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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
COVID Update, Viral Combat, Bipedal Crocs, Fashionable Parasites, Australia Canada Connection, NOT Neandertal Brains, Fungi Biofilm, Follow Your Nose, Migratory Poop, Aqua-fi, Imbalanced Merger, VIral Hijack, Avocado Gate, And Much More…
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The people from the future
Reminding you that what we do today
Effects the world that they will live in tomorrow
And
The people from the past
Reminding you that the world you are living in now
Didn’t just happen… It took hard work and investments in science
And also from the people of today
Who are impatiently waiting for another episode of
This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with a COVID-19 Update!
COVID Update
Stat News has a nice new COVID-19 tracker in caase you are interested in following the uptick in cases across the country and around the globe. Case incidence is up globally as the rate of increase is increasing – it took only 6 days to go from 8-9 million, whereas it took 8 days to increase from 7-8 million. This could be related to increased testing, so look at hospitalization and death rates for a better indicator, although deaths trail new cases by quite a bit. What this also means is that the death totals today are indicative of infections from several weeks ago, and that we will see deaths increase from the new upticks in places like Texas, Arizona, and Florida several weeks from now.
Light Damage
A new study suggests that 222nm far-UVC light could inactivate SARS-CoV2 in public spaces. However, the study didn’t actually look at SARS-CoV2, so we don’t really know for sure.
Immunity Questions
A study published in Nature this week has people wondering again whether we will be able to develop immunity to COVID-19 after infection. Just a note that although there was a reduction in antibodies over time: 1) the study was incredibly small with only 37 individuals in either group, 2) asymptomatic individuals showed this decrease at a much higher rate than symptomatic, & 3) the study only followed people for 8 weeks.
Don’t Stress
A Lancet report found that among people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, higher cortisol levels (specifically above 744nmol/ml) were correlated with higher mortality.
Cook Your Mask
The Department of Homeland Security has a way for you to sterilize your masks if you have an Instant Pot.
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Good virus / bad virus
Can we use a bacteriophage to help our bodies fight COVID?
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Bipedal crocs
I’m not sure why this is hurting my brain like it is, but for some reason this is really baking my bread…
Parasites determine fashion
At least for barn swallows, their appearance and success with the ladies is related to their parasite load. Try smooth talking your way out of that one!
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This Week in Science Questions!
Bert Latamore wrote in this week with a question about COVID: “A couple of weeks ago I heard … that the first symptom of Covid infection in many if not all cases is the loss of the sense of smell. This happens even before the patient’s body temperature changes. So why are we not urging everyone to test their sense of smell daily? …
Of course, this will not catch all cases. Some people do not have a sense of smell, and an unknown number of people who catch Covid, and may spread it, have no symptoms at all. But then the swab tests that are being used are not 100% accurate either. But this is easy, cheap, and quick and gives instant results. If everyone worldwide did this daily and immediately self-isolated if they suddenly lost their normal sense of smell it cloud reduce the spread of Covid a great deal. People still should wear masks and wash their hands all the time, of course.”
Listen to the episode for our reply!
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What science news does the second half of the show hold???
Canadians and Australians used to be the same
Or, based on a new insect fossil find, the countries were connected somehow.
NOT Neandertal Brains
Misleading headline of the week! Researchers are using a stem cell bank to show a proof of concept for studying Neandertal genes present in the human genome. They aren’t trying to make Neandertal brains.
Fungi biofilm
Biological warfare might make our surfaces cleaner.
Follow Your Nose
Our noses sub-consciously guide navigation.
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Time for the last quick news…
Migration can be crappy
Bird poop could be the key to finding fish in isolated waterways.
Aqua-fi
Have you ever wanted to watch Netflix while scuba diving? Now you can!!
Imbalanced Merger
LIGO has detected a merger between a large object and smaller one that indicates something we have never seen before, and no one is sure whether it is a small black hole or a big neutron star.
Viral Hijack
Viruses can steal our genes to create hybrid proteins that help them out.
Avocado Gate
What is in that oil?