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Computer Problems? Must Have Been The Sun How Solar Particles And Cosmic Rays Affect The Future Of Computing, Ned Markham

Osmosis Magazine

Imagine playing your favorite video game, when suddenly, your character teleports to the top of the level. One may be quick to blame the software for faulty code, clueless that this error may have originated from an unlikely source: the sun. That’s right, during a speed run of Nintendo’s Super Mario 64, one stray cosmic ray flipped a single bit (a bit is the most basic unit of information inside a computer, storing one of only two possible values of 0 and 1), causing a streamer’s character to glitch in front of him and a live audience. This phenomenon, however, …

A Journey Into The Mysterious Quantum Realm, Kien Bui

Osmosis Magazine

Toward the end of the 18th century, many scientists believed that all the fundamental laws of physics had already been discovered. Falling apples obeyed Newton’s laws of motion, spinning compasses were explained by Maxwell’s unification of electricity and magnetism, and steam engines drove the first industrial revolution through the rise of thermodynamics. Lord Kelvin stated, “[t]here is nothing new to be discovered in physics now, all that remains is more and more precise measurement.” Only “two small clouds,” he warned, were the two remaining mysteries: black-body radiation and the theory of light. These small clouds, however, turned out to be …

From Sci-Fi To Reality: Could There Be Life On Mars?, Matea Šarkinović

Osmosis Magazine

Have you ever wondered: Are we alone in the universe? Well, scientists hope to answer the age-old question and they believe that Mars could hold the answer. The red planet has been identified as a potential home to life beyond Earth, and this article aims to explore what makes Mars such a strong candidate. Understanding the conditions on extraterrestrial objects is key to determining if our existence is a unique phenomenon or if we are the product of a recurring event that happens throughout the universe.

My Roman Empire: The Mystery Of Roman Concrete, Lilly Cashen

Osmosis Magazine

After the fall of an empire and millennia of conflict and decay, most structures crumble. Yet the monumental dome of the Pantheon, the towering ruins of the Colosseum, and the sprawling miles of aqueducts still stand today, two thousand years later, as testaments to Roman engineering brilliance. The survival of these ancient structures was made possible by one of Rome’s greatest innovations: Roman concrete, or opus caementicium.

True Silver: A Story Of Skin Coining With Silver In Traditional Asian Medical Practice, Trang Nguyen

Osmosis Magazine

Silver, one of the most precious metals on Earth, has captivated humans since prehistoric times for its natural shimmer, which has found its way into coins, jewelry, and ornaments (The Natural Sapphire Company, 2025). In traditional Asian medicine, silver’s significance extends beyond jewelry or currency; it is a key component in a practice called “cạo gió”, which involves releasing energy blockages and restoring balance to the body using a smooth metal tool to scrape the skin. Although it has been passed down through generations as a remedy for various ailments, a question remains: what makes silver the material of choice?

A Tragic Love Story Neanderthal-Human Interbreeding, Parth Patel

Osmosis Magazine

Humans moved northward when it became too hot and arid. Before that, we spent a few hundred thousand years evolving to the conditions of Africa (Hajdinjak et al., 2018). Our bones, genes, and skills were all honed to ensure survival in a particular climate, so when that climate began to change, the evolutionary traits that developed through years of mutations suddenly became deficient. It forced us to move in droves to Western Eurasia, where we found some comfort in the cooler weather (Slimak et al., 2024). We also found another species of human: the Neanderthal.

