December 18th, 2021
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Krypton Origins, Probing The Sun, Defusing A Bomb, Dog-Fish-Worm Parasite, New Organs, 14 New Shrews!, COVID-19, 10,000 Monoliths, Pregnant In America, Neandertals Loved Fire, Plastic Brains, Life On Earth, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Well, maybe you’ve been to school for a year or two
and think you’ve seen it all…
What you really need is a holiday in science…
Yes…
It’s beginning to sound a lot like TWISmas
Intro to the show
A pair of NASA probes, and a rover that roves
Is the wish of Barney and Jen…
A robot that talks and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Ben…
Such a beautiful sight
Happy tonight
Talking in a science wonderland
As we hoop de do and dickory dock
into the holiday season
With science stories comin’ around
We want to wish you a merry TWISmas
we wish you a merry TWISmas
and a happy new year…
before we are off
Dashing through the show.
In a science podcast sleigh.
On the air we go – This Week in Science on the way
Coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Krypton Origins
This origin story for volatile elements on Earth concludes that much of the carbon, nitrogen, & water arrived before the moon-forming impact, and that there are multiple sources for these elements in the mantle & atmosphere.
Heart of the sun
Parker Solar Probe has dipped into the sun’s corona and discovered a lot of fascinating things.
Defusing A Bomb
Thanks to sterilization, contraception, & education, India now has a fertility rate below the replication rate of 2.1 children per household.
Dog/ fish/ worm parasite
Pet Dragons?
New Organs
How do they evolve?
14 new mammals described
New shrews to fill out the mammalian family tree! And, perhaps a new version of a Christmas carol?
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 Update
Omicron continues to spread rapidly around the globe spurring heightened alerts by public health agencies & local governments. At least one American university, Cornell, has shuttered in-person finals & graduation as a result of a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases & evidence of omicron in the hopes that it will prevent a larger outbreak in the community at large. Scientists are warning that although omicron might not result in serious disease as often (especially with high rates of vaccination & previous infection in many places) the transmissibility is enough that the sheer number of cases will overload hospitals IF prevention isn’t taken seriously.
TWISmas Safety List – Check it twice!
– Get your booster if you are vaccinated.
– Take ventilation & masks seriously.
– HEPA filtration works!
– N95 for the win!
– Be transparent – talk openly with friends & family about risks
– Rapid testing is your friend.
– So is PCR.
– Think about ways to reduce your potential for infection – can you isolate in the days before festing?
If you have concerns, talk to a doctor, check the CDC website,
& do your best to keep your community protected.
We re in this together.
Retracted Study
Study finding no effect of lockdowns on COVID-19 deaths found to have faulty methods unable to actually find such effects if they did indeed exist.
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
What science news does Justin have?
10,000 Stone Monoliths
A closer look finds they are older than we thought.
The high cost of being pregnant in America
It really isn’t good.
Neanderthals And fire
Did Neandertals use fire to manage their environment?
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Plastic Brains
How easily the brain heals depends on whether it is healthy or sick to begin with.
Life On Earth
Hydrothermal vents could have done it all by themselves.
This Week in Science Questions!
We want to ask YOU!!!
Which were your favorite stories from 2021? Let us know in our Discord or on Twitter with the hashtag: #TWIStop11.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we were discussing a distant galaxies, human faces, VACCINES!!!, space spiders, MOND, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This time of year 10 years ago we were still looking for the Higgs Boson, discussing the issues with freaking fracking, learning about brainy spider leg hairs, and so 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.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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December 11th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:37:37 — 134.6MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Pollution & Sex, Just Good News, Salmon Taste Test, Primate Cavities, Unconfirmable Results, Daytime Eating Good, COVID Update, Light Flyers, Spider Boys, Bear Feet?, Prison Education, Klotho Strength, Brain Boost, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
You can only go so far in this world before you find yourself at a door
You unlock this door with the key of education.
Beyond it is another dimension
A dimension of sound reasoning, a dimension of insights,
a dimension of mindful observation.
A place to contemplate the vastness of space and the timelessness of infinity.
You are now traveling through a wondrous land of both science and substance,
of things and ideas
whose boundaries are that of imagination.
Sign post up ahead…
You’ve just crossed over into
This week in Science
Coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Pollution & Sex
Correlation does NOT equal causation. Beware of headlines.
Just Good News – Melting Glaciers Edition
Some fish got all the luck…
More Recently Than Thought
A mammoth find is not horsing around.
