June 20th, 2019
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Light In The Dark, Earth Twins Activate!, Cool Zebra Stripes, Emotional Support Fish, Dog Expressions, Hyena Travel Plan, Information Gluttony, Sneezing Plants?, Mind Control, Heart Alexa, SMELLY DINOS, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
The tides go in and out,
the world goes round and round,
and we try to predict what will happen each new day…
But sometimes, there are unexpected events that take us by surprise…
What we do with those surprises defines who we are, and what we will be tomorrow.
Tonight’s surprise is that Justin is somewhere in America where there still is no Wi-Fi…
So, with that surprise we will bring what science we can,
and what spirited discussion we may.
So pull up a chair,
relax and listen to this very special episode of…
This Week in Science! Coming up next…
First up, some science news!
Light In The Dark
UC Davis geneticists have mapped the notoriously hard-to see portion of DNA called the centromere discovering ancient genes that go back hundreds of thousands of years.
Earth Twins Activate!
Two exoplanets of approximately Earth-size have been discovered orbiting a small red dwarf star at what we think is within the habitable zone.
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
The zebra stripe plot thickens!
As does their black hair in the heat! Temperature regulation may have something to do with those stripes after all. We may never know why a zebra has stripes at this rate!!
Where’s my emotional support human??
Being separated from your preferred mate could cause you to act more pessimistic, if you are a fish…
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Thank you for your wonderful show. When I discovered it by accident on a radio station I began to tune your show on my School Bus. Your show has helped me spread the joy of science to children while transporting children around my school district. Many of the children I transport are not in programs geared toward teaching STEM.
My current Summer School Bus radio does not pick up the radio station you are broadcasted on weekly, but I will be overcoming this problem and plan to replay your podcasts on my bus’s archaic equipment for my kids! I just wanted you guys to know your show has led to children; often discouraged openly from developing an interest in science or math; to discussing and even researching on their own science subjects that sparked their curiosity! Thank you so much for your show!
–Laura Mumma”
Let’s continue with some more science news…
Dog Expressions
We probably made dogs who they are.
Hyena Travel Plan
How did Hyenas get from Asia to America? A toothy find suggests the last ice age might have given them a bridge.
Information Gluttony
Your brain reacts to information in the same way as it does to food, money, and drugs according to a new study out of Berkeley.
Sneezing Plants?
Water droplets that catapult due to surface tension might be capable of spreading disease.
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Mind Control
Carnegie Mellon engineers have improved the accuracy of non-invasive brain-computer-interfaces in controlling a robotic arm.
Heart Alexa
University of Washington researchers have made it possible for in-home systems like Alexa to respond to a specific type of breathing that occurs during cardiac arrest.
SMELLY DINOS
Dinosaurs likely had a great sense of smell! And they would have told you to put on deodorant, too, Karen!
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, 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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June 13th, 2019
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Worm Behavior, Ancestor Cells, Mass in the Moon, Smart Bees, Elephant Nose, Twins No More, Making Universal Blood, Artery Hardening, Feather Lice Lives, Research Ban, Contagious Yawning, Sleep Schedules, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
They say that the children are our future,
but in order for that to be true,
there has to be a future to begin with…
I’m not surprised when children get upset hearing about the world that they will be left…
so in order for us to nurture the curiosity and promise of what could be the greatest generation yet,
we have to do our best to right wrongs,
set the stage,
and leave nature, beauty, and creativity for these generations to come.
The first step preserving this future is to foster that same curiosity by encouraging questions,
celebrating individuality,
and setting the stage for wholesome education – that is accessible to everyone.
Let’s start all of that, by exploring this weeks discoveries on…
This Week in Science!
Coming up next…
First up, some science news!
Worm Behavior
Worms use small RNA molecules to pass learned behaviors on to their offspring according to two new studies.
Ancestor Cells
A comparison of the transcriptomes of sponges to single-celled organisms suggests that multi-cellular organisms didn’t evolve from single-celled organisms, but instead from something more similar to stem cells.
Mass in the Moon
What put an unexpected mass in the moon?
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Bees are smarter than you.
Bees have shown to exhibit some basic number symbol recognition, reminding us once again that these stripey buddies might not be trying to hurt you, they might instead be trying to tutor you in math.
