Category: Features

  • ChatGPT is Changing the Way We Do Science

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    I started relying on ChatGPT in 2022, when my PI bought a premium account for the lab. I had used the free version in the past, but for $20 a month we gained early access to the latest models and never had to wait for server availability. It didn’t take very long for me to…

  • The Moment I Became a Scientist Was When I Realized That I Should Stay at the Table

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    I was born and raised in a remote small town in southwest China where transportation was inaccessible, and the economy was underdeveloped. People made a living by planting rice and corn or working as migrant laborers. My hometown of Baiquan, situated on a plateau, was surrounded by towering mountains with no end in sight. From…

  • Avery-McCarty-McLeod experiments: The 80th anniversary of identifying DNA as the molecular basis of heredity

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    The simple but bold 68th Street entrance to the Rockefeller campus was erected in honor of the man who in many ways embodies the scientific and social spirit of the institute. The inscription on one of the piers guarding the entrance reads, and is a homage to the seminal work done over many decades by…

  • Science Saturday: Where Curiosity Meets Community

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    On September 28, the tenth annual Science Saturday STEM festival brought together students, educators, volunteers, and families for a day to celebrate the wonders of science. Hosted by Rockefeller University’s RockEDU Science Outreach department, the festival again demonstrated how science can be a powerful connector across generations, disciplines, and communities. With over 800 attendees, the…

  • Rockefeller Reimagines the First-Year Curriculum

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    In late August, the newest graduate student cohort arrived at Rockefeller University. But most did not set foot in a laboratory until October. Instead, they played the role of an “experimental group” in a reimagined first-year curriculum running throughout September. Prior first-year programming at Rockefeller continued until winter, running in parallel with laboratory rotations and…

  • Healing The Mind and Body: Insights into Complementary and Alternative Healthcare

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    As one of the world’s leading biomedical research communities, members of the Tri-I appreciate the volume and rigor of research done to seek and support new medical advances. In the U.S., overall life expectancy and survival rates of many diseases have steadily increased thanks to modern medicine. Paradoxically, the general well-being and healthspan of these…

  • Eliminating Toxic Aluminum Waste: The Promise of Plasma Hydrogen Reduction

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    Aluminum production now has a greener way to deal with its waste. Aluminum is one of the most produced metals in the world. Lightweight and durable, it is a versatile material that can be used to create a wide variety of items, from electric cars to reusable lunch boxes. Aluminum has long been championed as…

  • Choreographing the Mind: Dancing Scientists Decode the Neurobiology of Dance

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      Feet struck the floor in a percussive staccato. Hands clapped in syncopation with a drumbeat. Wrists flicked. Fingers snapped.   It might sound like a scene from a dimly lit Spanish flamenco club, where the scent of tapas and sangria mingles in the air. But in reality, it was a neuroscience lecture/performance featuring Rockefeller’s…

  • Trust your Instincts: Gut-Brain Research at Tri-I

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        Have you ever experienced “butterflies in your stomach?” Maybe a “gut feeling” that just cannot be explained? Nerve cells can be found in even more places than the brain or the central nervous system: enter the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS, a unit of the peripheral nervous system, is a group of…

  • The Pickleball Experiment: How Courts Created Community

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    A silly name for a serious game. Pickleball is a paddle sport invented in 1965 that combines tennis, badminton, and ping-pong into a fast-paced game. The simple rules make it an easy sport to get into for all ages, but a more competitive pickleball scene has quickly overtaken New York City. For young professionals and…

  • Facing Out: Science Communication at the Tri-I

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    In recent years, scientists have increasingly recognized the importance of science communication, which can be defined as the practice of informing non-experts about scientific knowledge. The goals and best practices of science communication are continually refined as various institutions study how best to engage with the public. In 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,…

  • Who Was Lewis Thomas?

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    Earlier this month, the Rockefeller University awarded Italian physicist Dr. Carlo Rovelli the Lewis Thomas Prize for his exceptional writing about science and philosophy. Dr. Rovelli has authored seven internationally acclaimed books, including There are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness (2020) for which he is being honored. The Lewis…