Ben Marcus

Students of all races show similar interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), but during college, compared to white […]

The Basis of Addiction

Is the Electoral College Racist?

I was never interested in using drugs in college, and I still avoid everything except the occasional glass of wine. […]

Discover COVID Treatments with Your Own Computer

The upcoming election got me thinking about the mathematics of the electoral college. Five times in American history, including twice […]

Barely Able to Breathe: Living with Cystic Fibrosis

The World Community Grid is an effort to create the world’s largest public computing grid to tackle scientific research projects […]

Here’s Why Everyone’s Afraid of GMOs

In the summer of 2017, my brother Geoffrey landed in the Northwestern Hospital emergency room confused, with a high-grade fever, […]

Why We Shouldn’t Rush Science for COVID-19

This year has served as a new inflection point in the challenge of gaining broad public acceptance of science. We’re […]

The History of the Internet: From ARPANET to 5G

COVID-19 is ravaging the world and upending our economy. While politicians scramble to find solutions and everyday people fear for […]

by Ben Marcus | Science Around the House, The "TEM" of STEM

In 1957, after the Soviets’ launched Sputnik 1, the US Congress responded by creating the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA; […]

Chemotherapy is Poison. No, Literally.

Want to Protect the Environment? Keep Your Cat Indoors

In 2018, an estimated 1.7 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer, and most of these patients, at some point, will […]

by Ben Marcus | Science Around the House, Science of the Outdoors

Our environment is facing a crisis. No, I’m not talking about the runaway carbon emissions that are ruining our climate. […]

If You’re on Medication, Beware of the Grapefruit Effect

Taking a Drive with Sir Isaac Newton

What do the drugs Percocet, Lipitor, and Wellbutrin have in common? It’s not what they do for you – one’s […]

The Dangers of Dog Breeding

You got a call this morning telling you that you need to pick up Sir Isaac Newton from O’Hare airport.

by Ben Marcus | Science of the Outdoors, Science Within Us

Which dog breed is the strongest and healthiest of them all? Is it the Border Collie, with its elegant coat […]

How Your Brain Finds your Phone When You Hear it Ringing

A Tale of Two Speeds: How Planes Stay in the Air

It’s Monday morning and your about to head out to catch your bus for work. You’re in a bit of […]

Say Goodbye to Trans Fats

Last spring, my wife and I took a trip to Bali for our honeymoon. While the trip was an absolutely […]

by Ben Marcus | Science Around the House

Today, you can find hydrogenated butter with canola oil right next to trans fat-free margarine. Partially-hydrogenated soybean oil a few aisles […]

On a Small Island in Indonesia: The Last Dragons on Earth

by Ben Marcus | Science of the Outdoors

Halfway across the Earth, nestled deep within the Indonesian archipelago, lie two small, tropical islands unlike any others on the […]

The Hunt for the Elusive Neutrino

by Ben Marcus | People in Science, Science in Space

About 100 trillion neutrinos just passed through your body a second ago. Did you feel them? Neutrinos are one of […]

How to Take Great Photos: The Three Pillars of Photography

The Bicycle: A Marvel of Physics and Engineering

Smartphones have pretty good cameras these days, but no matter how advanced this technology becomes, it’s no match for our […]

The Truth about Cannabidiol (As Far as We Know)

Oh, how I love riding my bicycle! It has gotten me all over Chicago, along the lakefront from the far […]

by Ben Marcus | Science Around the House, Science Within Us

“CBD.” Perhaps you’ve seen these letters shining bright, in green neon, on a store window in a seedy part of […]

How Cameras Work: From Lens to Sensor