The elephant nose knows.
Elephants can smell a larger snack, sight unseen. Now that is a superpower I could get behind!!
We’ll be podcasting LIVE at 4:15pm Mountain Time on Saturday, June 15th. Come see us at the festival!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
Kai tells us about how science helped him with a school report on snow leopards.
Let’s continue with some more science news…
The donut of my sister is not my friend.
Despite genetic identicality, twins have very different food responses, and no surprise, microbiomes.
More Blood!
Maybe gut bacteria can help us produce more blood for transfusions.
Hard Arteries
A decade of research has discovered that a molecule normally involved in intracellular DNA repair is responsible for calcification and hardening of the arteries, AND that a common antibiotic can reverse that damage.
How do you get lice to reproduce on tape?
Hint: the answer is not to ask nicely…
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Fetal Research Ban
A new policy makes research involving fetal tissue at the NIH impossible, and NIH funding for such research much
more difficult to get.
Contagious Yawning
A new study adds to the evidence that yawning is useful for brain cooling.
Go To Sleep
Irregular sleep is linked to metabolic disorders.
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Kirsten Sanford, 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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June 6th, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:50:46 — 89.2MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Baby Planets!, Here Kitty!, Curious Viruses, Interview w/ Dr. Matthew Stanley on Einstein, Mole Rats Feel No Pain, Science Sponges, Elephant Footprints, Blood Guts And Autism, Lost Tribe Teeth, You Should Run, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Most of the things we have invented over the last hundred thousand years of humans on the earth…
Are still with us in some form…
The wheel, the fish hook, the elastic band and touch screens to name just a few…
Fire on the other hand…
is much older than the last hundred thousand years.
It is a technology older than current humans…
by a million years or more…
When a thing is useful,
when knowledge has a benefit…
It is preserved,
handed down.
As if knowledge were a living organism…
Reproducing through teaching, sharing and learning,
the exchange of information,
From one generation to the next.
And, like any living thing…
it can also die.
If we fail to teach…
Or if we fail to learn…
We humans look at the world of today as if it is a permanent place.
It is not.
It will change.
Based on the lessons we have learned and the new discoveries we make…
The world will change for the better.
And it can also change…
by the knowledge we fail to nurture in the next generation…
For the worse.
Like any living thing,
knowledge needs a healthy environment…
Like the one between your ears.
And a something good to munch on…
Like this week in science
Coming up next…
First up, some science news!
Baby Planets!
Mind the gap! Two new exoplanets support the protoplanetary-disk hypothesis of planetary formation.
Here Kitty!
Yale researchers have found a signal that predicts when a qubit is about to make a quantum jump, which allows them to observe the jump and reverse it. This potentially will be useful in correcting errors in quantum computing.
Giant virus with a curious gene
A search of over 8000 giant viruses unearthed the viral production of an enzyme called cytochrome P450, which plays a role in human health and could lead to new drug targets for disease treatment.
Let’s continue with an interview…
We were joined by science historian, Dr. Matthew Stanley, to discuss his recent book, ‘Einstein’s War: How relativity triumphed amid the vicious nationalism of World War I.‘ Dr. Stanley is a Professor at the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. He teaches and researches the history and philosophy of science. He holds degrees in astronomy, religion, physics, and the history of science and is interested in the connections between science and the wider culture. He is also one of the hosts of the ‘What The If?‘ podcast.
We’ll be podcasting LIVE at 4:15pm on Saturday, June 15th. Come see us at the festival!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hi guys, my name is Johnny Blindman Hampson. I am blind and I just love your show. For sure, it makes me look good in front of people. For sure, and gives me lots of toys to play with. If you want to see much more of me just look for me on YouTube. Just search for ‘Blindman Cyber Cave Show’ and ‘Johnny Plays the Keys’. Thank you, guys! Hope this gets on your show. I only have one person watching me so far. Well, see you or hear you later. From Johnny Blindman and his computer Lacyia. Love you!
{lacyia} done by voice only. very cool what I can do thanks to science!”
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Mole rats have it all… except perhaps good looks?
