6+ hour, 45+ min ago (788+ words) Invisible to the naked human eye, cellular behavior tells a complex yet enduring story about the origins of all life on Earth. On Nov. 20, visitors to the Museum of Science could see and hear that story through an unconventional medium " dance." Presented by the Multiverse Concert Series, "Cellular Dance: The Fold" is a collaborative performance weaving together biology, dance and electro-symphonic music. After being forced into a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event finally returned to the stage. Based on University of Massachusetts Boston professor Alexey Veraksa's research on cell signaling in embryos, the ballet depicted the inner workings of the cell, how cells navigate their surroundings and how tissues work together in a developing embryo. Founded and led by director David Ibbett, a composer and music professor at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the Multiverse Concert Series is a…...

17+ hour, 14+ min ago (667+ words) Stuffed turkey. Gravy and cranberry sauce. Mashed potatoes. Pumpkin pie. Giving thanks. Watching football. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." This is what Thanksgiving means to millions of Americans. It's gathering together in one house with the family, dinner in the oven and the TV playing in the background. It's warmth. It's gratitude." But for millions of others, it's a day of mourning. A day of remembrance. A day of fasting. While others are gathering to eat their fill, thousands of Indigenous people abstain from food. In honor of their ancestors. Why celebrate a day that commemorates the genocide of millions of Native Americans? Whether you acknowledge it or not, it's a colonial holiday with colonial origins. It's not Thanksgiving. It's the National Day of Mourning. The United American Indians of New England began to call the holiday for what it…...

17+ hour, 22+ min ago (644+ words) The bride looked stunning. Her hair was adorned with flowers, her hands painted with henna and her head covered in a veil. The wedding was short and quick " a simple religious ceremony with a reception afterward in her family home. In the Indian subcontinent, the institution of marriage is a significant matter for women. It is something that permeates our entire lives " so much so that it seems we are nothing without it. South Asia is an extremely patriarchal society, and marriage is a way to uphold that patriarchy by molding women into perfect brides for marriage. For example, in my native tongue, Bangla, a man "marries" while a woman is to be "married off." I wanted to know who my mother was before she became a wife and mother. When I asked her what her dreams were, she struggled…...

17+ hour, 23+ min ago (718+ words) Boston University students called on the administration to adopt sanctuary campus policies and protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a walkout and rally Friday that concluded at BU President Melissa Gilliam's home." The protest, organized by the Back Bay Young Democratic Socialists of America, began at Marsh Plaza, continued through St. Mary's Street and Ivy Street and ended at Gilliam's residence." Protesters carried signs that read "Sanctuary campus now" and "ICE off campus." They also chanted "No ICE, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A." "The Trump administration, Zac Segal, and BU administration are all traitors to the working class of Boston because they have, in one way or another, been complicit in ethnic cleansing," the BBYDSA wrote in its Instagram post announcing the rally. "If BU administration wants to right its wrong, it must accept our Sanctuary Campus demands now! BBYDSA Co-chair…...

18+ hour, 16+ min ago (675+ words) When Daisha Roberts founded her own mental health practice " focused on offering holistic, anti-oppressive care specializing in trauma-informed and culturally attuned care " her schedule filled up within two weeks, highlighting the need for these services within her community. A year later, the Sonny Wellness Center " named after her grandmother, A. "Sonny" Roberts Walker " continues to serve the community. Roberts, who received a master of social work degree from the Boston University School of Social Work in 2022, delved into her experience starting her own practice Nov. 20 at a speaking event at Innovate@BU. Roberts said she still sees widespread stigma around mental health care, especially within communities of color. She underscored the cross-generational hold of this stigma, explaining how it shapes expectations in many households." "Your parents or grandparents did not go to a therapist," Roberts said. "They'll probably question you as…...

19+ hour, 10+ min ago (532+ words) The life of the penny has officially come to an end, potentially causing ramifications on how money is spent and how businesses operate. The U.S. Mint ended production of the penny Nov. 12 after more than 230 years of circulation. President Donald Trump retired the coin to reduce government spending, he said in an online post in February. According to the U.S. Mint, it costs around 3.69 cents to produce one of the coins, which cost taxpayers more than $179 million in 2023." Business managers, owners and customers around Boston expressed a variety of views on the coin's phaseout. Justin Lally, inventory manager at the Newbury Street location of Vivant Vintage, said the move was unexpected, but he anticipates minimal impact." On the other hand, Joe Sylva, owner of Union Park Pizza, said the penny's termination could be beneficial for his business. "From somebody who has a…...

19+ hour, 44+ min ago (524+ words) When you think of a revolution, what comes to mind? You might picture seasoned leaders, historic speeches and marches that make headlines. But in Nepal this September, it wasn't the old guard making history " it was a generation barely out of their teens, swiping through Instagram, strategizing on Discord and standing in the streets while tear gas burned their lungs. The Nepali "Gen Z protests" " sparked by a nationwide social media ban " unfolded from Sept. 8 to 13. The government penalized platforms like Facebook, X, Snapchat, Youtube and Signal for failing to register under its new regulations. " Yet the nation's deadliest protests since 2006 were not simply a group of disgruntled children complaining about lost access but a response to entrenched inequality and systemic corruption. In the months leading up to the protests, young Nepalis drew attention to the stark disparity between the…...

1+ day, 7+ hour ago (847+ words) In third grade, I had my first taste of stress: multiplication table worksheets." The numbers on the page were indecipherable to me. The hand on the clock ticked and ticked, unforgiving as it inched closer to the number 12 . Then, bam " the same cocky kid slammed his pencil against the desk, indicating he'd finished. Next came the praise from my teacher, encouraging everyone to be like him." As Galileo Galilei once said, "Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe." In some cultures and households, this belief holds true. STEM, specifically math, for the purpose of this article, is perceived as the golden standard " the subject that determines if one is gifted or destined for success. But somewhere along the way, society's admiration for math skills morphed into something else: a disdain for the humanities." Suddenly, subjects like…...

1+ day, 7+ hour ago (884+ words) Let's say you want to get approval for a pill that has the potential to save lives, ensure better financial futures, break cycles of poverty and give people a chance at upward mobility." What's the catch? Everyone hates it." This was the position Sharon Camp found herself in during the late 1990s. As senior vice president of Population Action International, an organization dedicated to promoting reproductive rights around the globe, Camp had established herself as an experienced lobbyist, policy advocate and leader in the reproductive health care world." She spent years fighting for the right to plan a family on every woman's own timeline. In 1997, she turned her attention to one of the biggest obstacles in the reproductive rights movement " marketing and selling a pill that could prevent pregnancies if taken early enough after unprotected sex." The pill, which was already…...

1+ day, 7+ hour ago (866+ words) Still more than a month away from taking office, the first cracks have formed in the foundation of Zohran Mamdani's political ideology. At a forum on Nov. 19, New York City Councilman and Democratic Socialist Chi Oss" sought the New York Democratic Socialists of America's endorsement to challenge House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in the 8th Congressional District primary. Oss" is a popular city councilman in the 8th district who is hoping to capitalize on the city's progressive momentum and unseat the war criminal currently representing it. Oss" is a challenge Jeffries has well earned. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is Jeffries' all-time top donor, accepting more than $1,635,000 in blood money from the Israel lobby. His political impact has included the slaughter of children in Gaza, the degradation of rights for working-class Americans and the organization of opposition against progressive beliefs." Yet,…...