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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Old Thumb, Martian Mudslides, Full Moon Crazies, Global Wind Atlas, Old Bone Scratch, Fungus Vs Fungus, COVID-19 Update, Evolutionary Blackmail, Driving Crickets Mad, Monkey Monitors, Frozen Fresh, Stop It, Radio Feelings, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
What could be greater than knowing that you are alive?
Doing something you love with your life.
Since we don’t all want to be doctors or science news communicators or succulent farmers…
You might need need to invent something new to do.
One great place to do that is science!
In science there is a lot that needs to studied.
Everything in fact needs a good looking at.
There is pretty much no limit on what you can decide to study.
To get a good idea of what’s available to study
we put together this quick list of examples we call
This Week in Science,
Coming up next…
Let’s start with the science news
Old Thumb
A new analysis of the evolution of human thumb dexterity was published last week. It looks at inferred soft tissues as well as bone proportions and joint angles. Their findings suggest the human thumb first hit the scene with the advent of the species Homo about 2 million years ago.
Martian mudslides and how to make them
Freezing and thawing pretty much.
Someone’s got the full moon crazies
…and that is science.
Global Wind Atlas
Extreme wind speeds have been tied to locations around the globe according to a recent report in Nature Energy. The availability of this data will make the placement of wind turbines more efficient.
Oldest ever symbols found
Are just doodles or do they have deeper meaning?
Fungus Vs Fungus
A fungus discovered in Ethiopia might be just what the coffee industry needs to combat coffee rust!
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And, now for the COVID-19 Update…
COVID Update
There is some interesting research highlighted by the CDC from last week. One study looked at airflow in cars, and found that when driving at 50mph having the front right and rear left windows open with driver and passenger in the kitty-corner seats, air entering the car creates a protective “air curtain” between them. Additionally, they note at least two studies that imply children under 20 years old are less likely to show symptoms of infection and more likely to spread the SARS-CoV2 virus.
Immunity & Resistance
While new variants circulate in increasing numbers, the ones that have an advantage are successful at evading our defenses. A preprint in biorXiv suggests that the mRNA vaccines in use are still effective against these mutants, but with a reduction in that effectiveness. Another study looked at a specific mutation called N439K and found that monoclonal antibody treatments are less effective against variants with this change.
Pregnancy Transfer
Looks like antibodies from COVID-19 infection are found in placental cord blood. Researchers think that this means vaccinated pregnant women could confer immunity to their babies.
Happy Treatment
Fluvoxamine was correlated with less severe COVID-19 symptoms and quicker recovery in a randomized trial that took place in California last Fall. The antidepressant SSRI also acts to reduce inflammation responses in the body, and is being looked at for larger trials.
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Blackmail. It turns out it is the oldest trick in the evolutionary book
A new theory for evolutionary manipulation has something in common with a human toddler.
Darn traffic is messing with cricket mating habits.
No really, though they might not be mad, as it makes the females less picky. Is traffic noise like cricket jungle juice??
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What does Justin have to say about science this week?
Let me hear your monkey talk
With its face.
Fresh water oceans of the recent past
The north Arctic froze to create a fresh water ocean not too long ago (geologically speaking).
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Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Stop It
Researchers at Ceders Sinai have found the neurons in the brain that help us STOP movements that are already in progress. The hope is that understanding how they work will help in the treatment of movement disorders.
Radio Feelings
Scientists think they can measure your emotions… remotely… using radio waves.
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions! We will do our best to have answers!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, OR email Dr. Kiki!
Want to see what we were talking about at this time last year? Check out this episode of TWIS when it looks like we started really keeping track of COVID-19 or this one from 2010 that discusses human-pig chimeras. How far have we come in the last ten years?
I'm the host of this little science show. 
