13 April, 2022 – Episode 871 – Can the Internet Handle This Science?

April 14th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54:17 — 71.7MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Scientific Scepticism, Linking Brains, Biodiversity with Leeches, Less Lightning, Electricity from archaea, Porpoise’s, Chimps, Rhesus monkey hearts, Missing hub of humans, Space Balloons, Baby Brains, Plant Protection, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

In the past, we have looked to the future waiting around in present’s past.

Planning and procrastinating, Predicting and anticipating

All in the expectation that one day the future would arrive and wouldn’t you know it the future is here.

In fact, the future might even be here ahead of schedule because from the looks of it, we aren’t ready for it.
Case in point, an autonomous vehicle was pulled over this week the vehicle had apparently failed to put its lights on while driving at night the police approached the car and it sped off, only to come to a stop a little further ahead in a what the vehicle might have considered a safer location.

When police approached the vehicle for the second time they immediately lacked any protocol on how to proceed with the traffic stop. They couldn’t demand a license or registration, they couldn’t ask the car if it had been drinking or even ask it to roll down its window so they could turn on its lights they tried to open the door, but it was locked.

In short, the future happened and nobody was prepared for it. Making us look very much not the people of the future but people of the past who somehow stuck around too long and while there are plenty of examples of how stuck in the past we are as a planet, the oil economy, authoritarian autocracies, racial inequality, income inequality, gender inequality, matching socks, all relics of bygone eras…

The future always happens this way nobody is ever ready for it, not really, it just happens
Week by week, day by day, slowly and methodically until before we know it we find ourselves listening to yet another episode of This Week in Science!

Some quick science news you can appreciate!

Scientific Scepticism
Two big science stories out this week need to be considered with skepticism. Let’s talk about the thing that W bosons & Tanis dinosaurs have in common.

Brains that link together better
Thinking abstractly is a human thing.

Understand biodiversity, with the help of leeches
Yup, it’s the blood, baby!

Less Lightning
Early Earth’s atmosphere probably wasn’t as conducive to lightning strikes as previously thought.

Electricity from archaea
Single-celled electricity!

The porpoise of this story
Is to tell you about a dolphin, who spoke with a porpoise.

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

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

Chimps know what you did last summer…
…. If that involved a chimp skull I guess

Rhesus monkeys know their heart
Errr… Beat.

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What science news does Justin have?

The Missing Hub of Humans
May lead to a better understanding of cultural evolution.

Space Balloons
Luxury cabins in space make a splash.

OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Can you handle this extra science with Dr. Kiki!

Baby Brains
What is genetic & what depends on experience in the brain?

Plant Protection
Rain activates plant immune systems. How does that happen? And, why?

Do you have questions that you want us to answer (like, how to have greater longevity?)? Send us your questions! We will do our best to have answers!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, OR email Dr. Kiki!

Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed FermiLab Followup, Almost Astronauts, How Do You Scream, Moving Fish, Magic Mood Mushroom, Crazy Light, Monkey Speed Bumps, COVID Update, It’s A Yawn, Bird Blood Heaters, Halfway To Zero, Imprinting Autism?, Facial Phrenology?, Gar Brains, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Fit Frogs, A Gene For Niceness, The Neurotic IQ, Animal Sex, Patented Plants, Tracking Toxo, Social Immunity And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Justin Jackson, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, STEM, This Week in Science, TWIS, z-Broadcasts
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, cognitive science, exploration, genetics, mammals, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, podcast, science, science and politics, Science Education, space, technology, worms, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

6 April, 2022 – Episode 870 – Are Brains or Brawn Better?

April 7th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:44:26 — 67.7MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Honey Tech, Squid Games, Nighttime Solar Energy, Fungal Phenomena, Nighttime Solar, XE Identified, WHO Plan, Infection Inflammation, Bat Buddies, Darwin vs. bigotry, Fungal Phone, Asbestos, Brain Changes, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

Recently a Republican US Senate candidate asked a question, he said:
“At one time, science said man came from apes…. If that is true, why are there still apes? Think about it”

Ok… I will. First of all, if there were no apes now there wouldn’t be any humans since humans are a kind of ape. A mostly hairless bipedal ape, with a big brain and great technology, but an ape all the same.

