By Jordan Greer

Are you a tea enthusiast or coffee connoisseur? A common debate in labs, offices, and possibly within your own home, people usually prefer one over the other to start their day. In fact, tea and coffee are the most commonly consumed non-alcoholic beverages in the world. But what leads us to choose one pick-me-up over the other, and how much of it we drink? While we may attribute our preferences to how we’re raised, recent research shows our choice of brew may also be linked to our DNA. 

First, let’s consider what makes coffee and tea different. Both contain bitter compounds, although coffee contains a higher amount. However, their most noteworthy component is caffeine; coffee has roughly twice the amount found in black and green teas. Caffeine itself, though, is nearly tasteless – well, to most of us.

Continue reading “Coffee or tea? One cup or three? Your genes may decide.”

By JARED SAGOFF

Originally published at: https://www.anl.gov/article/argonne-discovery-offers-new-way-to-coat-nuclear-materials

Argonne National Laboratory is accelerating more than protons these days. Through its Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) entrepreneurship program, Argonne is accelerating the development of new businesses that are tackling the challenges of producing and conserving energy with new, cost effective and environmentally-sustainable technologies. Argonne is located in Lemont, Illinois, west of Chicago. It is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) and operated by the University of Chicago. It is one of the largest and most scientifically diverse research centers in the world. The CRI program is supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Office within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

This summer, with the first four startups graduating from the program, CRI innovators have raised about $12.4 million in funding as of Aug. 1, 2019. Out of that total, more than $5 million has come from private equity sources, and the rest has some from various organizations – including DOE – that offer open funding opportunities.

Continue reading “Argonne Fuels Energy Start-ups”

By Alexis Shanes

Microorganisms hiding in your toilet water could lead to a revolution in medical diagnosis and treatment, scientists say.

University of Chicago microbiologists Jack Gilbert and Savas Tay, co-founders of the medical startup BiomeSense, have developed a tool to gain medical insight from powerful bacteria in the gut.

Nine months after creating the company, Gilbert, Tay and their development team have made the concept of a microbiome measurement device a reality.

“We monitor your poop in a way that’s relevant to clinical trials,” Gilbert said. “We are finding out the next strategies for making people healthy.”

Continue reading “The Future of Medical Treatment is in Your Toilet”