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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Synthetic Life, Old Bones, Circus Rabbits, Interview with Michelle Nijhuis re: Beloved Beasts, Dreaming Octopus, Big Fangs, Australasian South American?, Social Distanced Mice, Antimatter Lasers, Invasive Species, Xenobot The Sequel, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
The whole, here today, gone tomorrow outlook on life
Can make us seize the day with the gusto of a first year declared poetry major.
Evoking ancient themes of love and loss, action and change,
as if all our moments were monumental.
Born of some epic story never to be forgotten.
Meaningful, intentional and beautiful to behold.
Or, the terrible waiting between the poetic beats,
As we endure simply to survive,
Can make us fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
The apathy of permanence.
The fleeting worry.
The fleeting joys.
The fleeting terror of fleeting moments.
But these aspects of life that makes us aware of our brevity
Ignore the larger story for pages that mention us by name.
This idle skimming, this disjointed reading,
Ignores the long shadows a life can cast
We are all part of a much greater story.
One that has evolved over billions of years.
One that was once independent,
That is now dependent on our monumental choices.
A modern day world of love and loss, action and change.
It is a story that can be meaningful, intentional and beautiful to behold
If you only take the time to read it.
Whatever you want to do
The moment in which you can do it is always now,
And where better to be now then here with
This Week in Science.
Coming up next…
Let’s start with the science news
Synthetic Life
Researchers have created a synthetic cell capable of self-replication. All it took were 492 genes.
No Bones About Old Bones
When did bone become a living thing with bone cells and metabolism? Research uses scanning electron microscopy to dig into the question.
Like a rabbit who can’t jump
…but can walk on it’s front paws??
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And, now for our Interview!
Michelle Nijhuis is a project editor at the Atlantic, a contributing editor at High Country News, and an award-winning reporter whose work has been published in National Geographic and the New York Times Magazine. She is coeditor of The Science Writers’ Handbook, and has published ‘Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in the Age of Extinction‘.
Stop Consuming
If you live in a G7 country, you cause the destruction of 3.9 trees per year according to a new analysis that links consumption in developed countries to biodiversity loss in at risk ecosystems.
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Dreaming octopus
Like a puppy chasing rabbits, octopuses appear to live through their dreams, as seen by a beautiful light display
Fangs for not being venomous!
Why aren’t I able to give a deadly bite? What if I could though? No pepper spray for me, anymore!!
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What science news did Justin bring this week?
Australasian South American?
Did they come by land or ocean?
Social Distanced Mice
A brain circuit controls whether mice want to socialize with sick individuals.
Antimatter Lasers
Laser light is letting physicists cool down antimatter for study.
Let’s finish TWIS strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Invasive Species
Your pets are bad news, but PLEASE plant that urban garden.
Xenobot The Sequel
Using Xenopus embryonic stem cells, researchers have created self-organizing biological machines.
This Week in Science Questions!
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!
Want to see what we were talking about at this time last year? Check out this episode of TWIS from 2020 when Vanessa Hill joined us for some great conversation about science communication and brains.
You might also enjoy this episode from 2011! Justin was joined by Tom Merritt for an hour of science discussion with some great take-home lessons.
I'm the host of this little science show. 