Mole rats give us a new clue into pain relief. Why? Oh, just because they CAN’T FEEL PAIN. That’s it, the mole rats will outlive us all!
Using sponges for science!
Sponges (the animals) could be DNA goldmines of information on underwater communities. This realization could revolutionize the way we monitor aquatic ecosystems!!
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
What do frogs and elephants have to do with each other??
It turns out, frogs use elephant tracks as “condos.” Add it to the list of reasons to save these gentle giants!
Autism Bugs?
Mice given fecal transplants from people with autism developed autism-like symptoms in a study published last week.
Young Blood
According to a study in PNAS, young blood is enriched in multiple factors that directly promote synaptic connectivity between neurons.
Club Microbe Med
Just living with young mice can rejuvenate the gut immune response in old mice. Fecal transplants work, too.
Lost tribe of humans
Turns out dead men do tell tales…
Run, Don’t Walk
More science suggesting movement is key to health in later life.
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, 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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May 30th, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:46:44 — 86.0MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Interview w/ Dr. Melissa Wilson, Dirt That Helps, Fingering Variation, Coral Acid Trip, Food For Sex, Fish Skins!, More Planets, Not Neptune, Cracking Tortoises, Neander News, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
SEX!
It’s that thing your parents did that made it possible
for you not to want to think about your parents having sex…
But they did it.
And did it in such a way that made you possible.
And that is the only reason you exist.
But that’s not the end of the story.
Turns out your grandparents also had sex.
If not for them having sex,
your parents would not have been able to swap chromosomal chemistry in the first place.
Which means that at some point,
your great grandparents,
all eight of them,
needed to get busy in just the right way
to set in motion the sexual behaviors of offspring that again,
no matter how you choose to,
or choose not to,
picture it…
is how you got here.
Sex is the reason just about every person who you could ever meet is meetable in the first place.
And with all of this sex is a coming together of more than just two individuals…
It is a merging of genetic information of tens of thousands of generations of hominins
With in-fluxing and out-moding of genes
With specialization, mutation, and epigenetic adaptation.
To put it most bluntly!
The simple act of parents having sex is the thing upon which most of life, love, and evolution is based…
That and
This week in science
Coming up next…
First up, an interview about sex!
Interview w/ Dr. Melissa Wilson – Associate Faculty, Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of EvolutionAssistant Professor, School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Her research interests include sex-biased biology. She studies the evolution of sex chromosomes (X and Y in mammals), why mutation rates differ between males and females, and how changes in population history affect the sex chromosomes differently than the non-sex chromosomes.
We’ll be podcasting LIVE at 4:15pm on Saturday, June 15th. Come see us at the festival!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hi all,
I got turned onto TWIS in my undergrad as a biochemistry student hearing my professor mention this week in virology (I think it was) and so I went looking for the broader science version. Now nearly 6 years later, through teaching ESL in Taiwan, 2 years of teachers college and moving to England to teach secondary school science, listening to TWIS on long walks or trips is the one constant that’s has stuck with me.
Listening to a recent episode something clicked in my brain as to what TWIS has done for me this past year.
The school I’m teaching in has had a large turnover of science teachers over the past couple years, so when I arrived in September most of the science lessons most of my students had received had been delivered by non-science specialists, who didn’t have the same passion for science as their own subjects. This had lead to my students being highly unenthusiastic about their science lessons, and very close minded about science potentially being any fun.
Through September and October getting the students to engage with the lesson was like trying to pull my own teeth out, “I can’t do this” “I’m no good at science anyway” “There’s no point of trying” were things I would hear every day. I could see why a lot of their teachers had left after short periods of time, it was taking my excitement for science with it.
However, I had a half hour walk to school every morning, during which I would listen to TWIS and hear some new exciting thing happening in science (I had a bit of a backlog to work through, so it was a never ending stream for me). This meant that every day I would have some new cool science thing to hold onto and keep that ember of science joy alive in my soul.
Just before Christmas I realized that my toughest group of students were no longer the dread of my day, because they were hopping onto the science train, enjoying the experiments, and making connections between what we were learning in class and the world around them. In February I had a student comment “Miss, your brain is so full of science isn’t it? I bet if your head exploded all kinds of science stuff would come out!” Last month I had a student tell me “Boring?!? Organic chemistry was fun!” after being told that a lot of people struggle with it because they find it’s less interesting than other topics. And finally just today I had a student ask me “Miss, do you think I could be a person who does science when they grow up?”
