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We are curiousSCIENCEwriters
Since we have changed our name from curiousYOUNGwriters to curiousSCIENCEwriters, you may be asking “What’s new?” Quite a bit, actually. We are training student editors to help our writers move beyond jargon and complex scientific concepts to produce stories that get the science right and capture the personality of scientists involved ground-breaking research.
Good Advice
Carl Zimmer is a columnist for the New York Times and the author of 13 books. His “Note to Beginning Science Writers" elicited many enthusiastic responses, each of which contains note-worthy gems for our curious young writers.
Targeting Cancer: Aptamers Help Hit the Bullseye
If you have ever played a video game, you know that precision is the goal. Now imagine that busting cancer cells is your target, and pieces of genetic material called aptamers are your helpers. Cancer researchers are exploring aptamers as a promising new approach to targeting cancer treatment.
Frog and Craniofacial Abnormalities
In the United States, 12 babies are born every day with a cleft lip, only one type of craniofacial abnormality. Scientists are studying the African Clawed Frog to understand how they are able to correct these abnormalities before birth.
Chicken Studies Suggest Treatment for Atherosclerosis
Scientists are studying White Leghorn chickens which have similar cholesterol levels to humans to understand atherosclerosis- the build-up of cholesterol in arteries. It triggers coronary artery disease, the number one killer in the United States, in which accumulations of cholesterol called plaques form on artery walls.
Fruit Flies and Epilepsy
Epileptic seizures occur when the normal pattern of neurological activity is disturbed, causing convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. Fruit flies are viable for research in human diseases, as they share 75% of the genes that cause diseases in humans and hope to find the genetic cause of febrile seizures, which are brought on by high fever.
Spina bifida and Weimaraners
Spina bifida is a neural tube birth defect where the baby’s backbone and its surrounding membranes fail to properly develop. Researchers found one genetic mutation in Weimaraners that causes spina bifida, which is also present in humans, but not found in any other dog species.
Japanese Quail and Atherosclerosis
Due to a buildup of plaque which hardens arteries, atherosclerosis can lead to complications, such as heart attack or stroke. Researchers breed Japanese quail to increase their susceptibility to dietary-induced atherosclerosis to understand the role of fatty foods in cardiovascular disease.
U.S. Science Writing Program Taps Burgeoning Mississauga Scribe
Mississauga's Andrei Grovu is the first Canadian, and the youngest student, chosen to take part in the Curious Young Writers program, which kicked off earlier this month.
Throughout the next year, he will be among 21 other youngsters who will learn the craft from completing webinars with a communications mentor and a professional scientist in fields such as biomedicine and genetic research.
The Heart That Heals Itself
Researchers are studying zebrafish to determine which genes are involved in regeneration. If these genes can be found and expressed in humans, a damaged heart could essentially heal itself, speeding recovery from heart attacks and perhaps preventing heart failure.