Bioscience Technology at Holland College

10/15/2026

Microplastics are a source of extreme concern for health: the presence of these tiny pieces of plastic has been linked to heart attacks, stroke, dementia and brain tumors. But what drives these associations is unclear. Now a new study offers a tantalizing clue: microplastics interact with water, generating highly reactive molecules. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/microplastics-are-linked-to-inflammation-scientists-might-have-finally-worked-out-why/

10/12/2026

Around nine hundred thousand years ago early human ancestors endured a dramatic population bottleneck that reduced their breeding population to roughly one thousand three hundred individuals.

Genetic analyses of more than three thousand modern human genomes using a specialized coalescent modeling approach revealed that the ancestral population crashed by nearly ninety nine percent approximately nine hundred thirty thousand years ago.

Prior to this event the effective breeding population stood near one hundred thousand but then plummeted to about one thousand two hundred eighty reproducing individuals.

This critically low number persisted for roughly one hundred seventeen thousand years until around eight hundred thirteen thousand years ago when numbers finally began to recover.

Researchers attribute the near extinction event primarily to severe climate shifts associated with the Mid Pleistocene Transition including prolonged cooling droughts and habitat loss across Africa and Eurasia.

The prolonged bottleneck coincides with a notable scarcity of hominin fossils from that interval and may have driven speciation processes that ultimately produced the last common ancestor of modern humans Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Despite the extreme vulnerability of such a small group our lineage survived and later expanded setting the stage for subsequent evolutionary developments.

This episode underscores how climate extremes once brought humanity’s deep ancestors perilously close to disappearing entirely yet also highlights the resilience that allowed recovery and eventual diversification.

Source: Hu et al., Science 381, 979–984 (2023).

10/10/2026

The 2026 in Chemistry was awarded to Henri B. Kagan at Paris-Saclay University and Kenso Soai at the Tokyo University of Science for their work on manipulating the synthesis of chiral molecules. C&EN reporter Bri Barbu joins host Gina Vitale to discuss what these chemists discovered, how their insights are now applied to medicines, and how their work shed light on the origin of life itself: https://brnw.ch/21x6hUK

10/05/2026

It's back! We are excited to offer our Lab Academy experience again this year. Are you in high school and interested in becoming a scientist? Check out this chance to try out hands-on activities, learn more about the field, and explore our diploma and degree options! 🎓🧑🏽‍🔬
Join us Nov 28 or Jan 30 from 10-12. Limited spots are available so sign up at the link in our bio to grab yours now 🧬🧪🧫

09/23/2026

The unprecedented meningitis outbreak that occurred in Kent, UK, in March this year seems to have been driven by a bacterial strain taking genes from harmless microbes.

09/21/2026

09/16/2026

🗞️Latest issue just dropped!

We're excited to share the latest edition of our student research journal, featuring original projects that tackle real-world challenges. We're excited to showcase the discoveries, skills, and passion that make our program thrive 🧑🏾‍🔬⚗️🧬🔬🥼🦠

🔗 to this issue in our bio!

08/27/2026

08/07/2026

06/25/2026

☀️ Summer Series is BACK☀️

Join us throughout July and August for our Summer Series, designed to help you prepare for your student journey.

Each session will introduce you to the services, supports, and resources available to you as a Holland College student. From career services and financial literacy to student supports, degree pathways, and more, you'll have the opportunity to learn from our teams and get answers to your questions before classes begin.

📅 New sessions every Wednesday from July 8 to August 26.

Whether you're joining us from across the Island, across the country, or around the world, these sessions will help you feel informed, connected, and ready for September.

Stay tuned for session details and registration information!