Farmed salmon tastes better, sorry.
Blind taste testing proves bad food tastes delicious.
Primate Cavities
Not just humans get cavities.
Unconfirmable results
Cancer research vs reproducibility and transparency
Daytime Eating Good
To avoid metabolic and circadian misalignment, eat during the day suggests a new study.
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?
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
Omicron
The omicron variant is spreading rapidly around the world, and causing concern on the basis of potentially increased transmisbility and immunity-evading mutations. It has been detected in 19 states, but Delta is still the dominant variant. While neutralization of omicron is decreased by 41-fold in previously infected or vaccinated individuals, protection against severe outcomes does appear to be maintained. Additionally, vaccination after infection and booster doses seem to reinvgorate the body’s immune respone. It also appears that immunity against Delta gained from infection lasts up to 13 months, so vaccination now that omicron is working its way through communities will be additionally protective.
South Africa
Early data has scientists and doctors optimistic that omicron might not be as virulent, or dangerous, as previous variants; although, it could be a vaccine effect that is skewing the data so far based on the ages & vaccination status of people ending up in the hospital. So, it is too early to celebrate, but fingers are crossed.
Chewing gum for COVID safety.
Plant based ACE2 protein in chewing gum could reduce transmission.
Plant Vax
Medicago & GSK are reporting positive results of their stage III clinical trial for a plant-derived virus-like-particle vaccine. While not as effective as mRNA vaccines, the results suggest a benefit to their use.
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Migratory birds lighten up for migration
Lighter birds have an easier time on long flights
Spider boys wanna get close but there’s a lot at stake.
Just like planets or electrons, male spiders orbit females at a safe distance.
What science news does Justin have?
When is a bear not a bear?
When it is an ancient hominin!
Learning your way out of prison
Why aren’t we educating more inmates?
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Klotho Strength
UPMC researchers have concluded that muscle regeneration is impaired in aging as blood-borne extracellular vessicles carrying bits of a longevity protein called Klotho decrease.
Brain Boost
Every brain needs Clusterin – a protein involved in knocking down inflammation that had beneficial effects on the cognition of mice.
This Week in Science Questions!
We had a letter from listener Scott Rhoades wanting to clarify vulture bee honey production. What a fascinating topic!
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we were discussing quantum supremacy, beavers & watersheds, bees & poop, pandas & poop, shrinking shrew brains, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This time of year 10 years ago we were excited about vitamin D & multiple sclerosis, a vaccine for Ebola, cheap solar, aging smarts, video game smarts, and so 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.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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December 3rd, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:29:52 — 123.9MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Xenobot Reality Check, Spicy Breast Milk, Sperm Plastic, Solar Water, Flexible Biorepair Gel, COVID Update, Community Hippo Poop, Fishing Monkeys, Internet Of Brains, Brain PING, 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!!!
Today the Supreme Court of the United States of America
heard the arguments for a Mississippi state abortion case.
The case in question,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, No. 19-1392,
targets Roe v. Wade.
Comments from the conservative justices suggest
that we may see this major pillar for advancements
in women’s health and educational & professional attainment in the US
over the past near to 50 years
pulled out from beneath us next June.
If Roe is overturned:
17 states will immediately enact bans on most abortions,
11 will enact laws that ban abortions at or after 6-weeks
(most people find out they are pregnant around this time),
Missouri will ban abortion at 8-weeks
(three-quarters of abortions occur by 9-weeks)
Arkansas will ban at 12
Mississippi will get its wish to ban at 15, and so will Louisiana,
Utah bans at 18-weeks,
and so on…
(did you know that 99% of abortions happen by 21-weeks – the supposed viability line)
Those states that protect abortion or have no laws making it illegal will
very likely experience a surge in the number of women who travel on average 280 miles to abort safely & legally.
But, those are only the women who can afford it.
The rest,
some 100,000 women a year,
will either carry unwanted children to term – perhaps to give them up for adoption,
or they will resort to illegal and unsafe abortion methods.
Scientific studies have shown that
“the consequences of not getting a wanted abortion are worse than those experienced by women who get one…”
14 times as many women die in childbirth as from receiving legal abortions.
in fact, 4 times as many women die from getting colonoscopies as die from having legal abortions.
Protecting women is protecting children.
And, we support protecting Roe v. Wade
here on
This Week in Science.
Coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Reproducing Bio-Bots
Xenobots – biological robots made from embryonic frog stem cells – reproduced all on their own… kinematically.
Spicy breast milk
Need I say more?
