Curio Cabinet

Your memories are your own business…for now. The ability to read minds and delete memories has always been relegated to the world of science fiction, but as we learn more about how memories are formed, we’re also learning how they might be strengthened, weakened, or even erased. Until the mid-20th century, little was known about how memories were actually formed. Then, in the 1940s and 50s, American-Canadian neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield performed a series of experiments in which he stimulated patients’ brains with electrical currents while they were conscious. He discovered that memories could be evoked by targeting different parts of the cortex with electricity. This research helped lead to the discovery that memories are formed via connections between neurons. These connections are created when a person has a memorable experience, and can be strengthened naturally by repeating similar experiences or by talking out loud about past experiences. They can also be strengthened artificially, as discovered by neuroscientist Robert Hampson, of North Carolina’s Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Using electricity, his team found a way to replicate neuron signals associated with specific images in an image-based memory test. When volunteers received electrical stimulation to their brains that mimicked those signals, their performance on the test improved by 35 to 40 percent. Of course, it stands to reason that if certain neural pathways weaken over time, then memories will also weaken, or fade away completely—and if memories can be artificially strengthened, they might be able to be artificially weakened too. The simplest way to do this might be to interfere with the memory-making process as it’s happening. Research has shown that neural connections are facilitated by molecules in the brain. Blocking these molecules during memory formation could cause the memory to go “unrecorded.” It’s possible that, one day, selectively removing molecules in certain areas could allow specific memories to be deleted…but right now, that’s still a long way off. While memory-strengthening treatments could one day lead to better treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's, memory-weakening technology could help those with traumatic memories or PTSD. Surely everyone has a few embarrassing teenage memories that they wouldn't mind losing too.

[Image description: A computer illustration of a gray brain against a black background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
 

"Don't you wish there was more plastic at the beach?", said no one ever. Those perturbed by plastic pollution in Australia now have a reason to rejoice, as new research shows that coastal plastic waste levels there have dropped by nearly 40 percent since 2013. In Australia, as in many places, most waste found on beaches (around 75 percent) is plastic. This waste is unsightly, hazardous to people (especially children), and potentially deadly for wildlife. It's good news, then, that researchers in Australia are finding less and less of the stuff every year. According to CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, there has been a 39 percent reduction in plastic waste found in coastal areas. Researchers examined a number of different Australian locales, including Hobart in Tasmania, Newcastle in New South Wales, Perth in Western Australia, Port Augusta in South Australia, Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. They didn't just look at beaches by the sea, either. Areas surveyed included inland, riverine, and coastal habitats, and all were found to have reduced plastic waste. Moreover, there was a 16 percent increase in areas that were completely free of plastic waste. CSIRO researchers also identified the most common types of plastic waste: polystyrene and cigarette butts, which accounted for 24 percent and 20 percent. Other common forms of waste included beverage containers (bottles and cans) and food wrappers, as well as plenty of unspecified plastic fragments. This type of research has allowed for more focused efforts when it comes to waste collection and prevention, but CSIRO isn't ready to rest on their laurels just yet. They hope to achieve an 80 percent reduction of plastic waste by 2030 by identifying sources of waste and better understanding how it enters the environment. Australia's National Waste Policy also aims to recycle or reuse all plastic waste by 2040. As they say: waste not, want not.

 
[Image description: The surface of water under a sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Matt Hardy, Pexels

No more jumping through hoops for these pachyderms. Washington state recently passed a bill banning the use of exotic animals in traveling shows, including circuses. Along with lions, tigers, monkeys, and bears, elephants are expected to benefit greatly from the legislation. Because they’re smaller and more docile than their African cousins, Asian elephants have long been used (and, unfortunately, often abused) in European and American circuses. In their native habitat, however, Asian elephants have traditionally been revered by people and are even symbols of royalty in some countries. Still, they’re extremely endangered in the wild, with only around 30,000 to 50,000 wild individuals left.
 
Asian elephants are native to South and Southeast Asia, where they're the largest mammals on the continent. They usually stand between 6 and 12 feet tall, and males can weigh up to 13,000 pounds. Asian elephants are versatile, able to live in dense tropical forests or on open grasslands. For females, survival depends on cooperation with herd members. Females and young males live in herds of around seven individuals, with the oldest female acting as the leader, or matriarch. The matriarch is responsible for leading the herd to areas with enough food to sustain them. She also leads them on their yearly migration during the dry season, using her age and experience to ensure that they find water. Herd living allows female Asian elephants to protect themselves and their calves from tigers, their only wild predators. As for male Asian elephants, they leave their herds when they reach around eight years of age, and live mostly solitary lives, only interacting with other elephants during mating season, which coincides with the rainy season from around June to October.
 
Asian elephants might be smaller than African elephants, but both species share a common ancestor, though that ancestor didn’t look much like either modern species. Moeritherium lived in northern Africa around 37 to 50 million years ago, and looked more like a pig, hippo, or tapir than an elephant. Yet, all species in the family Elephantidae, including the extinct wooly mammoth, are distantly related to it. When some elephant ancestors made their way to Asia around six million years ago, Asian and African elephants officially diverged, and began to become their own species. They still have plenty in common, though, including their endangered status. Humans are the greatest threat facing both species. Habitat loss and poaching could drive Asian elephants to extinction in just a few years if nothing is done. Size just isn’t enough to protect against people.

 
[Image description: A close-up photo of a male Asian elephant with its mouth open.] Credit & copyright: LadyofHats, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work, has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.

Chewing gum? Did you bring enough to share with everyone? Most chewing gums can only freshen your breath, but a new antiviral gum developed by researchers at the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania can fight the influenza virus and the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Influenza claims up to 650,000 lives per year, and while HSV isn't as deadly, the infection never goes away. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 3.8 billion people under 50 are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), while around 520 million people between the ages of 15 and 49 are infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 is responsible for most cases of oral herpes, while HSV-2 is responsible for most cases of genital herpes. HSV-1 doesn't claim as many lives as influenza, but it's still the leading cause of infectious blindness in Western countries. Both influenza and HSV infections can go unnoticed or misdiagnosed, and in the case of HSV, many people can be asymptomatic for long periods of time.
 
Managing the spread of these diseases is a seemingly sisyphean task, but the antiviral gum from the University of Pennsylvania might make that uphill climb a little easier. The special ingredient in the gum is lablab beans, which are full of an antiviral trap protein (FRIL) that ensnares viruses in the human body and stops them from replicating. Studies show that chewing on the gum can lower viral loads by 95 percent, significantly reducing the likelihood of transmission. Delivering the treatment via gum isn’t just a cute gimmick, either. Prolonged chewing releases the FRIL from the bean gum consistently over time, increasing its effectiveness. The question remains, though, should the flavor be spearmint or something fruity?

 
[Image description: A piece of chewed gum in a foil wrapper.] Credit & copyright: ToTheDemosToTheStars, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.