Hilary Lehman
To me, scientific research is about three things: discovering what happened in the past, understanding what's going on in the present and determining what might happen in the future.
Sometimes, scientific research might not have immediate impact, but it can still be interesting when you look at it from a historical perspective.
That understanding of history is what first interested me in the study about lice found on mummies in Peru.
These lice on the Peruvian mummies were found to be genetically the same as lice that have caused disease epidemics, including typhus, throughout the centuries, according to a UF news release.
These tiny parasites challenge the assumption that all diseases came from Europe to the Americas with the explorers, said David Reed, a co-author of the study and an assistant curator of mammals at the Florida Museum of Natural History, in the release.
Reed goes on to say that this discovery could provide clues to human migration throughout the Americas.
If you've taken any high-school history course, you've probably heard about all the diseases the European explorers brought with them to the New World. I found it fascinating that typhus might not be one of them
I was glad that the news release noted the possibility that this study might increase understanding of typhus. Even though I found this study interesting for its explanation of past events, I was impressed that the research can affect the study of a current disease.
For more information, read the release - it goes into detail on several points I haven't addressed here. But this study is interesting for the many ways it can be approached - from history, biology and medicine just on a surface level. It goes to show that science isn't only for engineers.
