Science Matters

You may think it’s a coincidence that Michael Beiro lived in Edison, NJ until he was about nine years old, but it seems that some of that famous inventor’s talent rubbed off on Michael at an early age. “I have been interested in robotics and automation for almost as long as I can remember. I think I was about eight years old when I decided robots were the coolest thing ever,” he recalls.

This time of year classic holiday songs are heard blasting out of speakers all over the nation. One of those timeless classics is "The Little Drummer Boy", classic or Bowie version, both can be frequently heard this time of year.

Of all the tasty confections served up each holiday season, fruitcake has somehow become the dessert Americans love to hate. With origins in ancient Rome, the modern-day fruitcake is a brick of nuts, candied fruit, and dense, chewy pastry. Renowned for its shelf life and old-fashioned flavor, it remains a popular gift despite jokes about its remarkable heft and sometimes questionable age.

For over 100 years, the National Audubon Society has held an annual Christmas Bird Count between December 14 and January 5 at locations throughout the western hemisphere. During this time, volunteers are assigned to specific, mapped areas to count every bird they see and hear.

A new program gives elementary students a glimpse into future careers through VCU College of Engineering.

Over the years researchers have looked into ways that diet, exercise, time in nature, and social structures can play a big role in our body's health.

In the last few years, we’ve been seeing a lot of news about big organizations, companies, and government facilities building solar infrastructure to support energy needs. This trend has continued to move forward with installations in many school systems around the nation.

On the eve of Computer Science Education Week (December 9-15), VCU’s Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre (SALT), will present a new production of “Ada and the Engine” by Lauren Gunderson. The play explores the relationship and collaboration between Ada Byron Lovelace (daughter of the flamboyant and notorious Lord Byron) and her friend Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first mechanical computer.

Scientists have been studying our family and have some remarkable news to share with us this holiday season. Which new relative of ours was discovered?

We’re all familiar with the rat race, right? For most folks that include the daily grind and being in the car at rush hour twice a day! The regular commute has often been known to raise stress levels in drivers making their way to their various destinations. Unlike what happens to human drivers during rush hour, scientists at the University of Richmond have been teaching rats how to drive special tiny cars to see how their stress gets lowered!