What’s striking is that this creationist hot take has been around a long time comedian Tim Allen posted the same question to twitter five years back
“If we evolved from apes why are there still apes.”

Again, the answer is if there were no apes, there would be no humans, no Twitter, no Tim Allen, and no way to answer the question because we would not exist. So the question is a bit like asking “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

The answer to which is of course YES, yes it does, that’s how object permanence works, something babies learn in their first year but philosophers spent centuries worrying about this until science came along.

If we can interpret the question to be asking why are there still other apes, it just reveals that the cartoon they have in their head of how evolution works is wrong and we can blame science communicators’ past for that. The infographic of a chimp-like creature slowly becoming upright as evolution transitions from knuckle-dragging to bipedal, from hunched over caveman to a modern-day upright posture is fundamentally incorrect.

Nowhere in the 6 million year human ancestral record did our forbearer apes walk on their knuckles like a chimpanzee or a gorilla that is something other apes evolved into because they have spent just as much time-evolving as we have.

We have a common ancestor, one that likely climbed trees and walked bipedally. But evolution isn’t linear, and since then we experienced different pressures, we evolved in different directions and it is actually a really good example of how evolution works.

It’s the same reason sharks are fish, and yet there are still other fish.

Why people have pet cats and yet there are still lions and tigers.

Why there are over a thousand species of bat, more than 10,000 species of bird, and while there were several species of humans living at the same time, we are down to one now, though our DNA has traces of past interminglings which means they never really left us altogether.

So “why are there still apes?” is a really good question to think about!

And the answer should be obvious

There are still apes because without them we wouldn’t have This Week in Science!

Some quick science news you can appreciate!

IPCC Part 3
People, it’s time to act. CO2 emission reduction is essential to altering the path of climate change. And, now our technology allows us to see the changes in atmospheric CO2 in almost real-time.

Honey tech industry
Move over high-tech industry now there’s something way sweeter and stickier too!

Nighttime Solar
Solving a long-time problem with solar energy, Stanford researchers develop solar cells that function at night. But, not how you think.

SPARCLD
High throughput nano experiment

Brains OR Brawn
Early mammals used brawn to survive after the dinosaurs died.

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?

XE Identified
A new version of Omicron? It’s like if BA.1 & BA.2 had a baby.

WHO Plan
How will we get out of the pandemic phase?

Infection Inflammation
Antibody-mediated infection of blood monocytes gets aborted but triggers systemic inflammation.

Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!

It’s time for Blair’s Justin & Kiki’s Animal Corner!

Squid games
Color matching games!

Bat Buddies
Roommates make good friends.

Support us on Patreon!

What science news does Justin have?

Asbestos is getting canceled… again
Hopefully, once and for all.

Darwin vs. bigotry
Disbelief in evolution is linked to racism & bigotry. Who would have guessed?

OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! (not a leg… we’d like more listeners!) GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Let’s use our brains and finish with Dr. Kiki!

Fungal Phone
What are fungi communicating?

Brain Changes
Our brains grow and shrink during our lives. The biggest accumulation of brain scans ever charts brain development over our lifetimes.

Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we Talked to Ben Goldfarb for International Beaver Day, we also discussed New Physics?, Sensitive Tattoos, COVID Update, PUF Piece, Interview w/ Ben Goldfarb for International Beaver Day, Worm hunting Snails, Blaring Fireflies, Norwegian Blobs, Battery Race, Neander Ancestors, Rain Rules, Tit Turnover, Game Guides, Brain Glue, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Feathered Dinos, Red Wine Diet, Female Objects, Seas A-risin, Sweet Whale Barf, Blair’s Animal Corner, Interview With Chris Mooney Re: The Republican Brain, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Covid Update, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, Patreon, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS, z-Broadcasts
Posted in animal behavior, animals, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, cephalopod, chemistry, creationists, end of the world, energy, evolution, global warming, jelleyfish, podcast, science, science and politics, solar power, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

30 March, 2022 – Episode 869 – Science Appreciates Manatees

March 31st, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:11 — 61.0MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: How AI will kill everyone, Tissues, Caribou, Nasal sprays for covid, Vaccine vs Vaccine, Fruit Fly Sperm, Boa Constrictor Breathing, Rude AI, Two Legged Snakes, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

The following program deals with subjects of a scientific nature occasionally some people think that science is biased… Against their politics, their religion, or their financial interests.

So, before we dig into stories, a few words about Science.

Science is a way of observing the world objectively without politics, without religion, without commercial concerns, and without human bias of any kind.

Science is a method, a process of asking and interrogating questions that can be broken down into steps.

First, you ask a question, based on existing knowledge or on a new observation.

Next, you hone that question into a hypothesis, considering what the answer might be, and narrowing it down to a testable core.

Then, you make a prediction about the hypothesis and design an experiment based on that prediction, putting constraints on the experiment to remove any bias the researcher may have for a result.

Which is why there are randomized double blinds, and control groups, and sufficient sample sizes required, to protect the experiment against bias.

Most importantly, it must be able to disprove the prediction. If an experiment cannot disprove a prediction based on a hypothesis, there is no point in running the experiment.

Then you run the experiment.

Whatever the result, it alone cannot prove a hypothesis. Only disprove, or allow for it to be interrogated further.

And the final step is to ask a better question, form a new hypothesis, and build another experiment.

With this relatively simple set of instructions with this ethic of integrity of logic we make science possible without it, there is no such thing as science.

And without science the could be no such thing as

This Week in Science!

Some quick science news you can appreciate!

How AI will kill everyone
What if we asked AI to do bad things? Would it?

Are your tissues see-through, or are you just happy to see me?
A new method of tissue cleaning allows researchers to see beyond our opaque insides to the treasures within

Caribou
How to care for Caribou!

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?

Nasal Spray keeps the COVID away
One spritz could prevent COVID and treat it all at once,

Which vaccine is the best?
There are many vaccines out there but which one is truly the best?

Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

Fruit fly sperm doesn’t stay male
After copulation, the female fruit fly’s body nurtures and cares for the sperm to keep it alive, turning it partially female.

Boa constrictors breathe deep while squeezing prey
Boas can selectively move different portions of their ribs to keep breathing while giving a deep squeeze!

Spiders can hear!
Orb spiders can hear with their webs!

Support us on Patreon!

What science news does Justin have?

Two-legged snakes?
Snakes with hind legs may show us evolution in action.

How to keep AI from being rude
AI needs better bedside manner, we should teach it now while they’re still young!

OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! (not a leg… we’d like more listeners!) GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed 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…

This week 10 years ago TWIS got Bony, we talked with Guest Hot Scott Sigler, author of Nocturnal, and discussed Cancer Cures For Mice, Fetus Brains, Booze It Up, Fly Little Birds!, Unsolved Science Mystery, Titanium Moon, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Covid Update, Justin Jackson, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, This Week in Science, TWIS, z-Broadcasts
Posted in animal behavior, animals, arachnid, archeology, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, evolution, genetics, mammals, medicine, podcast, reptiles, robots, science, worms, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

23 March, 2022 – Episode 868 – What Should Astronauts Eat in Space?

March 24th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:56:00 — 72.6MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: RNA Replication, Space Health, Entangled Protons, Robot Control, Ruffs, Totipotent Cells, Climate Optimism, Replication, Mind Control, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

There are parts of your brain that are not you.

It’s your brain, and you are your brain and so yes, it’s part of you but the part you think of as you?
That’s just one piece of the brain puzzle that’s the cognitive reasoning, active thinking, impulse controlling,
list-making, order of operation part of your brain that knows how to make breakfast.

