Davidson College Biology Department

March 26th celebrates more than 70 years of the . And now, it also celebrates all of the good that scientific questioning, research, and advancement have brought to our quality of life. What’s your story?

BIO majors Rishi Sharma '27, Caroline Miller '26, Leslie Atahualpa '26, Jenna Monzon '28, and Liz Saudek '26 presented their work from Dr. Bryan Thurtle-Schmidt's lab at the 2026 annual national meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in Washington, D.C.

Happening today!

Dr. Te-Wen Lo from Ithaca College will be giving a biology seminar.
Serendipity in Science: From unexpected collaborations to discoveries in C. ellegans

Thursday, October 30 from 11:05 in Wall 320

A new millipede species has been discovered in North Carolina, and it’s one that park visitors may be able to spot! Apheloria uwharrie, named for the Uwharrie Mountains where it’s found, was recently described in a scientific revision of the millipede genus Apheloria. This species occurs at and throughout the surrounding Uwharrie region, extending south into South Carolina.

In biology, taxonomy is the science of classifying organisms into groups based on shared traits. Each organism is given a two-part scientific name: the genus (Apheloria) and the species (uwharrie). This helps scientists understand how species are related and track biodiversity across regions.

The study, co-authored by North Carolina Biodiversity Project member Carol Tingley and published in Zootaxa, highlights how even familiar habitats can still reveal new species. For more information, visit: https://nc-biodiversity.com/post/revision-millipede-genus-apheloria

Image credit: Apheloria uwharrie Marek, Means, Hennen & Tingley
2025, from Morrow Mountain State Park

https://www.science.org/content/article/what-aquarium-pest-taught-me-about-professional-adaptability

🌊✨ A story of resilience, reinvention, and the power to adapt.

What an aquarium pest taught me about professional adaptability “For many of us building research careers in the Global South, [reinvention] is how we survive,” this scientist writes

Join us today at 11:05 a.m. in Wall 320 as Leslie Atahualpa ’26 and Emma Thomas ’26 give an exciting sneak peek into their thesis research! 🌟

Can’t make it in person? No problem, scan the QR code on the poster to tune in live on YouTube! 🎥

Wow! scientists found junk food disrupts memory in only four days! 🍔➡️🧠 Luckily, the brain can bounce back with smarter food choices.

Junk food can scramble memory in just 4 days Scientists discovered that high-fat junk food disrupts memory circuits in the brain almost immediately. Within just four days, neurons in the hippocampus became overactive, impairing memory. Restoring glucose calmed the neurons, showing that interventions like fasting or dietary shifts can restore b...

BIO majors Kate O'Brien '25 and Leslie Atahualpa '26 presented their work from Dr. Bryan Thurtle-Schmidt's lab at the 2025 annual national meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in Chicago.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-excerpt-podcast-climate-change-is-making-fungi-a-much-bigger-threat/ar-BB1jvQVO?rc=1&ocid=socialshare&cvid=b4b3a4af095546b089680e0940dd0d16&ei=19

The Excerpt podcast: Climate change is making fungi a much bigger threat Fungi are becoming a prevalent and widespread concern among scientists and health experts alike.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/stingrays-virgin-pregnancy-may-delightfully-unusual-scientific-explana-rcna140759

Stingray’s virgin pregnancy may have a delightfully unusual scientific explanation Scientists think the pregnancy of Charlotte, a stingray living in a tank without any male rays, is an example of parthenogenesis, a miracle of life more common than most people think.

https://www.livescience.com/32974-punxsutawney-phil-weather-prediction-accuracy.html

How Accurate Are Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day Forecasts? The rodent has been predicting the start of spring since 1887. But how good is Phil at his prognostications?