As reported in Science on March 30, a team of researchers has discovered that the pathways of fibers in our brains are more akin to the organized streets of New York City than the plate of spaghetti previously envisioned. The study, led by Van Wedeen of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School, is part of a larger project known as the Human Connectome Project and funded by the National Institute of Health. According to its website, the Human Connectome Project is a collaboration between MGH and UCLA that aims “to construct a map of the complete structural and functional neural connections in vivo (in a living organism) within and across individuals.”

Women are told that their bodies are supplied with a fixed amount of eggs from birth. The quality of these eggs diminishes with age, and by 45 to 55, the body undergoes menopause and stops releasing eggs. As a result, a biological clock starts to tick as time passes, prompting women to feel obligated to have children before their eggs expire. However, new research has the potential to completely change what is known about reproduction today. Recently, scientists have found stem cells that generate new egg cells in adult human ovarian tissue.

Many believe that on Dec. 21, 2012, the Sun, Earth, and the center of our galaxy – the Milky Way – will align on the galactic plane. This will cause one of two things: an inundation of comets hitting the Earth or a gravitational pull from a massive black hole in the center of the Milky Way.

One popular theory is that in 2012, Earth’s magnetic poles – the North and South Pole – will reverse. First, the sun itself will reverse its magnetic poles, sending a solar storm in our direction and causing a short-circuit in the Earth’s electromagnetic field. The solar particles from the storm, known as a solar wind, will move up and down the magnetic poles until they form an electric current around the Earth’s equator, creating a magnetic field opposite that of the Earth.

Possibly the least creative, but equally scary, doomsday theory is that our planet will be hit by a large comet or asteroid, killing everyone on Earth. According to their most recent data, scientists at NASA reassure that this is far from possible.

During my semester abroad in Seville, Spain, the local cuisine was among the biggest changes I faced. I admit I was a bit apprehensive at first, but my attitude quickly changed to one of excitement and openness. I have been told that trying new things will not you, and, observing that philosophy, I found Spanish food to be delicious and full of flavor. In addition to great taste, Spanish cuisine can be very healthy: multiple studies have found that the diet of the Spanish culture reduces the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Summer destinations.

During a heat stroke, the body loses the ability to regulate body temperature, which can rise up to 106°F or higher!

On its opening night I saw “Limitless,” the latest sci-fi action movie starring Bradley Cooper. The movie revolves around a drug known as NZT, an illegal clear pill that allows a person to retrieve and create long-term memories at an incredible rate by accessing inactive parts of the brain. After taking the drug, Bradley Cooper’s character has the ability to remember the most obscure details of memories formulated years before. He also learns how to play the piano, speak multiple languages, and conquer the stock market within days, thanks to his new best pharmaceutical friend. But is such a drug actually possible? Is the science behind this movie factual or fictional? Reactions from the scientific community are definitely mixed.

A few weeks ago, my mother shared her first energy drink experience with me. She said that after drinking it, she had never before felt so focused to accomplish daily tasks. For my mom, this is a big deal. Although I tend to steer away from energy drinks, I thought, “Wow, this must be a miracle-in-a-can!” The next time I was at the local corner store, I bought one and expected a burst of motivation to rush through me. An hour after I drank it, I felt nothing. So what is the hype with energy drinks? How do they work? I decided to get some answers.