The rest of your brain is that of an apes
A great ape mind you
A really fantastic ape in fact!

There are far more connections within the human mind than any other creature we know of. Far greater processing power is available too.
We are walking talking supercomputers, with amazing powers of observation but behind it all, just beneath the surface, always waiting to put us in our place is the brain of an animal.

A brain that is used to being the one running the show telling the rest of the biological machinery,
What to do,
Where to go,
When to fight,
When to flee,
And when to fall in love,
And right now… that part of your brain is telling you to fall in love with
This Week in Science

Some quick science news to keep you smiling!

RNA Replication
RNA shows its evolutionary ability.

Covid reduces gut infections
Just when you thought it was safe… volcanos!!!

Lettuce for space health!
No, it’s not potatoes. Lettuce could be engineered to help ease the biological stress of space flight.

Entangled Protons
The inner life of protons is maximally entangled.

Remote mind control with lasers
Don’t worry it’s in mice! For now.

Robot Control
YouTube videos are training robot hands for human control.

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

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

But mom, play is an important part of my evolutionary history!
Howler monkeys use play instead of grooming to ease tension and promote social bonds.

Ruffs and their genes are big foolers
Male ruffs sneak and prevail despite looking like females. Why? And how?

Support us on Patreon!

What science news does Justin have?

The original people of the bay area
Archeologists and Native American’s working together

Club drug used to treat PTSD
It’s like the 70’s again

OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! (not a leg… we’d like more listeners!) GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Let’s finish with Dr. Kiki and go eat with some Astronauts!

Totipotent Cells
Have researchers finally created the induced totipotent cells that are necessary for organ regeneration?

Climate Optimism
It’s all about the long game. Let’s make it shorter.

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed Water Worries, Union Economics, Predator Poop, Brain Tumor Vaccine?, Not So Mysterious Human, Anti-Vax Vaccination, Wafting Bee Wings, Bonobo Baby, Brain Pathogens, Bronze Age Grub Hub, Big Brains, Removing False Memories, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago TWIS got Bony, we discussed Looking At Mercury, Making Memory, Just Replace X With Bear, Jumping Plankton, Vaccinating Men, How Biologists Kill, TWIWRD!, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, Patreon, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, STEM, This Week in Science, TWIS, z-Broadcasts
Posted in animal behavior, animals, astronauts, biology, biotechnology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, cognitive science, CRISPR, end of the world, genetics, global warming, mammals, medicine, NASA, nutrition, podcast, science, science and politics, Science Education, space, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

16 March, 2022 – Episode 867 – When Irish Pi Are Smiling

March 17th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:53:22 — 72.7MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Egg To Offspring, Female jockeys, Webb Alignment, Homeopathy, Cell Lineage, Good news; but just Blairly, COVID Rising, School Masking, Birds Smell, Fire Bad, Fire Good, The Winning Mindset, Mouse Perception, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

Of all the things in nature, there are few as perfectly constructed as an egg.
Which egg I am referring to doesn’t much matter,
but picture if you must the egg of a chicken.
It has a protective shell, able to withstand the weight of a chicken resting upon it
Within the egg is perhaps, the very meaning of life explained…
Inside are all the ingredients for needed,
the nutrient building blocks,
the instructions of DNA,
And eventually, a fully formed baby chicken will be living in there
Free from the worries of the outside world
Unconnected, self-sustained, and perfectly happy in its little egg world
Until it’s time to break out of its shell and get on with being a chicken
Sent out of the egg life with one overriding mission
Make more eggs.
People have pondered the question of which came first
Chicken or egg
The answer is egg. Eggs came first.
Chickens are less than 60,000 years old,
a relative newcomer to being a species.
Dinosaurs, lizards, amphibians
all had eggs long before there were birds let alone chickens.
The first mammals were likely egg layers too…
Hundreds of millions of years before any of these, fish were laying eggs.
But that’s the genius of eggs!
Fish – dinosaur – turtle – chicken – it doesn’t matter to an egg.
To an egg, everything is about eggs.
every niche of the food web and each adaptation of evolution
The structure of the genome
and every instinct of every lifeform upon the planet
All just strategies towards making more eggs
More eggs, and more episodes of
This week in science
Coming Up Next…

Some quick science news to keep you smiling!