Listening to TWIS has kept my passion for science alive through some really rough days, and it has allowed me to spread it onto a new generation of students, who may have otherwise fallen through the cracks and would never have known all the things science does for them every day.
–Joyce Berkers”
Let’s continue with Some Science News From This Week in Science
Dirt That Helps
A lipid molecule in soil bacteria might explain how some microbes might benefit mental health.
Fingering Variation
A new look at transcription factors discovered greater variation between DNA sequences and their potential ability to influence gene transcription and variation between species.
Coral acid trip
Acclimatization to climate change isn’t working out so well for corals.
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Dinner, Netflix, and chill.
Bats appear to trade food for sex. Proving once again that we were not the first to do anything.
Cod fish skin for dogs!
No, it isn’t the latest Purina flavor, cod fish skin helped one very burned pup find another chance at survival!
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
More Planets
A new way of analysing Kepler transit data found 18 mmore planets in our galaxy, one of which could be habitable.
Not Neptune
A nearly Neptune-sized planet has been found in close orbit around a star contrary to popular opinion on where we should find these objects.
Another reason chimps give me the willies.
They crack open tortoises to eat them. Ugh. And they most likely learned from cracking open hard shelled fruit. Too much…
Neander News
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, 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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May 23rd, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:39 — 75.5MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Civil War Cures, Historical Color, Fire Good, Bonobo Moms, Lazy Tiger Sharks, CFC Source!, Cranky Corvids, Praying For Rain, Pogo Bot, Plastic Promise, Coffee Guts, Old Bedbugs, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Everything looks a bit grim at the moment…
If you happen to be on earth that is.
Rising CO2, record high temperatures, massive winter storms, failing ice sheets and melting glaciers…
Sea levels creeping higher…
Seasonal patterns shifting, leaving living creatures in the lurch…
Species disappearing now at mass extinction rates
And the political will to do something about it…
is still struggling to find politicians who comprehend the scale of the trouble we are in.
Yes it’s all looking pretty grim.
But thankfully there is a solution!
And that solution is 100% available to us right now.
In something called…
the future.
It turns out all the things that cause the problems we face today
Are things that created them in the past.
We didn’t make this mess,
people who came before us made their future this way.
So, if in our future we do things differently than they did them in the past…
The problems we now face will also be in the past.
Not only that…
but, in the future we can do things so differently than they have done them in the past
That we could actually go beyond solving the next immediate crisis,
And live in a world where we are making active improvements to our standard of living
and the health of our ecosystem.
And, all it will take to get there is moving into a future of our own making
And another episode of
This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…
First up, some science news!
Civil War Cures
Natural products used in the Civil War to fight infections were found to successfully combat antibiotic resistant bacteria strains.
Historical Color
X-Ray Synchrotron imaging and color chemistry are allowing a better picture of ancient animals thanks to well-preserved fossils.
Fire good
New evidence of its use by early humans has been unearthed!
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Ever brought your mom on a date?
If you were a bonobo, that might actually help your chances…
Tiger shark, more like couch potato shark!
These fierce predators turn out to favor the path of least resistance. Didn’t anyone tell them they are savage, feared, killing machines??? I guess not.
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hypothetical Science Study
(sung to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen)
Lyrics by Emma Moulton
Is this the real life? Is this just theology?
How does the brain work? Are we neurons and electricity?
Look through the lens, put on your lab coat and see… where is planet
nine? Is Pluto one of us?
Life is tricky come, easy go, very large and micro.
Everywhere humans go, so does all of our knowledge… knowledge.
*
Gamma, just killed a cell. A tumour in the head, blast radiation now
it’s dead.
Gamma, life had just begun, but now you’ve gone and thrown it all
away.
Science ohh ooh oooooh, didn’t mean to make you cry, when I said
you wouldn’t get all of your funding. Study on, study on. Because it
really matters!
*
Too soon, my time has come, no asteroids today, it’s all climate
chaaange.