Spicomellus The Jurassic Enigma, Bryan Nam

Osmosis Magazine

Imagine stepping into a time machine and messing with the controls until you find someplace interesting to go. Your destination? Morocco, 165 million years ago. You arrive and look around at vast floodplains stretching far across the horizon; flat land cut through by mighty rivers. In the distance, you see something, a creature unlike any you’ve ever seen before. It looks straight out of a sci-fi movie. It seems almost like a reptilian tank, with huge spikes on its neck and hips. The dinosaur looks towards you, then turns away to look for food. You have just come face to …

Let’S Talk About Birds Baby: How Did Birds Evolve To Have Such Elaborate Courtship Rituals?, Lautaro Lo Prete

Osmosis Magazine

If you’ve ever watched a nature documentary featuring David Attenborough, you’ve definitely marveled at the eccentric and complex rituals of some bird’s courtship display. This behavior is a phenomenon among birds where males will often complete a ritualistic dance as a way to attract a female. But why go through all the hassle? What is the purpose of expending so much energy— all the while putting yourself at such a heightened risk of predation?

Does Free Food Lead To Less Food? Dependency Theory & The Ambiguous Effects Of Food Aid, Stevi Dugas

Osmosis Magazine

Dependency Theory, in the context of food aid, holds that food aid and subsequent increases in food supply disincentivize local agricultural production, resulting in local dependence on food aid for survival. But, is this actually the case? This article first explains the economic theory behind Dependency Theory, then examines why this theory may not connect to reality and some strategies for remedying the flaws of modern non-emergency food aid to ensure effective humanitarian aid.

From Convenience To Consequence The Health Risks Of Eating Ultraprocessed Food, Eve Snyder

Osmosis Magazine

Understanding Ultraprocessed Foods and Their Effects on the Body What happens to the body when it's deprived of vital nutrients from fiber and protein, and pumped full of excessive sugar, fats, and salt? This situation can happen by eating ultraprocessed foods. Ultraprocessed foods are made with processes you wouldn't normally perform in a home kitchen, with ingredients that have little, if any, nutritional value. Pumped with additives to enhance color and taste, ultraprocessed foods may look appealing, but they can have harmful, longterm health risks (Monteiro et al., 2019).

Mushrooms And Mind Control, Connor Beasley

Osmosis Magazine

In a humid forest climbs a lone carpenter ant. At midday, it sinks its mandibles into a leaf’s vein and is locked in place. A few days later, a thin stalk of mycelium erupts from its head, dusting the forest floor in spores to infect a new victim. The ant has been infected by an unseen puppeteer known as Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato, more commonly called cordyceps or the “zombie‑ant fungus” (de Bekker et al., 2021). When we think of mind control, visions of mad scientists and maniacal villains tend to dance through our heads; the true culprits, however, are …

Chew On This How Gum Can Prevent Cavities, Garrett Mayover

Osmosis Magazine

Gum has become a staple in my daily routine. What started as something I chewed casually after school has evolved into a small yet essential part of how I relax, focus, and stay alert throughout the day. Beyond its familiar chewy texture and refreshing flavors, gum has a surprising hidden benefit - it can actually help prevent cavities. This article will explore what gum really is, the science behind its cavity-fighting abilities, and which types of gum are best for maintaining a healthy smile.

Red Flags Are My Favorite Color: The Psychology Of Falling For The 'Bad Boys', Erlinda Sali

Osmosis Magazine

The “bad boy” has been a recurring figure in popular culture for years. He’s the leather-jacketed brooding rebel, the dangerous lover, the tortured antihero that we have learned to romanticize. This archetype blends “juvenile masculinities (aggression, rebellion, hypersexuality)” with appealing qualities like “charisma, ruggedness, and sensitivity,” creating a moral ambiguity that captivates audiences (Gopaldas and Molander, 2019). This contradictory mix keeps him popular across movies, songs, and advertisements. But with this archetype being ‘a walking red flag,’ why are we still so bewitched by the bad boy, and should we be?

Trouble-Making Teens: Can They Control Their Impulses?, Natasha Troike

Osmosis Magazine

Teenagers can be moody, irritable, and defiant; they may snap at their parents and make risky decisions that they regret. Decisions such as having unprotected sex or taking harmful, illegal substances can be drastically life-changing. Are these risky decisions acts of purposeful defiance, or is there more to it? Are teens truly in charge of their impulses, or are they victims of their developmental biology?