Egg To Offspring
CRISPR-caused parthenogenesis, Is it the same as the real thing?

Volcanos!!!
Just when you thought it was safe… volcanos!!!

Female jockeys are just as good.
…. And for some reason, that was something that we needed science for…

Webb Alignment
Webb image released! NASA has completed mirror alignment on the Webb optical telescope, and the results are better than anyone expected. After calibrating the mirrors with a few other instruments onboard, the science will begin.

Homeopathy
Did we really need a homeopathy study?

Good news, but just Blairly.
Our protections for sea turtles do some good! Now if we could just refrain from killing them with climate change….

Cell Lineage
Renewed reproduction sort of

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?

COVID Rising
Several European countries are seeing increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations again, likely being driven by a surge in BA.2 spread. What does this mean for COVID generally?

School Masking
School mask mandates reduce the spread of covid, so let’s just ditch them. Seems like a good idea!

Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

Birds smell!
And this time, they turn out to be more or less smelly depending on the time of year

Before buying that, please submit for testing.
Testing ivory trinkets’ DNA could put detectives hot on the trail of poachers

Support us on Patreon!

What science news does Justin have?

Fire Bad
More Fires, More Frequently

Fire Good
It has to be the right type of fire at the right time made by the right people

OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! (not a leg… we’d like more listeners!) GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Let’s finish strong with more Pi-ence from Dr. Kiki!

The Winning Mindset
Salk researchers have detected the neural signature of a winning mindset… in mice.

Mouse Perception
Is it real or is it a photo? Apparently, mice know the difference!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed No Womb, Shipwrecked Solar System, Mask Destruction, Cancer Force Field, Bad Air, Giraffe-Mice, Fast Heart Attacks, COVID Vaccine Update, Tone Deaf Honeyeaters, Savage Plovers, Ocean Protection, Green Arctic Acres, Irish Crying Eyes, New Genes, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago TWIS got Bony, we discussed Microraptor Feathers, New Humans, And Cloning The Mammoth; An Interview With Dr. Valerie Weiss About ‘Losing Control’ And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, Patreon, podcast, science, science news, science radio, STEM, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in agriculture, animals, archeology, biology, birds, cell biology, chickens, conservationism, CRISPR, end of the world, endangered animals, evolution, genetics, geology, global warming, mammals, molecular biology, podcast, science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

9 March, 2022 – Episode 866 – What is the Secret to Longevity?

March 13th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:59:30 — 78.3MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Science Headlines, Hybrid Genes & Mammoth Things, Napping Sharks, Mice Aging Cured, Jay Learning, 10-Legged Octopus?, Animal Sounds, Stormwater Emissions, Shackleton’s Ship!, Worm Decisions, Aging Brains, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

When it comes to the crossroads of science and geopolitics
Scientists have a long tradition of ignoring politics
and borders
and cultural differences.
Because whatever conflicts governments engage in
Science is founded on collaboration –
A mutual interest in knowledge, discovery,
and the furthering of science for the betterment of all humanity.
Nothing should interfere with that,
And few things do.
One thing that does…
Bombs dropped on towns full of humans.
The senseless brutality of the recent Russian attack on civilians in Ukraine
Has galvanized many in the scientific community
To cut ties with colleagues, organizations and projects connected to Russia.
MIT has ended it’s partnership with a university in Moscow,
which MIT started.
The Alliance of Science Organizations in Germany,
which funds research,
will no longer collaborate with Russian researchers.
There are journals that will no longer publish research from scientists at Russian institutions.
While CERN and ITER have yet to expel Russian researchers,
institutions across Europe and the US are looking for ways to distance their projects from the Russian state.
And to be clear, there are Russian scientists who are speaking out against the war.
A letter signed by more than 5,000 scientists, including 85 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences called the attack an unjustifiable war for “geopolitical ambitions”.
While we should always treat scientific exchanges differently than soccer matches, cultural pageantry and financial transactions…
because science is again, at its core is an effort of collaboration towards global knowledge…
It is hard to maintain that spirit of cooperation
when bombs are being dropped on towns full of humans,
and while other fellow researchers are fighting or fleeing for their lives.
But we should.
If only to show the rest of the world that working together
across borders, across cultures,
despite geopolitics, and in some cases, in defiance of them,
Is not only possible,
But necessary for
This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…

