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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Bennu Boop, Bee Barrier, Diabolical Ironclad, Nasal Organ?, Sanctuary Service, Happy Ending, Interview w/ Dr. Josiah Zayner on Biohacking & DIY COVID Vaccine, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Who knew AOC is a gamer?
She played Among Us on Twitch
The stream was so rich
You know that I never would flame her!
Because here lies the science
We steer away from MMPORG violence.
And, though my cohosts are gone
The show carries on
You know you can always find
This Week in Science
coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news stories…
Bennu Boop
NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex mission to asteroid Bennu was successful yesterday. After four years, and 200 million miles, the spacecraft performed a touch and go maneuver in which it was on the surface of the asteroid for 16 seconds to collect up to 60 grams of regolith.
Bee Barrier
If you are a child of the 80’s you are probably well aware of the terrifying spread of Africanized or Killer bees. According to a study out of UC Davis, these bees appear to be limited by climate, unable to survive colder winters.
Diabolical Ironclad
A southern California beetle called the diabolical ironclad beetle gave up its secrets of impermeability to science. A new paper in Nature details the microscopic nature of the materials making up its protective exoskeleton, which can withstand forces up to 37,000 times the beetle’s bodyweight.
Nasal Organ?
Have scientists discovered a new organ in our heads, or is it just another pair of salivary glands?
Sanctuary Service
A report published in PNAS finds that sanctuary policies reduce deportations by one-third, but that those policies do not reduce deportations of people with violent criminal convictions. It also finds that sanctuary has no measurable effect on crime, and do not threaten public safety.
Happy Ending
Using a small number of only male volunteers, researchers published their investigation into how two brain areas, the amygdala and anterior insula, are involved in tracking the value of experiences over time and influence decision-making. According to their very small, biased sample, they conclude that the amygdala encoded the actual value of a choice, while the anterior insula encoded dislike towards a negative ending.
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Now for an interview!
Interview with Dr. Josiah Zayner
Previously joining TWIS to discuss diy bio with CRISPR and fecal transplants, our guest tonight is a global leader in the BioHacker movement, scientist, artist, and Founder and CEO of The ODIN – a company enabling people in genetic design. And, he was part of an attempt at making a DIY COVID-19 vaccine, called Project McAfee.
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This Week in Science Questions!
“Hello Dr. Sanford,
Last week, you brought a story about how genetic variants can determine whether we can smell certain things such as fish and cinnamon. In my house, we eat a lot of vegetables, including grilled asparagus. After eating asparagus, my urine has a distinct odor. I heard that some people’s urine doesn’t have that distinct odor after eating asparagus. A friend of ours told a story about sharing a bathroom with someone who couldn’t smell that odor after eating asparagus. This leads me to wonder if some people process asparagus in a way that their urine doesn’t smell, or if some people are incapable of smelling that distinct odor. Does science have an answer to this question?
Best,
Paul
Paul Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition
University of South Dakota”
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