In this study, the authors investigate whether microplastics affect terrestrial plant growth and soil quality.

Climate records indicate that there has been a trend of decreasing annual snowfall totals throughout the United States during the peak winter season. However, New Jersey has seen a significant increase in snowfall over the past 126 years of recorded observations. The authors hypothesize that although annual snowfall has remained the same on average, the frequencies of major and minor snowfall events have noticeably increased. They found that there was no significant evidence for an increase in the frequency of minor events (1.1-inch to 4.0-inch events), but there was evidence for an increase in the frequency of major events (4.1+ inch events). The results imply that a warming climate might be opening up opportunities for more snowfall.

The authors investigate various methods to decrease heart rate after drinking caffeine.

Scientist are investigating the use of methane-consuming bacteria to aid the growing problem of rising greenhouse gas emissions. While previous studies claim that low-frequency electromagnetic fields can accelerate the growth rate of these bacteria, Chu et al. demonstrate that this fundamental ideology is not on the same wavelength with their data.

Oxidative damage and neuro-inflammation were the key pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, 30 natural extracts from plant roots and leaves with extensive anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties were consumed by Drosophila melanogaster. Several assays were performed to evaluate the efficacy of these combinational extracts on delaying the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The experimental group showed increased motor activity, improved associative memory, and decreased lifespan decline relative to the control group.

In this study, the authors assess the factors that allow some speedcubers to solve Rubik's Cubes faster than others.

Wearing face masks has become a common occurrence in everyday life and during athletics due to the spread of diseases. This study tested if masks would affect blood percent saturation of hemoglobin (SpO₂) during treadmill exercise. The data analysis showed that mask type, time, and the interaction of mask type and time were significant results, regardless of physical ability. These results may assist athletes in understanding the differences between training and competing with and without a mask.

In this study, the authors identify transcripts and gene networks that are changed after infection with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

In this study, the authors investigate the demographic indicators for voter shift between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections based on demographic data put through a K-nearest neighbors classification algorithm and Principal Component Analysis.

Whether it is through implicit association or intentional practice, yoga has been known to help individuals maintain good mental health. However, many communities, such as South Asian communities, often project the stereotype that embodies neglecting topics such as mental health and considering them taboo. In this online survey-based study, the authors focused on examining whether yoga would alter individuals’ attitudes toward mental health. They hypothesized that 1) participants who regularly practiced yoga would be more familiar with the term mental health, 2) participants who practiced yoga would value their mental health more, and 3) participants who practiced yoga regularly would be more open about their mental health and be more likely to reach out for professional help if needed. They did not find a statistical significance for any of our hypotheses which suggests that yoga may not have an effect on perceptions of mental health in yoga-practicing Indian adults.