Introduction The gut is a vital component of the human body and is one of the most complex portions of the body.  It is often referred to as the second brain because of the correlations it has with other body parts.  Systems like the gut-brain axis, the gut microbiome, and the digestive tract are all contained within the gut and regulate common bodily functions.  Most importantly, the gut microbiome is home to a large number of microbial colonies that are responsible for keeping one healthy and in peak performance.   Health of the microbiome is determined by the microbes themselves which […]

Introduction On numerous playing fields in my neighborhood and elsewhere in the nation, I observe this same crossroads. There are those who demand playing fields that are open almost year round and can withstand an entire day’s worth of games without becoming muddy. Then, there are those concerned with the prospect of being expected to play and play games on turf so hot it might as well be a frying pan and potentially filled with chemicals we are currently trying to extract from our drinking water. The decision to go with grass fields versus turf is no longer simply about […]

Have you ever wondered what fast food actually does to someone’s body over time, and how fast food companies became so ingrained in American culture? This blog post will go over everything that happens when someone ingests fast, processed foods. Having the right diet can help people live longer, be happier, and have a cleaner microbiome. This blog will cover all the health concerns that come with eating fast food, who the fast food companies try to target, who is the main consumer of fast food, and many more interesting topics.  What is fast food? The first topic that will […]

Introduction Every year, more than 70 billion animals will never feel the warmth of the sun or the taste of fresh grass. This is all due to the confinement of factory farming. Factory farming is used to increase profit while decreasing production costs. This is due to inhumane conditions in which significant numbers of cows, chickens, and pigs are raised in minuscule spaces, where they are most of the time unable even to take a step out of their confinement. These animals are unable to engage in normal animal behaviors and are essentially being raised for food. However, this extends […]

Understanding the Mechanics of Microplastics If you’re ever analyzing where the plastic you get rid of goes, you will find that it may never completely depart from you. Instead, you will come to realize your coexistence with microplastics–tiny, unseeable specks that pose detrimental harm to both human, wildlife, and environmental health. In fact, most Americans have enough microplastics in their brain to construct a plastic spoon. Urgently, we cannot dismiss the action we need to take to prevent these invisible invaders’ worsening consequences. The leftover plastic from production is often common in our society, with “The total plastic waste landfilled […]

How Fast Fashion Pollutes the Planet and Exploits People When you pick up a $10 t-shirt or scroll through a flash sale online, it is easy to forget the behind-the-scenes processes that each piece of clothing goes through before it reaches your hands. Each piece of clothing represents an intricate web of global production, from cotton fields and polyester factories to dyeing plants and sewing floors, spanning across multiple continents. Fast fashion, defined as the rapid production of inexpensive, trend-driven clothing, has completely transformed how the world shops. What was once a slow, seasonal cycle of fashion collections has evolved […]

Something in our world is unseen by the eye but is in every human alive. It is a toxin slowly killing and damaging all of us, the name of this something is PFAS chemicals. PFAS are chemicals produced by industry that are extremely harmful in various ways, from their widespread use in transportation to their bioaccumulative nature in many systems. They are one of the biggest issues affecting countries with developed industries because they have been unregulated and over-generated since the 1940s (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024) (ref). So many populations of people are suffering from health incidences that could […]

Abstract: What is Generative AI? The concept of generative artificial intelligence and terms like “AI” have gained an unprecedented level of hype as well as misunderstanding in the past few years; “AI” has become an all-encompassing buzzword to describe complex concepts varying from lengthy analysis of medical data to the generation of memes. But what is it? In a sentence, generative artificial intelligence is the output achieved from complex webs of probability-reliant algorithms called neural networks, designed on the basis of the human brain. When trained with massive amounts of data, these neural networks have the capability to produce human-like […]

Introduction Figure [1] picture of how many bags are used by an average grocery store purchase Imagine the following situation: It’s a Sunday afternoon in your suburban Pennsylvania town, and you’re doing a weekly reset before a busy week. Naturally, you buy a week’s groceries at the local grocery store. When you arrive home you realize you have forgotten eggs. Because it’s only a five-minute drive away, you quickly go and buy enough eggs to last the week. At the checkout, the cashier doesn’t even ask if you’d like a bag and places your one container of eggs you purchased […]

Imagine transforming your health, protecting biodiversity, and preserving the environment—all with a single dietary choice. This is possible by following a plant-based diet. It is evident that a plant-based diet is the ideal diet for positive individual health. They contribute benefits to one’s overall well-being while promoting a healthier planet for all living beings. Although it is clear and certain that plant-based diets have the best effect on the body, it can be argued that a fully non-processed diet has a better effect on the environment. This diet can be plant-based, but it could also be possible to find non-processed animal […]