Sperm Plastic
It doesn’t need to be sperm, just a lot of sustainable produced DNA.
Solar Water
How much water in our solar system (and on Earth) came from the sun?
Biorepair Gel
A flexible gel might be the answer to repairing dynamic tissues like the vocal cords or heart muscle.
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?
Omicron
Have patience. Practice safe gathering. Get vaccinated if you can.
Euro Pfizer For Kids
Coming soon!
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Hippo poop creates a river-wide microbiome
We know poop brings nutrients to the Nile, but now it also looks like it brings all the bacteria to do a body good.
Why did the monkey go fishing?
He was cold and hungry, of course!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Internet Of Brains
Researchers have developed a platform for wireless behavioral neuroscience studies. Start an experiment at the flick of a switch!
Brain PING
Brain surgery that doesn’t require a scalpel.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we were talking about alpha-fold protein folding, crab leg insect wings, solar metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), epigenetic resets, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This time of year 10 years ago… the TWIS time machine brings us back to this episode in which we discussed controversial gain-of-function flu research, climate change developments, public acceptance of climate change, space worms, sex with neanderthals, and so much more. Give it a listen to see just how for we have come.
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.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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November 30th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:46:18 — 146.5MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Talk About Space, Just Good News: Big Brother Edition, Face Touching, Storing Carbon, Baby jokes, Baby Smells, STEM Gender Bias, Worm Mind Reading, COVID Update, Meat Eating Bees, Ant Spit, Missing Link, Post Paris Picture, Mammoth Find, Seabirds Aren’t Turkeys, The Albatross Difference, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Thanksgiving
That one day out of the year where Americans pause to give thanks
for all the good things in their lives…
Thanks for health and family and thanks for that giant turkey on the table.
Which likely had a diet of 95% corn…
as do most livestock of any sort.
Foods like corn, potatoes, and tomatoes originated in the Americas.
But, they weren’t just discovered…
they were created, cultivated over thousands of years by observant Native American farmers
in multi generational breeding efforts in well engineered irrigated farms…
Which turned what was basically a grass into corn,
the most consumed grain in the world.
A pitiful proto-tomato the size of a blueberry
was converted into the most consumed fruit and/ or vegetable in the world…
And the potato,
domesticated and cultivated back some 10,000 years ago in the Andes,
is the worlds 4th most produced food…
While we give thanks to this or that…
we should remember…
Native Americans didn’t just feed a party of starving pilgrims a few hundred years ago…
They are feeding the entire world,
now,
today…
through the food technology that was developed before modern Europeans stepped foot in Europe.
And while native peoples have suffered cultural annihilation, destruction of sacred lands, religious conversions, theft, kidnapping, rape, child abuse, institutional murder, enslavement, germ warfare, and genocide on two continents…
The rest of the world has become better nourished…
And should give thanks…
But as Americans especially,
it should be a day where you simply acknowledge
The people whose food you are eating,
whose land you occupy,
and whose children you and your children have replaced.
In the spirit of experiment, innovation, and discovery
that the ancient Americans used to create the bounty we all enjoy,
we bring you…
This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Talk About Space
The JWST lost a clamp, and a little spacecraft is on it’s way to push an asteroid.
Just good news: Big Brother Edition
What minor muscle movements in your face give away your lies?
Stop touching your face while you drive!
Don’t worry, I can’t either
Storing Carbon
Researchers map areas of high carbon storage that should be prioritized for conservation.
Baby jokes & Baby Smells
When does humor develop in babies, and why do they smell so good?
Worm Mind Reading
What happens in the brains of worms? Researchers are using machine learning to find out.
The STEM gender problem runs deep
Why do children as young as 6 think computers are for boys? And what can we do about it?
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 Update
The surge is coming! The surge is coming! I feel like chicken little with the warnings that so few people are taking to heart anymore.
Vaccinate The Children
Kids cases of COVID-19 are spiking – making up 25% of all cases. Let’s vaccinate the kids before we relax our practices.
CoVac-1
Is a vaccine for long-lasting immunity on the way?
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Meat eating bees
Don’t worry, they don’t have stingers!
“Here, let me spit in your mouth real quick” – some ant, probably…
Community metabolism is only a mouthful of spit away!
What science news does Justin have?
Missing link between upright walking and tree climbing found
Was it always Australopithecus sediba?
The post Paris/ UN climate picture
Things are not rosy.
Mammoth Find
A mammoth tusk was discovered 10,000 feet beneath the ocean off the coast of California.
