Throughout history, people have faced infectious diseases. Because we transmit many of these infections to others, it’s an important societal goal to reduce their potential impact in our communities. In the past few centuries, we have made marked progress, and much of that has been the result of a field of science known as epidemiology. Epidemiology is a discipline focused on where, why and how disease occurs in a population in order to inform prevention strategies.

When we think of memory, typically we think of our ability to recall facts, dates, or past experiences.

Science is the process by which we develop knowledge. Over time, and with many experiments, a consensus about a scientific topic develops. However, science is ever evolving, meaning it changes as new information comes to light. That does not mean that previous research is outdated or irrelevant. Rather, it demonstrates that science builds on past understanding.

Check out our new video, “Behind the Scenes: A Tour of Penn’s Institute for RNA Innovation.” Get a firsthand look at the Weissman lab with Dr. Edward “Ted” Kreider and learn about this technology directly from a scientist working in this lab.

Learn about scientific discoveries or inventions that were not the original goal or expected outcome of the scientific effort at the time. As students learn about how science works, they can be engaged by examples of how science can take researchers down a completely different path than originally intended.