Articles by Sean
Alpha, Beta, Gamma: Types of Ionizing Radiation
Radiation is all around us. From radio waves transmitting information to the visible spectrum that gives our world color. Heck, even talking produces radiation in the form of sound. But what about the more dangerous forms of radiation: alpha and beta particles, gamma and X-rays? What makes these ‘ionizing’ forms of radiation so different from microwaves, for example, which we encounter in our lives on a daily basis? […]
Why Does Nature Hate The Color Blue?
Nature is full of color; just look around you. Animals and plants are incredibly vibrant with different hues, resulting in millions of years of evolution. And despite being relatively common in everyday objects, one specific color eludes our natural world: blue. Blue is a forgotten color in nature’s palette. When was the last time you saw a blue animal, insect or plant? Even the rare blue hues that exist in nature result from physical phenomena and not true blue pigmentation. […]
Origins of Atomic Theory
If all the knowledge of humanity was to be completely erased save for a single concept, which one should we choose to keep? The great physicist Richard Feynman once hypothesized that our best bet would be for the concept of atomic theory to stick around, such is its importance to science. Many inventions and discoveries have been founded upon our knowledge of how the atom works. It is definitely worth understanding the long and rich history of atomic theory. […]
G-Protein-Coupled Receptors in Drug Discovery
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a big role in the human body. As they maintain many of our key functions, much research is done to better understand the structure and function of GPCRs. In addition, GPCRs are potential starting points in many drug discovery programs. We look at how X-ray crystallography can provide a method to probe the structure of GPCRs, with a case study of the μ-opioid receptor. […]
No, Education is Not a Social Leveler
There is no doubt that education is a major social issue for countries across the globe, albeit one that is actively being tackled. We see terms like ‘equal opportunity’ and ‘equality of outcome’ thrown about as the result of having a quality education. However, these idealistic buzz phrases make a feeble attempt at showcasing the severe deficiencies in education systems today. Education is often seen as a way to equal the playing field, but what if this is instead a social power play? How can we—with the power of scientific literacy—establish true equality? […]
Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is a lecturer at a local university, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.