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Interview w/ Richard Prum, Synestia Is Biconcave!, Sperm In Space!!!, Huaca Prieta Find, Cockatools, Happy Friendly Snakes, Flamingo Legs, Whale Of A Tale, Fake Inch Worms, Volkswagen Code, Scary Viruses, And Much More…
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
The wilderness…
Is all around us…
At least it once was…
Full of predators and prey…
Elemental exposures of heat and cold…
Pokey things on the ground,
infectious things all around..
And other natural dangers of every sort…
We survived as a species in this dangerous world because we knew how to.
We found solutions for survival…
Learned from our mistakes…
And we passed knowledge on to future generations…
And while the wilderness has been banished to the fringes of most human society…
The civilized world remains a dangerous place…
And nothing can be more dangerous to a civilized world…
Than forgetting how we got here in the first place.
If we forget that we are here because of our ability to reason,
to learn and to find solutions…
Than we are doomed…
Doomed I tell you!
Doomed in so many ways,
but worst of all,
it will be an ignorant sort of doom…
The most boring doom possible…
One that never sees the threats coming…
and so takes no action…
But thankfully,
there are plenty of un-boring people left in the world…
And right now they are all tuned into…
This Week In Science…
coming up next…
This Week in What Has Science Done For Me Lately…
“Hello Dr. Kiki. Science influences all aspects of our lives, so it was difficult to think of just one thing. I decided to choose my job.
I just graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in biology, and I am currently a self-employed private tutor and child care worker in Alabama. Technology allows me to not only reach out to families and get hired, but to also conduct fast background checks and write lesson plans. Without the internet, I would not have access to a lot of testing and educational services. Thank you science!”
-minion Joanna Gobbell
Interview w/ Richard Prum, author of “The Evolution of Beauty – How Darwin’s forgotten theory of mate choice shapes the animal world – and us”
RICHARD O. PRUM is the William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology at Yale University, and Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. He has conducted field work throughout the world, and has studied fossil theropod dinosaurs in China. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2010.
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Synestia Is Biconcave!
UC Davis researchers discover a new form of proto-planetary body, henceforth dubbed the synestia.
Sperm In Space!!!
A Japanese study launched mouse sperm into space aboard the ISS for 9 months. When returned to Earth, although damaged at the level of the DNA, health offspring were produced. Good news for people who want to procreate in space!
Huaca Prieta getting even older
Analysis of a core from the earth beneath the site found remains dating back to possibly 15,000 years ago.
Cockatoos take good care of their tools
When using tools, these birds are quite good at keeping track of them, and keeping them within reach. This brings tool use to a whole new branch!
Snakes hunt in groups!
Cuban boas in caves make a snake curtain, ensuring the capture of a meal. Snakes may not be so solitary after-all…
Flamingos are yoga masters
But it is mostly due to their anatomy, so don’t feel too sad you can’t sleep standing on one foot…
Whale of a tale to tell ya…
Climate change might have enabled whales to grow to the sizes we see today.
Fake Inch Worms
Researchers planted fake clay inch worms all over the world and discovered that there is a higher predation risk for insects in the tropics.
Computer code released
This is the code that Volkswagen used to cheat emissions tests, and it is massively incriminating.
Antibodies For Ebola
Two antibodies isolated from a human survivor of the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic prevented infection in mice and ferrets by the three strains of Ebola that ususally cause outbreaks.
Zika Evolution
Why is Zika spreading in the Americas when it has gone relatively unnoticed in the rest of the world for so long? Looks like one specific mutation is driving its infectious surge.
Tabby’s Star Is Up To Something
It looks as though it is dimming again, which offers a chance for scientists to gather more data on the mysterious star.
Killing ants with seaweed
Biodegradable seaweed compound might make for a safer and more effective poison against Argentine ants.
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I'm the host of this little science show. 
Yet another great episode. Each time I listen to one of your episodes, I gain so much from it. Thank you. And keep em coming. 🙂
Regards,
Kate