Some quick science news to give you the secret to Longevity!

Quick Headline Stories!
Pig heart transplant patient has died after only two months.
Responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
NASA won the Congressional budget lottery in budget allotments for the SLS, Earth-observations, & LEO projects

A new approach to bring back extinct creatures!
It’s more about creating hybrids than bringing them back.

Awwwwww napping sharks!
News flash, sharks nod off!

Mice Aging Cured!
But, if you really want to live longer, get a dog or ask a yellow-bellied marmot.

What do you call a ten-legged octopus?
I guess we kinda need to know if it is an Octopus and if it really has ten legs.

Jay Learning
Scrub jays don’t learn the same as Mexican Jays, but they aren’t all that different either.

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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

Pig grunts
Do you know what your bacon is saying? Some day, the farmer may….

Fish boops
Did you know fish could talk? No, I’m not talking about Nemo….

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What science news does Justin have?

Stormwater Ponds
What panda, Bigfoot, and Egypt all have in common with Florida?

100 Year search finally pays off
Lost Shackleton ship found off the Antarctic coast.

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Support us on Patreon!

Support is the secret to our longevity.

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Let’s finish strong with more science from Dr. Kiki!

Worm Decisions
Nematodes discriminate between predation and territoriality.

>Aging Brains
Are tribal groups really less likely to get dementia or Alzheimer’s? Or is it just sampling bias?

Be sure to check it out!

We made Clarissa M. Chains top 10 Podcasts of 2021!

Be sure to check out her blog to see all the wonderful things she has to say about us and her other favorites.

Thanks, Clarissa!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed Conserve Or Use?, A Second Pill, Catnip Deterrent, Sponge Earth, Shortest Story Ever, Volcanic Effects, Interview with Ms. Adventure Volcano Jess Phoenix, Slug Heads, Frog Lungs, Solitary Science, Helpful Traits, Psychedelic Placebos, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago we discussed Dark Matter Conundrums, Peeking At Antimatter, Gorilla Genes, Leopard Poop Tales, Bad Bird Behavior, Eradicating HIV, Fossil Worms, Computer Lie Detectors, Spider Strings, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, podcast, science, science news, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, archeology, biology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, cephalopod, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, engineering, evolution, fish, genetics, geography, global warming, mammals, marine biology, meteorology, NASA, neuroscience, pandas, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, sharks, sleep, worms, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »

3 March, 2022 – Episode 865 – How to Pronounce Science

March 3rd, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:29:04 — 82.0MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Science & Policy, Mask Pollution, Personality Takes Guts?, Let’s Eat Bugs, Cancer Cures, Tires Are Bad, Chimp Learning, Animal All-Nighters, Face Mask Followings, Epigenetic Brain MRI, Energetic Vision, Space Quickies, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

Democracy, the ability of a people to choose their leaders and hold influence over their government…
is the greatest threat to world governments.
At least to those governments that do not have elected leaders.
While democracy is something we kind of think of as a given in the western world, 37% of the planet’s humans are living in authoritarian regimes.
In these authoritarian regimes, the people have limited freedoms, highly controlled access to information, and essentially no rights that cannot be taken away from them.

