Articles (Biology)

The Deadliest Viruses in History: Influenza and Ebola
(Health and Diseases)

Which virus do we consider deadly? Is it the virus that spreads quickly? Or is it the virus that kills most of the infected persons?

Watermelon Snow
(Earth Sciences)

Arctic glaciers play several vital environmental roles. They stabilize weather patterns and serve as natural air conditioners.

Soil Compounds to Treat Tuberculosis
(Health and Diseases)

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs. It is the second biggest killer, globally; in 2015, 1.8 million people died of TB and an estimate of 10.4 million new cases was registered. 


The Croods
(Science in Arts and Culture)

If you are bored and would like to take a journey with your kids into an amazing fantasy world, I would advise you to watch The Croods. 


Oswald Avery: The Unsung Genetics Genius
(Inventions and Innovations)

If you are a loyal fan of our popular science magazine SCIplanet—the Autumn 2016 issue* in particular—you may think we have already tackled all DNA pioneers.

Can You Really Become A Sugar Addict?
(Food, Mood, and Behavior)

People around the world are eating more sugar than ever before; that is because the food industry has been adding more of it to various products over the years. 

Detox Diet: A Myth or Reality?
(Food, Mood, and Behavior)

Detox, short for detoxification, is the removal of potentially toxic substances from the body. 

Barbara McClintock: A Groundbreaking Genetics Genius
(Inventions and Innovations)

Barbara McClintock revolutionized the field of plant genetics, receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1983 for discovering “mobile genetic elements”. The science of genetics, to which McClintock made groundbreaking contributions, both experimental and conceptual, has come to dominate all of the biological sciences; from molecular biology, through cell and developmental biology, to medicine and agriculture.


GMOs: Yay or Nay?
(Microorganism, Animal and Plant Life)

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), give this term a spin anywhere and you will find many who have very strong opinions whether for or against. However, before we delve into the debate, let us have a look at what GMOs are.

Ibn al-Nafis and the Exploration of the Human Body
(Inventions and Innovations)

Ibn al-Nafis was a great Arab physician and surgeon, who also made contributions in astronomy, Islamic theology philosophy, history, and science fiction writing. Ibn al-Nafis recorded his own experiences, observations, and deductions in his books and manuscripts; 300 years after his original writings, some of his work was translated into Latin and became available to European physicians.


The King of Hearts: aka Sir Magdi Yacoub
(Inventions and Innovations)

Inspired by his father, Magdi Yacoub decided to be a doctor, and the death of his aunt due to a heart disease motivated him to specialize as a cardiac surgeon. He studied medicine at Cairo University, then he moved to London. After more than 40 years of hard work and success, Dr. Magdi Yacoub is now one of the world’s leading cardiac surgeons. He was awarded the UK Order of Merit and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to medicine and surgery, becoming the first Egyptian to receive this prestigious award.


A Surgeon for All Times: Abu al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi
(Inventions and Innovations)

The pioneer of modern surgery, known in the West as “Abulcasis”, Abu al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was not just a pioneer in surgical innovation; he was also a great teacher whose medical texts had shaped the European surgical procedures up until the Renaissance and later.


Genetically Modified Food: Pros and Cons
(Food, Mood, and Behavior)

Have you ever read the term GMO-free on your cereal box or any other food product packages that you have bought recently? Have you ever heard about the cube-shaped watermelons or tomatoes, or the blue strawberries? What are GMOs and what is its impact our health?

Save the Trees…Save the Planet
(Microorganism, Animal and Plant Life)

Trees do not just offer wonderful scenery, but they offer life also; when they breathe, we breathe.

How Ebola Works
(Health and Diseases)

As the number of cases of Ebola virus disease continues to rise, flight restrictions are put in place and the media frenzy continues, you may be asking yourself: What is Ebola and how does it work?

International Tiger Day: 29 July
(Microorganism, Animal and Plant Life)

Tigers are among the most magnificent animals in the world. However, they are also vulnerable to extinction. A hundred years ago, there were 100,000 tigers in the wild; but today, there are as few as 3,200.

The Blue Whale
(Microorganism, Animal and Plant Life)

As new species everyday face the risk of extinction, “survival for the fittest” becomes a bitter reality that cannot be ignored. Although Blue Whales are the largest creatures on Earth.


Mexico Losing Butterflies
(Microorganism, Animal and Plant Life)

On 1 November, when Mexicans celebrate their holiday “the Day of the Dead”, some celebrate the millions of orange-and-black monarch flight to the mountainous fir forests of central Mexico.


Pesky Sniffles
(Health and Diseases)

The ever pesky sniffles, the cough that makes you sound like a dying pirate, the whole body aches as if you just rolled down some steep stairs, lethargy that glues you to your bed; all these are symptoms of the common cold. 

Immortal Cells
(Human Body)

All humans are made of the same organs, but we are all unique. One of the greatest features of humanity is each person’s individuality, and this can extend even to your cells. One such individual with cells like no other is Henrietta Lacks.

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SCIplanet is a bilingual edutainment science magazine published by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Planetarium Science Center and developed by the Cultural Outreach Publications Unit ...
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