Goodbye everybody, I’ve got to go, maybe get my DNA, before I’m
extinct.
Science, ooh ooh oooooh (where the carbon goes), I don’t wanna rise,
because that will cause ocean acidification!!!
*[Guitar solo]*.
I see a hybrid human offspring,
Name’s Denny, name’s Denny.
Mum was a Nean-der-thaaal?
First-ancient human hybrid, very very exciting!
Quantum level! Quantum level. Quantum level! Quantum level.
Quantum level! String theory.
Oh oh oh oh oh oh…
I’m just a panda, large and cuddly. I eat bamboo with a sore stomach.
Spare me this life from my evolution!
*
Species come species go, let the mammoth go!
Justin, will not let you go!
Let it go!
Justin Will not let you go!
Let it go!
Justin, Will not let you go!
Let it go
(Will not let you go!) Let it go
(Never, never let it go)
Let it go, never let it go
Oh oh! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Oh-coral-reefs, oh-coral-reefs,
Coral reefs let me go.
CRISPER cas-9 has edited a gene for me! For me, for meeee!
*[Guitar solo 2]*
So you think you can help me find planet nine?
Why am I still conscious with only half a brain?
Ohhh science.
I’ve got so many questions, just got so many, just got so many
questions.
Ooooooooh
Oh oh yeah, oh oh yeah
Science really matters,
Anyone can see,
Science really matters,
Science really matters,
For me.
*
Anyway the carbon blows.”
Let’s continue with Some Science News From This Week in Science
Who smelt it ain’t who dealt it…
The chlorofluorocarbon mystery is close to being solved.
Cranky Corvids
Ravens seem to pick up on the bad moods of pessimistic pals.
Praying for rain
Faith and entrepreneurship don’t make most people wealthy.
Pogo Bot
UC Berkeley engineers have created a bouncing baby robot.
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Plastic Promise
Microbes can survive off of the carbon found in plastics.
Coffee Guts
Coffee stimulates the intestine to contract and reduces bacterial concentrations with and without caffeine.
BEDBUGS ARE HEKKA OLD
Bedbugs are over 100 million years old, which means they were ruining hotel rooms back when T Rex roamed the earth. So avoid that Demetradays Inn at all cost.
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, 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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May 16th, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:59:47 — 96.4MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Interview on Antarctic Ice with Dr. Christina Hulbe, Moon Science, Good Whale Genes, Toothy Human History, Sticky Scandinavians, The STD Advantage, Learning Rewards, Artificial Number Sense, Plastic Proof, Faster Walker, Catapult Spiders, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
When wondering through the world take note.
Because everything you see is noteworthy in some way.
Yes yes, there is too much to information all at once to pay attention to everything.
But eventually you may find yourself focusing in on something of interest.
And if you pursue this interest it can with time and study make you an expert on the subject.
This of course does not mean that you will know it all,
but your knowledge will not be alone…
An ecologist might not know much about psychology,
but know a great deal about the woodland creatures that inhabit a forest.
The geologist may not see the forest for the trees,
but have insights on the history of the region and the dynamics of the dirt beneath the roots and leaves.
If the astronomer seems moody on a sunny day,
it’s just because they are waiting Impatiently for a better view of the milky way.
The physicist can appear an unlikely sort of explorer,
staying inside hunched over a keyboard eyes glued to a screen for several hours…
But they might be adventuring anywhere
from the big bang to the tiniest traces of subatomic particles escaping a super-collider.
And while the psychologist might not know much about quantum micro gravity
They might understand ways in which an ecologist might better communicate to their spouse.
And at some point,
when enough of us have pursued our interests to the point of expertise…
We can share our insights with each other.
And when that day comes we will all know more about the world around us
than any one of us had time to take notice of alone…
Because we are never alone as along as we have
This Week In Science
Coming Up Next…
First up, an interview with Dr. Christina Hulbe!
Dr. Hulbe is a geophysicist who studies how and why polar ice sheets change over time. She is Professor and Dean of Surveying at the University of Otago in New Zealand, and the programme lead for an investigation into the Vulnerability of the Ross Ice Shelf in West Antarctica to the influences of a warming world.
Check out the Ross Ice Shelf Programme Instagram page!