What we call misinformation, is often the only information people in these regimes see or hear.
Try to imagine for a moment if that was all the information you had access to…
If every media outlet, website, and social media platform only presented you with false narratives.

Then I could tell you there is no pandemic virus, no global warming, and no such thing as cancer.
That not only did America win gold in every event at the Winter Olympics but I, your glorious leader personally competed in and won each of those events!

While that can sound ridiculous…
Ahmadinejad claimed Iran had no homosexuals, State media claimed Kim Jong-il didn’t defecate, that North Korea had cured all disabilities, cancer, AIDS and that they found an actual unicorn lair.

China posts around 500 million fake profile, pro-government posts on social media per year.
Right now Russian media is reporting that they are fighting fascist Nazis and that Ukrainians are meeting the Russian troops with flowers and homemade pie.

And in the US, there was a recent attempt to overturn a democratic election with propaganda and fraudulent electors.

37% of your fellow humans are living under regimes of state-sponsored misinformation 37% of your fellow humans cannot vote, cannot speak their minds in public, and do not have basic human rights protections.

37% of your fellow humans will live and die without knowing the simple joy of…
This Week in Science
Coming up next…

Some quick science news to brush up on your pronunciation skills!

Science & Policy
What will come next for the US? Biden gave a State of the Union address that spoke of climate change only twice.

The Gut/Energy Level Connection!
Your Gut may be affecting more than you know.

Masks are killing animals
You should still wear one, but dispose of them properly!

Let’s Eat Bugs
Eat insects for the plants.

Cancer has been cured… in mice
Gotta look for the keywords (Mice) still impressive though!

Tires are Bad
Aquatic life responds poorly to tire pollution from roads.

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.

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

“Use your words,” said the chimpanzee
Say is better than show for chimps and humans, so teachers really are all that for animals, too!

Animals pull all-nighters, too
No time for naps when danger is afoot!

Support us on Patreon!

What science news does Justin have?

Face Masks and Tin Foil hats
Sifting the tweets of the Danish people to see the shift in (mis)information throughout the pandemic.

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Support us on Patreon!

WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!

Let’s finish strong with more science from Dr. Kiki!

Epigenetic Brain MRI
Using a totally new, multidisciplinary technique, researchers are imaging how experience changes the DNA in the brain.

Energetic Vision
Mitochondria are for focus.

Moon Booster Update!
It’s not a SpaceX booster, but likely of Chinese origin (although they deny it). Regardless, the space junk will hit the far side of the moon on March 4th at 7:25 am EST.

No Black Hole
Just a ‘Vampire’ binary system.

Do you have questions that you want us to answer (like, how to pronounce words other than science?)? Send us your questions! We will do our best to have answers!

Leave us a message on our Facebook page, OR email Dr. Kiki!

Take a blast to the past…

What were we pronouncing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed Science Trappings, Fat & Wine, Playing Possum, Space Hurricanes, Anteosaurus Update, Lyre Birds Lie, Delaying Cuttlefish, Climate Webs, Nano Lenses, Changing Economics, Neanderthal Speech, Less Sex, Who Knows?, And Much More…

This week 10 years ago we discussed Elsevier Jumps, Antimatter Hunt, Neander Pirates, Asteroid Itokawa Update!, New Improved Marijuana, TWIWRD, Hunting Ancient Ohio’ns, An Interview W/ Carl Zimmer About Viruses, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we pronounce each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, news, podcast, science, science news, This Week in Science
Posted in agriculture, alternative energy, animal behavior, animals, anthropology, astronomy, biology, Black Holes, Blair's Animal Corner, cancer, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, energy, energy conservation, exploration, genetics, global warming, insects, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, petroleum, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, sleep, space, space exploration, spacecraft, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

23 February, 2022 – Episode 864 – It’s not Twosday. It’s Science Day!

February 25th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:38:47 — 90.6MB)

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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: It’s A Gas, Tapir Frog, Synthetic Neurons, Why Tie Tubes?, The Birds, COVID Vs. HIV, Vaccine Networks, Lizard Tails, Self-aware Fish, Rat Time, Singing In The Brain, Brain Death, And Much More…

Become a Patron!