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Seabirds Aren’t Turkeys
Most monogamous seabirds don’t break-up, but when they do it usually has to do with reproduction.
The Albatross Difference
Environmental hardship affects divorce rate in addition to reproduction difficulties in albatross.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we were saying thanks and talking about human space flight, turkey feathers, memory maps, the smell of cooperation, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This time of year 10 years ago… looks like we took a week off. We hope that you enjoyed your TWISgiving as well.
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.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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November 18th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:30 — 127.5MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Natural HIV Cure?, Telescope Names, Disrupting Bacteria, Lungfish Cocoons, COVID Update, Orangutan Art?, Cats Do Care, Exercise Guts, Grandmother Brain, Psychopathic Society, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Mairzy doats and anecdotes and little lies be flying…
Keep your eyes peeled dear friends.
The facts are being checked on the daily,
but you need to be your own fact checker.
Just because you want to believe
doesn’t mean you should believe.
Not even when you’re listening to
This Week in Science
Coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Natural HIV Cure?
Did the Esperanza patient cure herself?
Telescope naming controversy
Why do we even bother naming things after people anymore? What would you call the James Webb Space Telescope? Let us know!
Bacterial Disruption
Let’s take them out.
Lungfish Cocoons
The cocoon is the fish.
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?
Reservoir Found?
A new tool helps researchers get closer to identifying the SARS-CoV2 reservoirs.
Rollout
It was good
Placental Propagation
SARS-CoV2 propagates through the placenta.
More Anti-depressant Evidence
COVID-19 patients on SSRIs are less likely to die.
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
OH, AND, HELP TWIS GROW! GET A FRIEND TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Orangutan drawing show us something special
Do animals create art as a rewarding, reflective experience? Maybe.
Cats care about you
Or at least, they want to know where you are and what you’re doing.
Coral parents online dating
Can we pick coral parents to make our reefs stronger? Worth a try…?
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Exercise Guts
Exercise reduces pain via release of endocannabinoids AND by altering the gut microbiome to release pain-reducing molecules.
Grandmother Brain
It’s primed for empathy with grandchildren.
Psychopathic People
There are lots of psychopaths according to a new review study.
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!
At this time last year we were celebrating our 800th episode! (Wow! There are more than 50 more on the list since then…) There was even a quiz! We discussed science news about zoo monkeys, long-necks on dinosaurs, COVID-19 vaccines were coming soon (and there were only 250,000 dead in the US), we said no to geo-engineering, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This one from 2011 was full of great science news. What were we discussing 10-years ago? People were blaming The Pill for prostate cancer in Canada, Antarctic mountains had a double origin story, invasive rats were pollinating flowers in New Zealand, and so much more. Take a trip down memory lane 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.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, artificial intelligence, astronomy, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, Blair's Animal Corner, Calendar, cell biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, ecology, emergent behavior, evolution, fish, infectious diseases, information technology, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, technology, therapies, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
November 11th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:39:21 — 137.0MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Telescope Bias, Just Good News: Tech Edition, No Good Ski Wax, Protein Mapping, Disgusting Humans, Sound The Alarm, COVID Update, Penis Worm Shells, Fish Rubbing, Language Trace, Future Hurricanes, Different Neurons, Sponge Nerves, Pain Signal, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
We all know what is driving global warming.
As the climate summit continues in Scotland
Key provisions were put forth to make real changes in auto emissions.
A declarative pinky promise statement was written and proposed for governments, manufacturers, and investors to sign that stated that they would:
“work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission by no later than 2035 in leading markets.”
23 countries signed the pledge to do something in the direction of change in the next 20 years…
Absent from the list of signers…
All of the countries that mass produce cars.
Japan, Germany, China, South Korea and the United States did not sign sign a pledge to even move in the right direction…
Meanwhile the only auto manufacturers to sign were
General Motors, Ford,
Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo
No other auto makers…
Ok, Jaguar signed it too.
But no others…
Partly perhaps because making an electric car would require too much investment in research and development, take too long to get to market by the 14 year deadline and might be poorly received by the car buying public.
Tesla of course didn’t need to sign because they already make electric vehicles that they started from scratch making about 12 years ago,
Which have been enthusiastically received by the car buying public
To become a company valued more than
all of the other car companies…
put together.
Before all the excuses are pushed aside.
Before all the lobbyists have gone to bed.
Before the leaders jibber-jabbering double-speak falls silent.
