Browse Articles

Examination of the underlying chemical physics of the Mpemba effect in water and other liquids

Khan et al. | Apr 20, 2023

Examination of the underlying chemical physics of the Mpemba effect in water and other liquids
Image credit: D koi

Counterintuitive in nature, the Mpemba effect asserts that hot liquid freezes faster than cold liquid. While noted throughout history by scientific minds like Aristotle, the phenomenon remains in contention with varying hypotheses for the effect proposed alongside the effect’s rise in popularity. Contributing to the research efforts surrounding the Mpemba effect, the authors in this article explore the effect in different liquids ranging in physical properties and intermolecular forces to determine potential parameters attributable to producing the Mpemba effect.

Read More...

Impact of study partner status and group membership on commitment device effectiveness among college students

Gupta et al. | Jun 03, 2022

Impact of study partner status and group membership on commitment device effectiveness among college students

Here seeking to identify a possible solution to procrastination among college students, the authors used an online experiment that involved the random assignment of study partners that they shared their study time goal with. These partners were classified by status and group membership. The authors found that status and group membership did not significantly affect the likelihood of college students achieving their committed goals, and also suggest the potential of soft commitment devices that take advantage of social relationships to reduce procrastination.

Read More...

String analysis of exon 10 of the CFTR gene and the use of Bioinformatics in determination of the most accurate DNA indicator for CF prediction

Carroll et al. | Jul 12, 2020

String analysis of exon 10 of the CFTR gene and the use of Bioinformatics in determination of the most accurate DNA indicator for CF prediction

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. In this paper, the authors attempt to identify variations in stretches of up to 8 nucleotides in the protein-coding portions of the CFTR gene that are associated with disease development. This would allow screening of newborns or even fetuses in utero to determine the likelihood they develop cystic fibrosis.

Read More...

The effect of economic downturns on the frequency of mass shootings

Bhupathi et al. | Jul 11, 2025

The effect of economic downturns on the frequency of mass shootings

Researching gun violence and mass shootings in the U.S. is difficult due to the lack of consistent data collection. Some studies have linked mass shootings to personal financial stress, but little formal research exists on the impact of broader economic conditions. This study hypothesized an inverse relationship between mass shootings and economic performance, using the S&P 500 and unemployment rate as indicators.

Read More...

Optical anisotropy of crystallized vanillin thin film: the science behind the art

Wang et al. | Jul 09, 2024

Optical anisotropy of crystallized vanillin thin film: the science behind the art
Image credit: The authors

Microscopic beauty is hiding in common kitchen ingredients - even vanillin flavoring can be turned into mesmerizing artwork by crystallizing the vanillin and examining it under a polarizing microscope. Wang and Pang explore this hidden beauty by determining the optimal conditions to grow crystalline vanillin films and by creating computer simulations of chemical interactions between vanillin molecules.

Read More...

The impact of genetic analysis on the early detection of colorectal cancer

Agrawal et al. | Aug 24, 2023

The impact of genetic analysis on the early detection of colorectal cancer

Although the 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is below 10%, it increases to greater than 90% if it is diagnosed early. We hypothesized from our research that analyzing non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in a patient's exome sequence would be an indicator for high genetic risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Read More...