To Q-Tip Or Not To Q-Tip, Ainsley Coleman

Osmosis Magazine

If you are one of the many people on this earth lucky enough to have wet earwax and use earbuds, you have likely experienced some sort of discomfort at some point in your ears. Maybe it’s a slight itch, or a feeling of build-up, and so you reach for a q-tip. And, maybe as you reach for that cotton swab, you feel nagged by a reminder that q-tips are not to be put in your ears! But still, you use one to relieve that discomfort.

Synthetic Biology: Could You Donate Yourself A New Kidney?, Charlie Lanning

Osmosis Magazine

Currently in the United States, there are over 100,000 Americans stuck on the national transplant waiting list for lifesaving surgery. Eighty-six percent of them need kidney transplants (Organ Donation Statistics, 2025). However, only 27,000 kidney transplants take place every year. This shortage, along with other factors such as lack of public awareness, donor health complications, and financial disincentives, results in around 4,000 deaths every year (Soltani-Nia, 2024). While organizations such as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and the National Kidney Registry have helped increase the number of transplants through public advocacy and the voucher program, emerging technologies such as …

Stem Cells: Potent Potential For Disease Treatment, Natalie Small

Osmosis Magazine

Different cells in the body serve a variety of functions. Cardiac muscle cells contract to pump blood through the heart. Nerve cells transmit electrical and chemical signals throughout the body. Lymphocytes play a role in the immune system to fight infections (Mostafa, 2022). But how do these different cell types arise? The answer is a special type of cell: stem cells.

The Math That Keeps Your Money Safe: Why A Few Extra Characters Could Save You, Joanna Petridi

Osmosis Magazine

Imagine a cracker (yes—that is what malicious hackers are named) sitting behind a screen. Their computer is trying millions of password combinations every minute. Your bank account password, just eight characters long, is the only thing standing between them and your savings. The difference between a password that takes a week to crack and one that would take longer than the universe has existed isn’t magic or luck. It’s simply math.

Letter From The Editor, Sam Chanenson

Osmosis Magazine

Letter from Sam Chanenson, Editor in Chief, Osmosis Science Magazine.

Osmosis.

Osmosis Magazine

Science Magazine

The Impact Of Food Insecurity On The Physical And Mental Health Of Food Service Workers And Their Households, Pedro Andrade

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Food insecurity in the United States continues to be a persistent problem, as this household stressor has worsened in the past decade. The prevalence of food insecurity varies by demographic; however, income is a key factor when discussing food security status. One group experiencing food insecurity, but often overlooked when talking about solutions, is food service workers. This research sought to understand the impact of food insecurity on food service workers and their households. A literature review was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the associations between food insecurity and physical health, mental health, household health, and occupational and …

Insect Apocalypse? Population Patterns Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Across North America, Analiese Kate Bauder

Honors Thesis

There is a common idea that there is an “insect apocalypse”, that insect populations are on a drastic decline. To test this hypothesis we took data collected by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) from 2015 to 2023 and analyzed it to create a time series model depicting the population of aquatic macroinvertebrates at 34 sites across North America (Appendix 1). NEON is an NSF funded, continental-scale observation facility designed to collect long-term open-access ecological data to better understand the complexities of Earth's ecosystems and how they are changing. From this model, we defined the slope of the change in …

Linking A Seasonal Freshwater Prey Subsidy To The Body Condition Of An Estuarine Consumer In A Subtropical Coastal River, Jordan A. Massie, Ryan J. Rezek, W. Ryan James, Rolando O. Santos, Natasha M. Viadero, Ross E. Boucek, Jennifer S. Rehage

Marine Science

Movements of fishes among habitats often correspond to shifting resource availability and can occur in response to fluctuating freshwater inflows in coastal systems. Seasonal availability of prey can provide resources that increase fitness, yet hydrologic variability can influence the movements of both consumers and prey. Shifts in the timing/magnitude of prey availability driven by climate and water management may lead to a resource mismatch, carrying consequences for growth, survival, and reproduction. Here, we examined how seasonal/interannual variation in prey biomass (sunfishes, Lepomis spp.) affects the body condition of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in Everglades National Park. Further, we investigated how …

