
That’s Life [Science] is a free source of articles spanning the realm of the life sciences and more. It was created by an interdisciplinary collective of graduate students who strive to provide readily accessible information about STEM to the general public. While That’s Life [Science] began with a focus on life at its many levels (from molecules to entire ecosystems, and the evolutionary history, behavior, physiology, and ecology of life), we’ve broadened our scope to examine other science topics including chemistry, astronomy, and physics. If you want to learn about who you’re sharing the planet with and how, check out Earth’s Organisms and Our Ecosystems. If you’re curious about a new disease, odd animal behavior, or orbital dynamics, we’ll show you How It Works. Come with us to our labs and field sites in Grad School Diaries to see what day-to-day life is like as a scientist. Join us as we explore the world through the lens of science!
TLS articles do not represent the views of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the UMass Amherst Graduate Student Organizations, or any affiliated groups or persons beyond the individual author(s) of each article. To receive TLS articles in your inbox, enter your email below, and check for a confirmation email (might be in your spam folder).
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Thriving in Deadly Environments: Could Mushrooms be our Ticket to Colonizing Space?
Space: the final frontier or the fungal frontier? The challenges to life in space seem insurmountable, but with a little help from a familiar friend, it may not be so far-fetched.
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How Public Research Works
Public research funding is one of the invisible forces that shapes our lives and societies. How on earth does it actually work?
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UMass Carbon Zero: Bold Vision or Greenwashing?
Is UMass really working towards sustainability? The science behind the UMass Carbon Zero project and its contradictions and controversies.
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The State of Science in 2025: UMass Graduate Student Perspectives
Recent federal actions have changed the state of science in the United States. UMass Graduate Students provide their perspectives.
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Beyond Bees – Five Truly Rare Pollinators
Here are some of nature’s most weird, wonderful, and surprising pollinators.
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Working Together? Acacia Ants and Acacia Trees’ Important Relationship
Do organisms actually work together? Join me in the jungle to see how small actors make big differences in an ecosystem!
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Freshwater Mussels are Declining: Why Should You Care, and What Can You Do?
These small animals are incredibly important to aquatic environments but face challenges due to human activities, including climate change.
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Good Hosts, Good Guests: Parasitic Plants, Symbiosis, and Root Words
Parasitic flowers are the mysterious plants you didn’t know you needed to know.
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Mycobacterium leprae: Ghost genes with a fear factor
Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an organism with a significantly reduced genome size. This forced the bacteria to be dependent on the host for survival causing many of the symptoms of the disease.
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How the search for a universal gene forever changed biology: the story of Carl Woese and 16S sequencing
While searching for a universal gene to create a comprehensive tree of life, Carl Woese ended up revolutionizing the field of microbiology and forever changed our conceptions of life. Read on to find out how!
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Three-Minute Thesis…But Make It Virtual
Put a bunch of graduate students in a room to give three-minute talks about their research. Then, put them on a Zoom call and see how it changes. What did I learn from one year to the next?

