It's hard to make microbes, telescopes, and math calculations appear sexy. But we found 50 scientists who pull it off fabulously.
These aren't your typical lab coat-wearing, messy-haired brainiacs — with the exception that they're all pretty brain-y.
Some of the people who made our list are rising stars. Others are already well-established in their field. All of them are making a difference (or on their way to) by improving our lives through research and new discoveries.
We thought this was important, to highlight the brains along with the beauty. But, they're not bad to look at, either.
#49 Cheska Burleson
Age: 27
Position: Marine researcher
Institution: Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Education: Ph.D. in chemical oceanography from the University of South Florida; B.S. in marine and freshwater biology from The University of Texas at Austin
Nationality: American
Burleson identifies and analyzes toxins created by the "red tide" phenomena — an algal bloom that looks red or brown and can make oysters and shellfish toxic to eat. It also poisons and kills fish.
She's also investigating potential drugs that can be made from algae to treat human pathogens, including Staph infections and malaria.
Fun fact: She figure skated competitively for 10 years and enjoys eating painfully spicy food.
#48 Heather Christofk
Age: 32
Position: Assistant professor
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Education: Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology from Harvard; B.S. in molecular, cell, and developmental biology from UCLA
Nationality: American
Christofk studies the genes and proteins behind the way cancer cells use sugars to live and grow, which is different from how normal cells do. Cancer cells use much more sugar than normal cells, and they do it by changing the way they use these energy sources from the environment.
These insights can give us knowledge that can help fight cancers by helping us design drugs that attack the cancer's "sugar tooth" through these growth pathways. The theory is that if the cells were cut off from sugar, they couldn't grow as fast.
Fun fact: She's a huge college basketball and Boson Bruins fan.
#47 Paul Zak
Age: 51
Position: Professor of economics and department chair and founding director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies
Institution: Claremont Graduate University
Education: Ph.D in economics from the University of Pennsylvania; B.A. in mathematics and economics from San Diego State University. (He was first in his class!)
Nationality: American
Zak, a neuroscientist and economist, is best known for his research on the hormone oxytocin. Called the "moral molecule," he believes oxytocin is responsible for virtuous human qualities like empathy, generosity, and trust. Hugs and even social networking can trigger the release of oxytocin in the brain, according to Zak. This knowledge can be used to design high-performance teams for business or the military, reduce conflict, and improve the lives of patients with neurologic and psychiatric disorders.
Zak explores oxytocin in his book The Moral Molecule: The Source of Love and Prosperity, published in 2012.
Fun fact: He recently started skydiving.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider