Science can sometimes feel inaccessible, but considering its importance in our lives, it is logical that we strive to improve its accessibility. Science events serve as a means to bridge…
Get outside for a safe bike ride
Portland has apparently been “named a ‘platinum’ bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists—its highest rating,” according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s fact sheet about bicycles in Portland….
Conversation with a scientist: The reality of bike crashes in Portland
Recently, Clay Veka of Portland Transportation Bureau made the Vanguard aware of an important word distinction between “accident” and “crash.” This article has been edited to reflect this change. For…
Be prepared, not scared
The term “the Big One” commonly describes the anticipated seismic event in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which is well-known among Portland residents. While feeling apprehensive about this future threat is…
It’s not all doom and gloom for The Big One
Scientists at Portland State are looking into whether or not Portland—the city of bridges—would still have its bridges standing after The Big One, and you might be surprised to hear…
Ken Stedman, PSU’s “virus hunter”
Portland State has its very own virus hunter—Dr. Ken Stedman, professor of biology. Stedman has been recognized twice in the last few months for his research and ability to communicate…
Ideathon event seeks to explore creative storytelling about climate change using AI
With the establishment of the conversational artificial intelligence ChatGPT in society, AI has been a growing topic of debate. Here at Portland State, the team at the Compassionate Computing (CoCo)…
The future of science and tech
The field of science and technology is one that’s constantly evolving. Over my tenure at Vanguard, I’ve had the pleasure of covering a wide variety of topics that have significantly…
Plants grown in lunar soil for the first time
The University of Florida succeeded in growing the first plants exclusively in lunar soil samples. Published May 12, this ongoing research has been funded by NASA since the Apollo samples…
How a recent discovery could redefine seafood agriculture
On May 3, the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications released a report describing a powerful archeological discovery—how Indigenous peoples, of North American coasts and Australia, cultivated and harvested oysters for upwards…
Scientists discover a new way to break down plastic in days
Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new way to break down plastics in a matter of days, which would otherwise take centuries to fully break…