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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
NASA Perseveres, Bacterial Survivalists, Anxiety Animals, Alzheimer’s Blood, Death Star Magnatar, AI For Bird ID, Narcissists Know Best, COVID Update, Poop Problem, Lighting Up Hearing, Dream Manipulation, Viking Virus, Stunting Growth, Thumb Necessity, Mosquito Bites, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
The world is a really big place.
Wherever you go…
The longer you are gone…
The stronger the longing is to go home again.
As a little girl with a dog once said,
“There’s no place like home.
There’s no place like home.
There’s no place like home.”
And yet…
In the aftermath of pandemic stay at home orders
Many are clicking their heels in hopes of being able to go
Anyplace but home.
Anyplace but home.
Anyplace but home.
But as long as flying monkeys and virulent viruses are still in the air
We must stay put until the epidemic passes.
Meanwhile we treat you to an assortment of interesting discoveries
Found behind the curtain of…
This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with some quick science news stories…
NASA Perseveres
NASA is heading back to Mars with the Perseverence rover and its hitchhiking helicopter, Ingenuity. If you remember our interview with NASA JPL geologist, Fred Calef, Perseverence is the smaple collecting mission that will poop out sample packages for a future mission to return to Earth. The launch is scheduled for launch between 7:50-9:50am ET on Thursday, July 30th, 2020 with projected Mars arrival on February 18th, 2021.
100 million year old microbes rising from a watery grave
How did these ancient bacteria survive?
Furry anti anxiety treatment
PTSD service dogs do the most good in preventing or interrupting anxiety bouts.
Alzheimer’s Blood
A study in JAMA this week suggests that a simple blood test could predict Alzheimer’s disease as much as 20 years before the onset of disease. The test would measure levels of one of the Tau proteins commonly found in Alzheimer’s brain tangles called phospho-tau217 (p-tau217). While not yet ready for clinical use, the researchers are optimistic about its potential.
Death star magnatar and it’s unusual emanations
What did we just see?
Alan, is that you??
First AI capable of recognizing individual birds
Narcissists Know Best
Publishing in the Journal of Management, researchers at Oregon State University found that narcissists don’t learn from mistakes because they don’t admit to making any.
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Now for the weekly COVID-19 Update!
COVID Origin Story
An international team of researchers reconstructed the evolutionary history of SARS-CoV2, and determined that the viral lineage has been circulating in bats for decades. The researchers see no need for a pangolin intermediary, although the spike protein may be adapted to infect both human and pangolin respiratory cells. They also found no evidence of lab origin or accidental release.
School Closures
As back-to-school season begins again many are wondering whether closing schools in response the the pandemic was a good idea in the first place. A new analysis in JAMA this week suggests that it was. Closing schools was associated with a significant decrease in incidence and mortality.
Longevity
The CDC reported this week that Even among young adults aged 18–34 years with no chronic medical conditions, nearly one in five reported that they had not returned to their usual state of health 14–21 days after testing.
Heart Marks
Two German studies found evidence of heart damage in COVID patients. The first, which looked at a sample of pople with average age of 49 who recovered at home, found structural changes similar to results from heart attacks. Ad, the other found high levels of the virus in autopsied heart tissues of people who averaged around 85 years old.
Hydroxychloroquine Fails… Again.
Another study, this time published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found no benefit of hydroxychlorquine when used with or without azithromyacin on mild to moderate symptom COVID-19 patients compared to standard care.
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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Dr. Kiki’s got some science for you!
Poop Problem
A bacterial species found more often in the feces of older individuals caused cognitive impairment and colitis when transferred to healthy mice.
Lighting Up Hearing
Researchers restored hearing in rats using optogenetics and LED cochlear implants. Could light pave the way to future hearing?
Dream Manipulation
Would you manipulate your dreams if it made you more creative?
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Tell us a story Justin!
Did Viking longboats spread small pox?
Maybe? But, more importantly, old small pox strains suggest we’ve been pestered by the virus for thousands of years.
Stunted growth and the microbiome
A malnourished microbiome leads to deficits in nutrition and growth.
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
It’s not enough to have thumbs
You also need to know how to use them!! It takes great brain power to handle dexterity, and for humans, it comes much later.
Why do mosquitoes bite?
It has to do with populations, climate, and genes. And he future doesn’t look good for us humans.
This Week in Science Questions!
Ed Dyer asks: “What are the best steps that can be taken to get, young school aged girls, especially in minorities, interested in pursuing science as a career. Also to provide the support they need to do so?”
Listen to the podcast to hear our discussion!
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