Effect Of Neuroinflammation On Exploratory Behavior In Mice, Gage Pompa, Ariana Mitic, Yader Gomez, Lilian Hagos, Orlando Montiel

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Introduction: Mice have been observed in both laboratory and field settings to exhibit a tendency to remain near corners and walls. This trait is known as positive thigmotaxis. Thigmotaxis has been recognized as a fundamental aspect of rodent behavior and used extensively as an anxiety index in mice. Although this characteristic has been recognized as a fundamental aspect of rodent behavior, thigmotaxis has been extensively studied in rectangular and circular environments. However, there is a notable lack of understanding of how alternative geometric configurations can influence this behavior.

Methods and Approach: Using a grid overlaid on the environment the mice …

Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna Mokarran) Chondrocranium, Female, Nicholas Burchett, Michelle Bassali, Marissa Rosas, Rileigh Gonzalez, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus Itajara) Vertebrae, Nicholas Burchett, David W. Kerstetter, Rileigh Gonzalez, Sierra Rafacz, Ema Nagel

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Disulfide Triazole Phosphorus Fire Retardant Via Photochemical Conditions, Jason Liu

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

The development of fire retardants is critical to enhancing fire safety and advancing fire science. The novel synthesis of a disulfide triazole phosphorus thiolacid fire retardant under photochemical conditions, along with relevant testing on plume generation performance, aims to answer our research goals.The proposed specific synthesis and conditions provide for a more efficient and environmentally greener route compared to conventional methods, utilizing photochemical click reactions. Furthermore, the addition of sulfur element to conventionally sole phosphorus-based FR reduces the chance of leaching by increasing the molecular weight of the compound and overcoming the obstacle of low molecular weight problems while also …

Both Studying And Protecting Octopuses “On Their Own Terms”, Jennifer Jacquet, Janelle Kaz, Becca Franks, Christine Webb

Animal Sentience

Cephalopods – indeed, all animals – “must be seen on their own terms,” with respect for their autonomy and their ecological imperatives. This will provide greater scientific insight along with a more ethical and accurate understanding of minds beyond our own.

Design And Validation Of A Bilateral, Multi-Site 3d-Printed Neuronal Implant For Rodent Electrophysiology, Homero Phelps, Jonathan V. Trinidad, Talha Soluoku

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Neuronal electrophysiology implants are essential tools in neuroscience for recording brain activity and investigating neurological disorders. Our lab’s previous 3D-printed implant designs centered around a single-site, recording platform that was limited in adaptability, precision, and lacked in vivo validation due to lingering engineering malfunctions. To combat limitations and expand recording capabilities, this project aimed to design and validate a new implant capable of multi-site, bilateral recordings across both brain hemispheres, specifically targeting the hippocampus (CA1 and CA3) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), regions critical for learning and memory. Building on the Open Ephys ShuttleDrive model, the implant was redesigned using …

The Fitness Cost Of Rifampicin-Resistant Rpob Mutations On Mfd-Mediated Processes In Stationary Phase Bacillus Subtilis, Amber Callaway, Jessica Grifaldo

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Rifampicin is a potent antibiotic that tightly binds to the ꞵ-subunit of RNA polymerase and blocks initiation of transcription. Bacillus subtilis cells that acquire rpoB mutations that confer resistance to rifampicin also exhibit decreases in transcription and fitness. Mutation frequency decline (Mfd) is a global transcription regulator that interacts with the ꞵ-subunit of RNA polymerase, and our RNA-seq showed that it had profound effects on the expression of motility genes. We hypothesize that the rifampicin-resistant rpoB: I681T mutation alters Mfd-mediated gene regulation of motility in Bacillus subtilis. Therefore, we will construct mfd- rpoB: I681T double mutants via natural competence and …