Pregnant? Researchers discover that it may decrease your ‘fear memory’ Northeastern University researchers have discovered that chemical changes in the pregnant brain can soften subjects’ fear memories.

Pregnancy may change how the brain processes fear.

New research from Professor Rebecca Shansky and her team suggest hormonal shifts during pregnancy can soften fear memories. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4tbJY7i

#COSConnects #Psychology

Mitochondria is all the rage. But can it really help you live longer? Seemingly everywhere in health and wellness circles, mitochondria is hailed as the secret to keeping the ailments of Father Time at bay.

Mitochondria are the newest longevity trend.

But can “supercharging” your cells actually slow aging — or is it hype? Professor Konstantin Khrapko breaks it down. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4rP2tx7

#COSConnects #Biology

Organic pollution found oceanwide - Nature Geoscience Pollutants continue to accumulate in ocean waters but can be hard to track. Research reveals that diverse classes of organic pollutants are widespread throughout the ocean and are now a significant co...

News & Views on this paper by Aron Stubbins (@northeasterncos.bsky.social):

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

New data reveals how Americans move and mingle post-COVID Scientists have created post-pandemic datasets with a mobility platform that serves as a real-time dashboard on population movement.

The pandemic may be over, but health threats remain.

Professor Alessandro Vespignani and his team developed new data tools to track how Americans move and interact post-COVID — helping improve epidemic modeling for future health threats. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uS0MSc

#COSConnects #Physics

What is an exoplanet? An astrophysicist explains why they are vital The discovery of a more Earth-like planet beyond our solar system could mark a new era in humanity’s search for life.

An icy Earth-like planet may exist.

HD 137010 b orbits a Sun-like star at −90°F. Assistant Professor Jonathan Blazek says it could help us understand our origins—and if we’re alone. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4stZ9sn

#COSConnects #Astrophysics

Northeastern's lifelong Scouts bring chemistry to the campfire Brian D’Amico and Rein Kirss share a love for Scouting, mentoring youth and inspiring curiosity in STEM at the National Jamboree.

For Brian D’Amico and Rein Kirss, chemistry doesn’t stop in the lab.

The Northeastern educators combine their love of Scouting and STEM to mentor young people and inspire the next generation of scientists. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4c3IJkB

#COSConnects #Chemisty

Feeling stressed? These immune cells might be key to understanding why New research shows that neutrophils, the first cells to arrive at the site of infection or injury, are important in psychiatric diseases.

Feeling stressed? Your immune system may play a role.

Assistant Professor Emeka Okeke’s research shows neutrophils could shape how the body responds to stress and psychiatric conditions. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uR3UxQ

#COSConnects #Biology

What ‘Project Hail Mary’ gets right –– and wrong –– about astrophysics A Northeastern University astrophysicist breaks down whether Ryan Gosling’s new sci-fi movie holds up under the microscope.

How accurate is the science behind Project Hail Mary?

Astrophysicist Jacqueline McCleary breaks down what the film gets right — and where fiction takes over. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4c1K0J3

#COSConnects #Astrophysics

Steven Spielberg is not alone in saying we are not alone Northeastern astronomy students probe possibilities of alien life as a retired rear admiral calls for greater government transparency.

Alien curiosity is having a moment — from pop culture to classroom discussions. In Introduction to Astronomy, Teaching Professor Stefan Kautsch challenges students to think beyond the headlines and consider: Could life exist beyond Earth? 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4tdHXaN

#COSConnects #Physics

Warming Antarctic waters come with a cost for the ‘robust’ rockcod The shocking effects of warmer waters on the black rockcod could be indicative of climate change’s global threat.

Warming Antarctic waters are putting black rockcod at risk.

Researcher H. William Detrich found that fish raised in warmer conditions hatched smaller and with birth defects — a troubling sign for future populations. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4rRRXWR

#COSConnects #MarineScience

Our preference for certain foods may be impacted by early life stress, research shows New Northeastern research identifies a correlation between acute stress in infancy and an increased preference for inflammatory foods.

Can early childhood stress affect what we eat later in life?

Research from assistant professor Brie Reid finds that acute stress in infancy is linked to a higher preference for inflammatory foods in teens and young adults. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4bao39f

#COSConnects #Psychology

One month until Giving Day‼️

On April 14, we come together to support the students, research, and discoveries that define the College of Science. 🔬

Save the date. 🗓️

#NUGivingDay #LikeAHusky #COSConnects

With 'Shrinking,' therapy is mainstream. Is that a good thing? Once taboo, therapy has become fashionable thanks to social media and shows like “Shrinking.” Therapists say that comes with tradeoffs.

Mental health conversations are everywhere now — from TV to TikTok. But William Sharp, teaching professor and psychologist, warns: a diagnosis should be a starting point, not your whole identity. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3PglH0V

#COSConnects #Psychology

Passing and pass accuracy kicks upward in soccer, new research finds A research preprint from Northeastern’s new NetworkSi Sports Institute reveals how professional soccer has evolved in terms of tactics.

Pro soccer passing is getting harder, shorter, sharper.

