InterSTEM Blog


Informative articles on various STEM topics and research are published weekly.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and do not reflect the political stance or ideology of InterSTEM as an organization.

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  Audrey Lee   08 Jan 2021   4 min
The benefits of retrieval through testing

Audrey Lee - Students are often stressed about tests and many find themselves cramming the night before. Despite the opposition to assessing students, exams can be beneficial since it helps them practice recalling information, otherwise known as retrieval practice. Some popular study techniques such as re-reading or concept-mapping are found to be significantly less effective in remembering information compared to test-taking.


  Angela Zhang   08 Jan 2021   5 min
Why do we cry?

Angela Zhang - Crying is a universally recognizable state of emotion that most people accept without thinking too deeply about. In the article, we investigate some of the causes of human crying and why it is such an ingrained human process.


  Ashley Lee   08 Jan 2021   5 min
Uncovering the low demand for monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19

Ashley Lee - Two monoclonal antibody treatments from different companies were authorized by the U.S. FDA in November. Despite nationally low demand, administering these drugs has been a challenge for many hospitals, one contributing factor being the conflicting opinions of health professionals and officials of the Operation Warp Speed.


  Ana Monsalud   01 Jan 2021   4 min
Why can't we perfectly predict weather on Earth?

Ana Monsalud - Unless rain comes a day earlier than expected or you’re trying to find something to wear in the morning, the weather is usually the last thing on your mind. However, weather prediction is something that extends farther than showing the daily temperature and has a hidden impact on our lives.


  Sydney Hollingsworth   01 Jan 2021   5 min
The history of vaccines

Sydney Hollingsworth - With the start of a new year and the COVID-19 vaccine becoming available, it is important to look back on all that vaccines have done and debunk some of the misconceptions surrounding them. How did inoculation come to be? Who really invented vaccines? How has public opinion changed through the years? An understanding of the history of vaccines brings an appreciation for the science behind them.


  Emily Richter   01 Jan 2021   3 min
Can science and religion coexist?

Emily Richter - Science and religion represent two different ways of looking at the world. The two subjects are sometimes at odds; is it possible for them to coexist? A Havard faculty member and a study from Rice University agree they likely can.


  Omar Dajani   01 Jan 2021   4 min
Holidays and mental health

Omar Dajani - Holidays are typically a time to be merry and celebrate, but a lot of people do not see them as such. This is due to a feeling known as the ‘holiday blues,’ which negatively impacts your mood during the holidays and alters your perception towards them as a result. What can you do to get past this feeling?


  Reagan Smith   25 Dec 2020   7 min
The secret to learning a language

Reagan Smith - Language is a complex combination of sounds and symbols that all come together to represent a group of people connected by culture. Today, I conducted an interview with Dr. Jeffrey Feland, a Latin teacher at Sage Hill School who knows a total of eight languages. He discussed how he transitioned from studying STEM to linguistics and the secrets to learning a foreign language.


  Sydney Hollingsworth   25 Dec 2020   4 min
Boyan Slat and the ocean cleanup

Sydney Hollingsworth - While on vacation in Greece in 2010, 16-year-old Boyan Slat saw more trash in the ocean than fish. 10 years later, his non-profit, The Ocean Cleanup, is working towards the removal of 90% of ocean plastics by 2050 with the help of Slat and his team’s new, high-tech systems located in the Pacific Ocean and rivers around the world.


  Teddy Rosenthal   25 Dec 2020   4 min
Dark energy: Summarized

Teddy Rosenthal - The universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, as shown through Hubble’s discovery of redshift. Why is this happening, and what implications can be drawn from this? All signs point towards a mysterious and largely unknown force called dark energy, which takes up 70% of the composition of the universe.