And, here is Dr. Hulbe’s Ted Talk!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hi Dr. Kiki, Justin, and last but not least, Blair,
As always, I enjoy every week with you.
My reason for writing again is scary, but mostly happy!
A few weeks ago my fiance had a medical emergency. We were at home and she had gone unconscious and stopped breathing. I heard something odd before she collapsed.
I called 911 immediately on my cell phone.
Cell phone technology meant I could stay with her, and talk to the operator at the same time.
Even with first aid training it helped to have the extra medical help, provided by many years of medical science talking me through it.
Thanks science!
EMT showed up still would not have been as quick a response without science!
She woke up and got taken to the hospital to have many tests, which got us a diagnosis. While it was not the greatest of news there are many treatments thanks to science!
All I can say is science saved her life literally!
Thank you for continuing the great work you all do.
Good science too you.
–Ben Bignell”
Let’s continue with Some Science News From This Week in Science
MoonQuakes
A cooling moon and the Earth’s gravitational influence combine to create lunar seismic quakes and fault lines.
MoonMantle
The Chinese lunar lander might have detected soil made up of material representing the composition of the lunar mantle.
Good Whale Genes
A study out of Arizona State University discovered that whales evolved specific genetic cancer-risk reducing adaptations that differ from the mechanism evolved by elephants.
Neandertal teeth
A toothy analysis sharpens our view of divergence with current humans pushing it further into the past.
Sticky Swedish Study
Ancient chewing gum illuminated 10,000 year old DNA!
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Do you have a sexually transmitted infection, or are you just happy to see me?
Having an STI and giving it to your mate could be an advantageous methodology for some males. Great, yet another reason for women to fear sex…
Learning and achieving rewards are related but not linked.
For the same reason a smart student could flunk a test, testing animals in learned behavior with rewards present could be misleading.
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Artificial Number Sense
An AI neural network developed “number sense” that closely matches neural activity in monkeys.
Plastic Proof
A prominent photosynthetic bacteria species was shown to reduce its oxygen production when exposed to plastic leachates suggesting plastic in the oceans could influence atmospheric oxygen availability.
Faster is better…
When we are walking.
Holy Catapulting Spider, Batman!
Just when you thought spiders couldn’t get any more terrifying…
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, 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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May 9th, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:42:56 — 82.9MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Looming Extinctions, Black Hot Ice, The Modern Phage, Logical Wasps, Sexy Flies, Cambrian Fuel, Collapsar Stars, Human Origin Letdown, Heart Repair, Blood Brain Test, Pokemon Brain, Pandas And Bamboo, A Lost Stash, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Okay…
When the world around you seems to have lost its mind.
When up is down, left is right
In is out and forward is a bowl of tuna salad
It doesn’t mean that you are wrong.
Despite the fact that those around you might think that you are…
A recent make-ity up poll,
which despite being make-ity up did include a data set of all humans…
found the average human only to be of average intelligence…
Capable of average insight
They were also of average height,
weight,
And had average inseams.
Made average points and counter points in conversation,
Experienced just the average levels of serotonin when hugged,
And, most strikingly, had only an average knowledge of science.
And, while the average person may think that you wrong about something,
Keep in mind that they have a below average understanding of what is going on in your mind.
Because your mind is an outlier…
You have beaten the averages…
enough so as to make the average analyst question your data point
And you have done so in the most extraordinary way imaginable…
by tuning into
This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next…
First up, the top science news stories of the week!
Looming Extinctions
There is still time to fix things, but our procrastination is putting over 1 million species at risk of extinction. Should they go, our future becomes more precarious.
Black Hot Ice
A form of ice only theorized before researchers shot a laser and x-rays at a drop of water to induce extreme internal pressure and temperuture has finally been seen. Called superrionic Ice, it is thought to be the most common form of water in the universe, and it’s weird. It’s hot, dense, and black.
The modern phage of anti-biotics
A young woman has been successfully treated for an anti-biotic resistant bacterial infection with gene edited phage therapy.
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Sex makes female flies get serious
The act of sex make female flies consider no other, whether she got what she needed or not.
Wasps know logic
Wasps may be jerk bees, but they are also smart bees. So there? I guess?
