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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Life Stories, Bacterial Magnetism, Cavefish Brains, Orca-stration, Whale Blubber, COVID Update, Worm Knowledge, Variable Chimps, Venomous Plants, Time Perception, Old Stews, Old Bears, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Humans have had a good run on planet earth.
Yes there are a multitude of life forms that have persisted much longer than the human blip upon the scene of life…
But there have likely been few life forms that have as dramatically effected the lives of so many others, as humans have done.
And while humans are having their moment now,
at the height of science,
at the height of technology,
at the height of agriculture,
at the height economy,
at the height of communication,
collaboration and inter-connectivity…
And also at the very height of hubris…
In thinking that the world belongs to them and will so remain,
undeterred by their activities
Humans are but one form of life on this earth…
the after effect of a recent adaptation among apes.
An adaptation that has led to a radical break with nature.
And the actions of these unnatural apes upon the planet
is leading to consequences for all of its inhabitants.
It is only a matter of time before these consequences become too great to bear.
A time when…
All of humans history will be but evidenced in ocean trash and atmospheric carbon
A time when…
All of humanities accomplishments will lay as artifacts under the sea
A time when…
All of science will be as all lost species, extinct and forgotten
A time when…
All of art and culture is discarded to the decay of time
A time when…
All of the roads laid will lead from cities devoured by nature
To bridges that do not span the far shores
A time when everything they held as human,
and everything they knew about the universe
Is simply plowed under
A billion years gone from the surface of the earth
When all of human history is but a dream
The only thing worth remembering about them will be
This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with some quick science news stories…
LIFE ON VENUS
But, we don’t really know.
Life On Mars?
Even if there was life on Mars, the surface conditions might have degraded it to a point beyond recognition.
Latest magnetic field hypothesis: animal navigation through bacteria
Bacteria sensitive to magnetic fields could be responsible for turtle, penguin, and other animal navigation, and could be used to aid human navigation. Question is, can I infect myself and get an amazing sense of direction??
Cave fish Brains
Brain mapping of Mexican tetra species confirms that unique evolutionary adaptations underlie behavioral differences between surface-dwelling and blind cave fish species.
ORCAs defend waters from boats off the coast of Spain
Or, maybe it’s something else?
Whale Pollution
Whales in Ecuador and Mozambique have persistent organic pollutants in their blubber. However, the contaminants are at very low levels suggesting that there is little impact of whale health at this point.
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Now for the weekly COVID-19 Update!
COVID Update
The US is averaging 35,752 new cases and 772 deaths per day. However, with school back in session cases are increasing again even as reported testing is decreasing – test positivity is up from 4.8% to 6.1%, and test volume is down below 600,000 tests. A majority of COVID-19 outbreak hotspots are currently college towns, which may or may not be correlation.
Tiny Antibody
A tiny bit of protein developed by University of Pittsburg researchers might be therapeutic and preventative against SARS-CoV2. Called Ab8, the immunoglobulin-based antibody neutralizes the virus at low concentrations and could be administered via nasal inhalation.
Mask Perceptions
A study in Germany found that mandatory mask policies might be better for everyone than voluntary.
We were wrong about masks – they DO protect me (not just you)!
This is still largely correlative, but there is data that suggests masks may help build immunity to COVID – meaning masks are much more than protection from you for those around you!
LET US KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT COVID-19, OR INFORM US ON ANY REGIONAL UPDATES, BY EMAILING KIRSTEN@THISWEEKINSCIENCE.COM.
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Worms tell their babies what food is yucky… through their DNA!
A specific RNA sequence found in bacteria tells worms not to eat them, and their children and grandchildren are born knowing to avoid it.
A variable environment leads to a variable species.
Chimpanzees have more variable behavior and culture when their environment is also dynamic. This could tell us something about ancient humanoids, and other species.
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Dr. Kiki’s got some science for you!
Venomous Plants
A new class of toxins has been discovered in plants that are similar to neurotoxins found in the venomous cone snail and many spiders.
Time Perception
It’s all in your head… especially when your neurons get tired of repetition.
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Tell us a story Justin!
Stews may have been invented 1.8 million years ago
Multiple lines of evidence are converging on a hot spring of information.
Channel Island Bear
How did the bone get there?
This Week in Science Questions!
“What is TWIS’s stance on the issue of transgender people existing? That’s probably not the best wording for my question, but I’m struggling to word this in a way that keeps it strictly a matter of science.
On the July 29 episode, there was a discussion of barriers to entry prescience were members of marginalized communities. In it, Blair talked about the impact on careers of raising a family, in which she described pregnancy and childbirth as “”What it means, biologically, to be a woman.””
I emailed her to point out that this ignores transgender men and nonbinary people who are capable of these things, in addition to cisgender women who cannot have children or don’t want any. I am open to the possibility that I misspelled Blair’s email, I have not received a response to my email or heard any acknowledgement or retraction on the show.
Then on the September 5 episode, after Blair’s store about the limb regenerative capabilities of anemones, there was discussion of the wish for humans to have that capability. Justin pointed out that alcohol and caffeine could have deleterious effects just like people experiencing pregnancy. That statement was perfect, but then he amended himself to less inclusive language by changing it to “”women experiencing pregnancy.
So you can understand my concern, and I wanted to know if you followed the lead of organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Adolescent Mental Health & Medicine, American Nurses Assocation, American Medical Students Association, American Osteopathic Association, and American Heart Association, or believe in the regressive idea that women are simply walking uteruses.
I’ve been a fan of TWIS for a long time, but could not in good consciousness continue to listen to the show if you deny the experiences of my friends, my wife, and myself.
–Ashlynn Antrobus”
Hear our response in the show!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions! We will do our best to have answers!
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