Hopefully, before the canary in the coal mine
is actually a canary on a submerged tropical island
Clinging to a lone branch sticking out in the middle of the ocean
The real solutions for what we need to do will be found right here
On This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Telescope Bias
We can only see what we can see.
Just Good News: Tech Edition
Fast neutrons work for wireless!
Ski wax chemicals up to no good
Yet another source of toxins from us humans causing mayhem.
Protein Mapping
Take it one amino acid at a time.
Humans are disgusting
Researchers made a sewage map… turns out we”re covered in it
Sound The Alarm
Honey bees seriously buzz about hornets
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Want a COVID Update?
Seasonal COVID?
Perhaps. The evidence for seasonality is slim because human behavior to date has had a much larger input. However, as the virus becomes endemic, we might begin to see a seasonal pattern emerge.
Delta Tweaks
Researchers made SARS-CoV2-like viral particles more infectious by mutating the nucleocapsid protein.
Routine vaccinations lag
Vaccines other than those for COVID-19 are not on track and we need to catch up to prevent other outbreaks. But, will people roll their sleeves back up?
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Penis worms: the original hermit crabs
And that’s it. The whole story.
Would you rub yourself up against a shark?
You might if you were really itchy… and a fish…
What science news does Justin have?
Back to back hurricanes
Is this what is likely to be a new normal?
Language Trails
Japanese & Turkish languages have a commonality in ancient trade.
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Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Different Neurons
Human neurons have a specific difference from other mammalian neurons.
Sponge Nerves
Maybe ancient sponges gave us all a nervous start.
Pain Signal
Spontaneous pain felt by sufferers of chronic pain is caused by sympathetic nerve fibers growing into and triggering a signal in the dorsal root ganglia of the spinal cord.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? Healthy aging! This time last year we spoke with Marta Zaraska about her book exploring how to reverse the aging clock with science. We also discussed science news about hurricanes (again?!?), touchy fish, immune genes, decoding brain activity, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This one from 2011 was full of great science news. What were we discussing 10-years ago? Toxoplasmosis brain effects, monkeys, mighty mice, and so much more. Take a trip down memory lane with TWIS!
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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November 4th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:41:33 — 140.0MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Hot Planet Big Rain, Different Rocky Planets, Just Good News, ALAN Ruining Things, Promiscuous Proteins, Australian Gas, Old Cat Hips, COVID Update, Dead Fruit Flies, Murderous Chicks, Climate Convention Update, Magnetic Treatment, Long Lived Proteins, 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…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Jet lag…
It’s the thing that can happen when you travel a great distance, typically by air,
and land some where hours later in a location that has a significantly different time zone…
With your circadian rhythm upended, it’s understandable to be sleepy.
It’s expected even.
But if you are the leader of a nation attending a talk about the dangers and urgency of action in the face of a global climate crisis…
There is no excuse for taking a nap.
Despite the low expectations of the UN climate meeting…
It has so far under performed tremendously.
Key driver underlying the underperformance?
Is that it is a performance.
Because it relies almost entirely on economies to reform without legal mandates.
In the united states recently, oil executives were invited to testify about climate before the government.
They all confirmed or admitted that global warming occurs and that fossil fuels plays a role. And they all said they support the Paris climate agreement.
That’s great.
It was reveled that while each of the oil companies lobbied the government hundreds of times for tax exemptions and increased drilling lands… they failed to use their influence to lobby for any additional environmental protections or support of any provisions of the Paris Agreement.
Not great.
It was also reveled that they collectively spend millions of dollars to support autonomous industry organizations that pump out climate change denial misinformation.
Really, really not great. Really bad actually.
Kind of like they are supporting the opposite of what they are publicly saying they support…
And while I’m not no expert on dictionaries, or lying…
I am pretty sure that funding companies that spread climate misinformation while you pretend it has nothing to do with you is the definition of “Greenwashing”.
When asked about solutions… many pointed to the fact that fossil fuel usage in the united states is much cleaner than in many other countries…
Ironically this is because of governmental laws that forced them to make changes
Which they lobbied against at the time.
If governments are to take seriously the threats of climate change,
they have to do more than ask those profiting from emitting carbon to do something about it
They need to take actionable steps. Laws that make it illegal to do business as usual.
While the UN summit was full of statements about accelerating action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Convention on Climate Change.
The image of a 78 year old president of the united states nodding off during the event
Pretty much sums up the real sense of urgency amongst world leaders.