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“What has Science done for me lately.
Third submission!
6 months ago I had to take a Toyota Prius to the dealership to get a headlight assembly replacement. I had to leave the car there as the maintenance staff explained that it was about a 5 hour job.
Fast forward 6 months.
Yesterday a close family friend went into surgery. He has been battling brain tumors for a while now, undergoing traditional treatments as well as Gamma Knife. Last week he became numb on his left side and started exhibiting signs of a possible stroke. After going into the hospital he was told that a right hemesphere brain tumor had increased in size so suddenly that it was impairing his motor functions and a surgery would have to be performed as soon as possible. Possible side effects were partial to total paralysis on the left side.
He went into surgery yesterday afternoon, placed under general anesthesia, had his skull removed in the area, tumor removed and in recovery in 4.5 hours. As of last night he was still unable to speak clearly but had movement on his left side and was able to tell with sign language that he was ok and signed “”I love you”” to his wife.
The man was in and out of a successful brain surgery faster than the local car dealership could fix my head light.
What a time to be alive!
–Dale Moore”
Let’s continue with Some Science News From This Week in Science
Finally, a human origin story Justin doesn’t like
Statistics say it’s unlikely that Australopithecus sediba is the direct ancestor to our genus, Homo
Collapsar Stars
These special collapsing stars might be what seeded the universe in gold.
Room to breathe… evolution style
Oxygen might have allowed for rapid pulses in species evolution during the Cambrian Period.
A Heart Fix
A microRNA molecule stimulated cellular repair after cardiac arrest in pig hearts. The only problem is that it caused uncontrolled cell proliferation and led to eventual death by arrhythmia.
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Blood Brain Test
An new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease when paired with an additional assay of spinal fluid can provide 97% accurate results. This could allow early detection of Alzheimer’s as much as 8 years before symptoms arise.
Pokemon Brain
People who played Pokemon as a child have a part of the brain dedicated to recognizing Pokemon characters.
Bamboo – the other other white meat.
It turns out, the giant panda’s diet might not be so stupid afterall.
Lost stash
Archaeologists searching the Andes found the largest stash of ancient hallucinogens ever discovered.
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, 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 agriculture, animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, arthropods, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, biology, biotechnology, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, evolution, galaxies, genetics, global warming, insects, mammals, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, oceanography, paleontology, pandas, pharmacology, physics, physiology, podcast, recreational drugs, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, stars, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
May 2nd, 2019
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:47:30 — 86.6MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
Wobbly Jets, Alzheimer’s Prions, Dating Denisovans, Snake Life, DEET Legs, Super Unhealthy?, Geomagnetic Jerks, Danish Unicorn Diversity, Space Water, Toxo Heart Drug, Ban The Bags, Snoot Booping Canines, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from TWIS, the This Week in Science podcast? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Everything you could have ever hoped for is closer than you think…
Cures for diseases, energy and environmental sustainability…
Mental health and economic stability…
Prolonged longevity and an end to food insecurity…
The end of many menial tasks and the taking on of tasks once thought to be intimidating too tame…
Are all closer than you think.
In fact…
Peace, prosperity, good health, and human happiness on a global scale are not just idealistic goals…
They are achievable benchmarks in our evolution.
We have developed a knowledge base through science that makes all of these accomplishments…
highly likely,
if not entirely inevitable…
The path set by research over the last hundred years has birthed much positive change to our existence so far…
And is poised to do so again with cumulative magnitudes of magnificent results in the millennia to come
For it to do so we need only protect the foundations upon which our scientific principles are founded.
To follow facts were they lead us…
and, by fostering future findings through the funding of fledgling ideas…
Science is at the very heart of everything we humans have done to improve our lives.
And nothing else we do is nearly as important to our survival as a species…
Except perhaps for
This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next…
First up, the top science news stories of the week!
Wobbly Jets
Using the Very Long Baseline Array, researchers at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research were able to determine that a variable binary system black hole called V404 Cygni isn’t lined up quite right, and is spinning at 60% the speed of light, which has led it to express a wobbly jet.
