Olivia L. Dobbs
Bio
Science Enthusiast, Naturalist, Dreamer, Nerd.
I crosspost my Medium articles here :)
You can find my main account on Medium: https://medium.com/@oliviadobbs13
Check out my science! -> bit.ly/DobbsEtAl
Stories (97/0)
Celebrating Neurodiversity: Study Showcases a New Perspective on The Evolutionary Advantage of ADHD
On February 21st, 2024, a research article on ADHD was published in The Proceedings of the Royal Society B by a global team of biologists and neuroscientists. The article in question, titled “Attention deficits linked with a proclivity to explore while foraging”, highlighted an incredible trend: participants in their study who screened positively for ADHD were more likely to explore an environment when foraging, instead of exploiting a single source of a resource like their neurotypical counterparts.
By Olivia L. Dobbs20 days ago in Humans
Eleven Engaging YouTube Channels That Infuse Learning with Fun
YouTube gets a bad rap for being full of low-quality brain rot. Yes, that sort of content is definitely present and often shows up on the homepage of the website for new users, but that simply isn’t all of the platform. Despite an inordinate amount of mind-numbing content, YouTube can indeed be an incredible source of knowledge — you just need to know where to find it. If you’d like to improve your video algorithm and make your YouTube account a little more valuable for your brain, give these channels a try. Your mind will thank you!
By Olivia L. Dobbsabout a month ago in Education
New Study Indicates that Empathy Can Spread Through Social Interactions
To feel empathy is human — the ability is a core aspect of what makes us us, and what makes societies function as a whole. It plays a critical role in how we form relationships, communicate, collaborate, and how we act towards those we interact with. And, yet, there has existed a long-standing preconception that the empathic ability one has is fixed and cannot be modified by anything once adolescent development ends. When describing empathy, folks say “I am very empathetic” and “They don’t have empathy” with a sense of finality akin to “I am alive” and “He is a human”.
By Olivia L. Dobbsabout a month ago in Humans
Unveiling the Cosmos: 8 Captivating Space Discoveries You Almost Missed Hearing About
Space research is about to get wild. With recent advancements in space-faring and space-viewing technology, we’re truly in a golden age of astronomy. The pace of discovery and advancement has seemingly accelerated in the first few months of this year. And, with promising reports and plans from major research institutions across Earth, these discoveries seem to be a good omen for what’s to come. From distant exoplanets to awe-inspiring phenomena, explore the cosmos and witness the wonders that have emerged from the forefront of space exploration in 2024 — so far.
By Olivia L. Dobbs2 months ago in Futurism
The Gut-Brain Connection: Unraveling the Impact of Gut Microbiome on Mental Health
Hangxiety is a nightmare. If you’ve ever woken up after a night of moderate [or heavy] drinking to a fresh and acute batch of cringe and emotional stress, you’ll be all too familiar with the terrible phenomenon — especially the shame, irritability, and general malaise that can come with it.
By Olivia L. Dobbs2 months ago in Longevity
Want to Learn Something New About Science? Check Out These 5 Fun & Educational STEM Podcasts
Everyone these days has a podcast. It’s the hip new thing for influencers to do! Since everyone has decided to pick up the trade, finding a good podcast to listen to can feel super daunting, especially when you’ve decided to trawl through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube for content.
By Olivia L. Dobbs2 months ago in Education
This Flower Is Evolving to Survive a Post-Insect Environment
Environmental changes are driving evolution at an unprecedented pace. The harsh reality of a changing climate isn’t only affecting human civilization and at-risk animal populations — ripples of the phenomenon are already visible everywhere. Recent studies have painted a picture of just how drastic these changes already are for life on earth, by focusing on the rapid adaptations of flowering plants. Due to the extreme effects human activity is having on insect population decline, flowers have begun to evolve to give up on insect-caused pollination.
By Olivia L. Dobbs2 months ago in Earth
Why is Evolution a Theory and Not a Law?
Folks, I have a pet peeve. The argument “Evolution is just a theory” absolutely drives me up the wall. When I chose evolutionary science as my focus in college, I figured that I’d need to be equipped to explain the evidence and educate folks in everyday life. Even with that preparation, though, I underestimated just how often I’d hear that specific phrase. It’s unnervingly common. When speaking with those who do not believe in the mechanism, it’s commonly one of the first arguments uttered upon discovery of the “Evolutionary” part of my educational journey. Well, it’s either that or “Climate Change isn’t real” — but I’ll save that rant for another article.
By Olivia L. Dobbs3 months ago in Earth
We Need to Talk About Celebrities Polluting Our Atmosphere with Their Frivolous Private Jet Trips
Early February 2024, Taylor Swift made headlines after her lawyers threatened legal action against Jack Sweeney. The user on X, formerly Twitter, is known for creating accounts that log the private jet trips of celebrities and has previously been in trouble due to his tracking of Elon Musk and other celebrities on the site. His set of accounts, which were cited in an analysis in 2022, found that Swift was one of the biggest celebrity polluters due to her frivolous use of air travel. Her legal team is claiming, despite the public availability of flight record information, Sweeney’s sharing of this information is a form of “harassing conduct”, as the information shared has been used to shame her traveling habits.
By Olivia L. Dobbs3 months ago in Humans
Your Brain on Coronavirus
Bear with me here, folks, I’m writing this amid the throws of COVID. I noticed an incredible decrease in my cognitive ability over the past few days. As the fevers hit I became rather easily confused, often disoriented, and less cognitively capable than usual. Now, at [what I’m hoping is] the tail end of this bout of illness, I became curious about what exactly happened to my brain over the last week, and if this sort of symptom is common amongst others who have experienced coronavirus. I investigated my brain on COVID while dealing with COVID-brain. Here’s what I found:
By Olivia L. Dobbs3 months ago in Earth
5 Utterly Wild Fun Facts About the Kangaroo
Ah, the kangaroo — those adorable creatures renowned for their cute little hops, have always been considered quite the charismatic animals. Yet, beyond being fun to observe wandering about in zoos, they hold a world of scientific fascination! Get ready to be amazed as we delve into five incredible facts about the kangaroo. From their unique reproductive methods to astonishing adaptations for survival, each revelation adds a layer to the wonder that is the kangaroo. Join me on this journey into the scientific marvels of these marsupials, and you’ll discover that there’s much more to them than meets the eye!
By Olivia L. Dobbs3 months ago in Earth