They are asleep at the wheel as urgent reports keep coming in from folks like
This Week in Science – Coming Up Next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
Hot Planet Big Rain
What if the temperature of the Earth were increased 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit? What would happen to rainfall? It’s happened before…
Different Rocky Planet
Rocky planets in other solar systems might be very different from those in our solar system based on an analysis of the dust around white dwarfs.
Just Good News
If you don’t like to ski, more winter ski resort options coming soon!
ALAN ruining nature for the rest of us
Unnatural light at night could be throwing crickets completely outta whack.
Promiscuous Proteins
A gut transporter’s structure might help with drug design.
Australian BS
Opting out of managing methane is not solving our problems.
Saber-toothed Hip Displaysia?
CAT scans of ancient cats suggests that in addition to bad hips, they had supportive social structures.
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Want a COVID Update?
Vaccine For Kids
5-11 is authorized for emergency use.
Fluvoxamine Flurries
Does it work? Experts are split.
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Late Halloween
Fungus convinces flies to mate with dead females.. I’ve heard of graverobbing but this is ridiculous!
Homewreckers come out yolked
Parasitic birds work out in ovo so they come out yolked! Get it?
What science news does Justin have?
Water vs food
in river regions
UK to get banking to net-zero… someday
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Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
SAINT For Sadness
Transcranial magnetic stimulation might be a solution for people with treatment-resistant depression.
Long-lived Proteins
Neuronal mitochondria have long-lasting proteins that might explain the longevity of the mitochondria and neurons themselves.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? Listen to our episode that was full of science news about crabs, rats, glow-in-the-dark platypus, Denisovans, old black holes, and so much more. Listen to the show!
This one from 2011 was full of great science news. What were we discussing 10-years ago? Justin Disclaimered about Climatia/Chlymatia, and our conversation was very focused on the global climate change condition. Beyond that, we talked about mice, hiding Higgs, memory, space impacts on astronaut eyes, and much more. Take a trip down memory lane 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.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, calendar, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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October 28th, 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:42:46 — 94.6MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: It Wasn’t Aliens, Mummy Mystery, Hare Suits, No New Neutrino, Tracing Sitting Bull, Tell The Tooth, Hippo The Size, Prairie Dog Kisses, Falklands Find, Termite BRAINS!, Feeling Threatened?, 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 TOAD!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
There are werewolves around here
There are werewolves around here
And they’re waiting
For the moon to appear
There are witches in the woods
There are witches in the woods
And I don’t know, what they’re brewing
But I hear it’s very good
There are vampires in this town
There are vampires in this town
And they’re waiting for the sun to go down
There are mummies singing songs
There are mummies singing songs
And I don’t know what they singing
But the black cat sings along
There’s a horseman without a neck
There’s a horseman without a neck
Which can only mean
This Week in Science is coming up next…
Let’s start with some quick science news
It Wasn’t Aliens
Turns out it was us!… again.
Mystery of the Mummies
Who were these people, and what were they doing with boats in a desert?
Snowshoe hares are dressed up for the wrong holiday
But it’s working for them, nonetheless.
No New Neutrino
The MicroBooNE experiment has not found evidence of the sterile neutrino, once again affirming the Standard Model of Physics.
Sitting Bull
A lock of hair tells the story of inheritance.
Tell The Tooth
All tusks are teeth, but not all teeth are tusks.
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?
Vaccines for ages 5-11 are coming!!! We hope. The FDA gave authorization, which is the first step to full athorization.
Do you have COVID-19 related questions? Let us know!
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It’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!
Why Mr Hippo… what bug tusks you have!
Why, the better to look dangerous, my dear.
But Mr Zoologist, how come the prairie dogs don’t all have mono??
Prairie dogs kiss each other to reveal social structure and status.
What science news does Justin have?
Falklands find
Evidence of humans on the Falkland Islands predates the arrival of the Europeans.
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Let’s finish strong with science from Dr. Kiki!
Termite BRAINS!
Termite brains grow with experience!
Feeling Threatened?
It might be from things in the environment you aren’t even consciously aware of yet.
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!
What were we discussing at this time last year? Listen to our episode that was full of creepy science news about vampires, potions, fear, mole rate slaves, and so much more. Listen to the show!
Apparently, this one from 2011 was cancelled because of illness. What a bummer!
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.
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, astrobiology, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, Calendar, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, engineering, evolution, exploration, genetics, infectious diseases, insects, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, paleontology, particle physics, pharmacology, physics, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, seti, seti, sexy scientists, space, stars, technology, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