Check out the full episode of our science podcast on YouTube. You can do that here.

And, remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! You’re looking for science podcasts on iTunes, science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science…

MAKE SURE TO ORDER YOUR 2022 TWIS BLAIR’S ANIMAL CORNER CALENDAR! CLICK THE FROG!

Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

We are in living in the now.
This now we are in is a lot like now’s past.
In the past now’s, humans thought about the future as some unknown territory,
filled with possibilities, plausibilities, and contemplated preferred futures
as well as dreaded ones.
We now know what their futures held,
or at least we have some general idea of how the past might have occurred.
When we look to the past we see a combination possible and plausible events that took place with varying degrees of certainty about what exactly happened.
Our own probable futures are only possible because of this plausible past.
The actions taken by people of the past
In their now
That hardly knew how that now came to exist.
And, could not have predicted how it would lead to our now.
No matter where or when you are in time
The view is the same.
The past is vague.
The future unknown.
The only moment in which you can do anything is now.
And this now, the current one that is taking place
In this narrow slice of perspective,
Is the way all of history happened.
It is not an imagined reality.
Is not a memory.
It is only
This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…

Some quick science news to fuel your after Twosday!

It’s a Gas!
Methane emissions are up to 70% higher than reported.

Frog with the cutest wittle nosey
Tapir frog found by it’s little peep peep peeps!

Why tie tubes when you could just place a plug?
It turns out tube tying in women is just as effective as an IUD & visa versa. so why go into non-reversible surgery when an IUD is an option?

Synthetic Neurons
Someday they will do more than control a Venus Flytrap.

The Birds!
We need to discuss these Magpies.

City Birds
Cities impact their residents.

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?

Neandertal Genes
Your Neandertal heritage might make COVID more severe, but protect you from HIV.

Vaccine Networks
People are delivered vaccine messaging in echo chambers based on their contacts.

Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!

It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!

How did the lizard shed it’s tail?
Lizards twitch in special way to release their tails.

Are fish self- aware?
The thing is, I can tell you who is, the scientists who took the pedantic challenge of their colleagues.

Rats can estimate their own timing accuracy
Rats know approximately how long it will take them to do something, so there’s something else rats are better at than me!

Support us on Patreon!

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Let’s finish strong!

Get the most Science we can on this day after Twosday!

Singing In The Brain
It’s very local and specific.

Rhythm Perception
Our brains don’t just sing they keep a rhythm!

Brain Death
What does the brain do when you die?

Do you have questions that you want us to answer (like, what science happened today?)? Send us your questions! We will do our best to have answers!

Leave us a message on our Facebook page, OR email Dr. Kiki!

Let’s take a blast to the past!

What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we discussed Perseverance’s landing! Art Rocks, Underwater Glider, AI Exploration, Magnetic Extinctions, Cute Clones, MonkeyVision, Taxes & Democracy, Seasonal Change, And Much More!

This week 10 years ago we discussed Cell Phone Redux, A Mouse Heart, TWIWRD, Print Your Skin, Mind On Driving, Unlocking The Locked In, Bloody Chemicals, Planets And Exoplanets, A Leaky Gut, And Much More! Take a blast to the past with TWIS!

If You love TWIS, and all the science news we bring you each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.

Support us on Patreon!

Tags: Birds, Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, brains, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, singing, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in amphibians, animal behavior, animals, anthropology, biology, biotechnology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, energy, engineering, evolution, fish, genetics, global warming, infectious diseases, mammals, medicine, neuroscience, paleontology, petroleum, pharmacology, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, Science Music, Sexual Health, sexy scientists, technology, therapies, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »

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- 12 November, 2025 – Episode 1037 – Science & Wine Roulette
  13 November 2025 8:16 PM | No Comments