feces, it transforms into ammonia. Ammonia is an environmental problem that can cause acid rain and other issues. It can also contaminate water with nitrates and produce th

Student summary by Olivia Liu Original Source: Julia Busiek, University of California, April 16, 2024 https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/vaccine-acne-uc-discovery-shows-promise Image created by Olivia Liu Abstract Background: Around 85% of the human population has either experienced or will experience acne in their lives. Acne (also known as pimples) has caused social stigma and has been linked to mental health problems. Many p

Student summary by Elizabeth Li Original Source: Jake Buehler, Science News, July 10, 2025 https://www.sciencenews.org/article/greenland-sled-dog-dna-arctic Image created by Elizabeth Li Abstract Background: Dogs have shared a close bond with humans for over 20,000 years. When humans crossed a land bridge into the Americas, sled dogs were there to help them. Now, a population of large, thick-furred Arctic sled dogs, Qimmit (singular Qimmeq), is declining, with t

Student summary by Jayden Ahn Original Source: ALVARO A, DOGONEWS, JUNE 18, 2025 https://www.dogonews.com/2025/6/18/runaway-pet-zebra-in-tennessee-finally-caught Abstract Background: A zebra nicknamed Ed, who had just arrived in Tennessee, escaped the community in early June. After the zebra escaped, it took searchers about a week before they finally recovered him in Tennessee. Objective: T

Student summary by Audrey Kim Original Source: Catherine Morris, WorldAtlas, June 6, 2025. https://www.worldatlas.com/animals/discover-the-shrimp-that-fires-sun-hot-bubbles.html Image created by Audrey Kim Abstract Background: Pistol shrimps use their strong, quick claw to form a bubble underwater that can injure or kill their prey. A snap of a pistol shrimp can reach up to 210 decibels, about as loud as a gunshot, and the heat of the water bubble is similar to the surface