Rith Bal

Shining Light on the New Wave of Neurobiology

Since its inception in 2005, optogenetics has revolutionised neurobiology—researchers are now closer than ever to determining the functions, behaviours, and pathologies of individual neurons (Boyden, 2011). As this technology continues to develop, it underscores the intersectionality of optics and genetics and shapes scientific perception of neural dysfunction and mood disorders (Guru, et al., 2015). An Read the full article…


A New Hope to Beat Depression

Major depressive disorder, or clinical depression, is a mental condition that knows no bounds; it affects more than 300 million people spanning all races, ages, genders, and communities and its global burden is likely to increase with time (Somani and Kar, 2019). That said, numerous treatment modalities exist, but nearly 30% of clinically depressed patients Read the full article…



Learning How to Read Minds

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), despite being one of the most pivotal innovations of contemporary medicine, is markedly limited due to its safety, cost, and inability to discern micro-insults within the brain (Glover, 2011). In 1992, scientists introduced functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), a non-invasive technique intended to measure brain activity with unparalleled specificity (Soares, et Read the full article…


A Blast of Clean Energy

Serviceable fusion power is a near-ideal source of effectively limitless clean energy—its high energy density, safety, and sustainability distinguish fusion from any other energy source today. Despite this, the funds required for fusion research and its highly specialized conditions of operation hinder its feasibility in the market (Cowley, 2016). However, as global energy use continues Read the full article…