Research led by assistant teaching professor Brennan Klein analyzed 13,067 matches, showing faster gameplay and major shifts in women’s competitions. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3MG8ZrK

#COSConnects

@barnettinstitute.bsky.social

This class guides students through the mystery of the circadian rhythm A Northeastern University course invites upper-level students to investigate a mystery: How do biological clocks affect the circadian rhythm?

What keeps our bodies on a 24-hour schedule? 🕰️

Associate Teaching Professor Matthias Schlichting’s Biological Clocks course challenges students to uncover the science of circadian rhythms through experiments and critical analysis. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3N3Tf1N

#COSConnects #Biology

Ashwagandha is having a moment. They want to take this shrub further New research bioengineers a way for ashwagandha, one of the most popular supplements, to be even more effective.

Ashwagandha is already one of the most popular herbal supplements in the U.S.

Professor Jing-Ke Weng and graduate student Erin Reynolds engineered yeast to produce its key compounds. The discovery could open new paths for medicine. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3MTXuNn

#COSConnects #ChemicalBiology

The shape of skis makes the biggest difference in maneuverability If you assumed that changes in ski shape were about maximizing contact in the name of speed, you'd be wrong, said physicist Stefan Kautsch.

Different ski events require different designs — and physics explains why.

“The shape determines stability and the maneuverability of the ski,” says Teaching Professor Stefan Kautsch. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3OYmFyQ

#COSConnects #Physics

The mystical 'overview' effect - from underwater Northeastern researchers document transcendent experiences of aquanauts that are similar to the “overview effect” reported by astronauts.

Astronauts feel the “overview effect” in space. 🌍

Aquanauts feel something similar underwater. Marine Science Center researchers call it the “underview effect” — a powerful shift in how people relate to the ocean that could inspire conservation. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uakj00

#COSConnects

A two-decade journey hunting for dark matter’s ‘smoking gun’ One scientist spent 20 years developing an antimatter particle detector to record traces of dark matter. It recently launched in Antarctica.

A giant cube + a helium balloon + Antarctica = a new way to hunt for dark matter.

Assistant Professor Tsuguo Aramaki helped send a massive detector into the stratosphere to search for deep-space particles — the result of 20+ years of work. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4rQ7JkP

#COSConnects

In our latest online exclusive, Jonathan Kahn draws from his new book and traces how race has become entangled with law, politics and biology in ways that threaten efforts to address racial injustice. @northeasterncos.bsky.social
magazine.law.northeastern.edu/in-my-opinio...

Congratulations to Assistant Prof. Yizhi You, named a 2026 Cottrell Scholar! 🎉 The award recognizes her innovative research program and supports her project on open quantum systems and mixed states. A well-deserved honor! 🧪

#Physics #COSConnects

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Sijia Dong on winning the 2026 I-APS Young Investigator Award from the Inter-American Photochemical Society! 🎉 This award recognizes her outstanding contributions to photoscience and dedication to academic excellence. 🧪

#Chemistry #COSConnects

Dr. Olga Vitek, director of the Barnett Institute and Raymond Bradford Bradstreet Professor, will present “Statistics, Machine Learning and AI for Interpreting Mass Spectrometry Imaging experiments.”

Dr. James Monaghan, professor and director of the Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems at Northeastern, will present “Deciphering the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Axolotl Limb Regeneration Using Multimodal Imaging and Omics.”

Dr. Brian Hoffman, director of Protein Sciences and Mass Spectrometry Services at The Jackson Laboratory, will present “Multi-Omics Integration to Define the Molecular Architecture of the Aging Brain.”

Tire rubber decays into a potentially dangerous chemical cocktail Crumb rubber, used as a fill material in many artificial turf fields, contains a complex and potentially dangerous miasma of chemicals.

New research led by Zhenyu Tian, an assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology, shows crumb rubber in artificial turf can degrade under sunlight and weather, generating hundreds of previously untracked chemicals. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4kEdyiA

#COSConnects #Chemistry

A ‘stunning’ dark matter map reveals insight into this cosmic mystery Dark matter is integral to the universe, but it’s virtually invisible. How did researchers create the most detailed map of dark matter yet?

Dark matter accounts for a large portion of the universe, yet remains invisible. Jacqueline McCleary, an assistant professor, used data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to help create the most detailed dark matter map to date. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/4aXe1co

#COSConnects #Astrophysics

2026 Karger Medal Recipient Dr. Ron Hereen will present “Imaging Complexity: Visualizing Nature with Bioanalytical Chemistry.”

What is dark energy? Research shines light on space's biggest question While there are still more questions than answers, the Dark Energy Survey will impact astrophysics for decades to come.

Dark energy remains one of the universe’s biggest mysteries. Jonathan Blazek, an assistant professor of physics, contributed to the Dark Energy Survey’s final results, offering new insight into how the universe expands and evolves. 🧪

Read more: https://bit.ly/3OngnbS

#COSConnects #Astrophysics

Details - Barry L. Karger Medal in Analytical Chemistry 2026

Join us on March 12 for the 2026 Barry L. Karger Medal in Analytical Chemistry Celebration! Hear from peers and industry leaders about research in separation science, protein analysis, DNAs sequencing, and proteomics. 🧪

Register today: https://bit.ly/4qgWfWe

@barnettinstitute.bsky.social