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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: CRISPR Mosquito Cages, Neanderthal Blood, Doggy Lie Detector, Open Alpha Folding, Caffeine Buzz, Genome Completion, CRISPR Update, Baby Pterodactyls, Baboon FitBits, Microbial Mouths, IPCC warnings, Human Vision Streaks, Baby Mouse Dreams, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
For some, life is a brilliant chance to explore the unknown
To take on the challenges of collecting data
Forging an understanding of how things work
And in doing so, see the world without the veil of human bias.
But for most people information is rooted in what they believe,
not what has been rigorously confirmed.
A Yale university poll conducted late last year shows that the majority of Americans believe global warming is happening (72%).
We’ll ignore the other 28% for now…
and actually we’ll ignore then entirely,
it’s not the only thing they are going to be ignorant about,
and it’s only a matter of dreadful moments
before they segue into talking about the other ignorant beliefs they are metastasized with…
More interesting is that while 72% believe global warming is real…
Only 55% believe that most scientists think global warming is happening.
Which is an astonishing reveal!
It means that 17% or more of Americans who believe global warming is happening
think it’s the scientists that still need convincing!
(if only there was a way to reach them)
Further it found that only 57% think global warming is caused by human activity.
Which then means that 15% of Americans could think that global warming is happening,
that scientists haven’t figured it out yet
and that it’s just a natural phenomenon.
Information, assumptions and conclusions based solely on what they believe.
And it’s important to note here that while climate change is often framed as a political issue,
It isn’t one.
It just seems like it because 100% of elected officials in the US who deny climate science are Republicans…
And, while they are only a slim majority in that party,
they are the majority of Republicans in power, and hold tremendous influence over what many people believe.
Maybe all these numbers are the way they are because,
according to the same poll,
only 25% of Americans report hearing something about global warming on a weekly basis.
What all this suggests is that to get real action on global warming…
All we need to do is convince the media to cover it,
so that more scientists will believe in it…
Because once scientists are on board with something,
the next thing that happens is
This Week in Science
Coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Gene Drive Mosquitoes
Scientists are taking CRISPR mosquitoes closer to the field in large, climate-controlled tents of death.
Neanderthal Blood
We’ve got blood! It tells us that Neanderthals really did start out in Africa, too.
Your dog knows you’re lying
So don’t point at that bowl, Deborah, cut it out…
Alpha Fold Release
It wasn’t just the open source RoseTTa2 protein sequencer announcement last week, apparently. Alpha fold also released a massive database of proteins & made it’s code public. And, they have set their sights on the human genome?
Give a bee a coffee
It will work harder.
Human Genome Completed
Wait… didn’t that already happen?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE.
Want a COVID Update?
Wear Your Mask
CDC says it might be a good idea.
Ivermectin Review
Cochrane has reviewed the evidence, and it isn’t adding up for Ivermectin.
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner?
Pterosaurs can fly from the moment they hatch.
So take that Jurassic Park 3! Or maybe you got that right… I didn’t actually watch that one……
Baboons wearing fitbits show their true colors
Quicker, bigger baboons sacrifice pace to allow little ones to keep up.
Support us on Patreon!
What science news does Justin have?
Oral Biome History
Dead mouths tells old tales of bacterial populations.
IPCC warnings
Researchers issue stark warning to take drastic actions now so that we can avoid climate disaster later.
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with brain science from Dr. Kiki!
Baby Mouse Dreams
The natal mouse retina shows waves of activation that suggest the eye and brain are predicting the world the young mouse will enter into.
Human Vision
It’s a bit streaky.
This Week in Science Questions!
Should CRISPR modified-CRISPR mosquitoes be released in to the wild? Are you concerned about the potential for ecological trouble if we do choose this path to mosquito population reduction? There are definitely pros and cons to this particular scientific solution. We’d love to hear your thoughts as we share ours every week on the show…
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!
How can you recognize a narcissist? Listen to this episode of TWIS from last July. We also discuss mosquito bites (wow! similar to mosquitoes from THIS week – wild!), poop, & Vikings. Curious about it all? Listen to the show!
This one from 2011 featured an interview with Joel Primack & Nancy Ellen Abrams who wrote a book on humanity, physics, & the universe. We also pondered the ideas of making old brains young again, and whether cancers can be considered new species. So many questions. How have the answers changed in the past decade???
I'm the host of this little science show. 