Alzheimer’s Prions
For years we have known that amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles are involved in Alzheimer’s disease. But, now, thanks to new bioassays developed at UCSF, we know that AB and tau are self-propogating prions, and that we may have been focusing on the wrong stage of disease development. Clearing out the plaques and tangles is action taken too late for the brain. Researchers are now looking at treatments that can address the prions themselves or mechanisms to help the brain clear the rogue proteins from cells more effectively.
[Watch our interview with Dr. Donnelly on his work to understand ALS and fronto-temporal dementia here!]
New Denisovan Discovery
An old jawbone found in a 40 year old archaeological collection was determined to belong to a Denisovan, placing the ancient people on the Tibetan plateau about 160,000 years ago.
And, now it’s time for Blair’s Animal Corner!… with Blair!
Why do women live longer?
The answer is in males’ tendency to punch each other…
Why is DEET so effective?
It’s surprisingly, all in their gams.
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Well, since I don’t think I have a good definition of what exactly “lately” means, I’m going to try to tell what science has been doing for me for the last 14 plus years. I guess this period will include “lately” as well. -:) I think I had an interest to science as far back as I can remember, but since I began listening to your show I believe my interest became more organized.
In my life, like in all our lives, there are ups and downs. I have these moments when I’m exhausted, depressed, jaded. Turning your TWIS episode on works like the best anti-depressant I can think of. It allows me to jump out the train of these negative emotions that you feel when you’re depressed.
Speaking of depression, it’s one of the emotional states that, thanks to science, I realize the chemistry of hormones is partly responsible for. Realizing why I feel this way or another helps me to get back on track and calm down. It’s not bullet proof; the more ancient part of the brain that’s responsible for emotions is still there in my skull -:) but. at least with my neural-cortex I can think it through and “fix” myself.
Again, I wouldn’t have a slightest idea of what’s going on if not your show that I’ve been listening to since 2005, and which set me towards reading a lot of great books about science. Like “Consciousness Explained”, “From Bacteria to Bach and Back”, “A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived”, “Grooming, Gossip and Evolution of Human Language” and many more.
I’ve just finished reading yet another one – “Mistakes were made – but not by me”. Well, I’m not sure how much I can actually follow the authors suggestions, given that so many people around me don’t and won’t follow these. But I will try to factor them in anyway to enhance my communication abilities and just be a better human being -:)
I heard Neil Degrass Tyson once said that science is first of all the way of thinking and then the rest is what people usually associate with it. This is what I value about science the most – how this way of thinking helps me process the world and make sense of it. Or when it’s about some “brutal fact” that doesn’t provide an answer on the question “how come?” and it’s just the way it is, without explanation we all are always looking for everything around us, I just accept it as such thing.
So, even though I’m not a scientist, and my current work as a content editor for an online publication has nothing to do with a degree in Methodology I got in the university back in late 90s – science has a huge role in my life. For me this is the way to make through this life with issues that it throws at me.
Sometimes when I listen to you talking on the podcast about something very enthusiastically I wonder that perhaps you may have some issue in your life at the moment too but talking about science for you is the best way to get over it, it’s like an anchor. So I’m with you, this is my cure too.
–Minion Artyom”
Let’s continue with Some Science News From This Week in Science
The real super power of super heroes
Why are comic book superheroes drawn they way they are? It has to do with being supernormal! And, not necessarily healthy representations of the human form.
Geomagnetic Jerks
Based on data from the ESA’s SWARM satellites, researchers are modeling the Earth’s magnetic field in the hopes of being able to predict future changes.
Narwhal Diversity
The unicorns of the sea are surprisingly homogeneous when it comes to their DNA.
Water From Space
analysis of samples from asteroid Itokawa were unexpectedly rich in water , suggeting that half of all water on Earth could have come from asteroid impacts.
Titan’s Ice
A new analysis of imagery data of Titan’s surface revealed a vast stretch of exposed bedrock water ice that do far defies explanation.
And, finally, Some Quick Science News Stories To End The Show
Drug For Toxo?
Could an old drug for high blood pressure reduce symptoms of Toxoplasmosis infection in people?
YOU HAD ONE JOB…
Despite their label, biodegradable bags failed to break down after 3 years in soil or water. So just bring your canvas bags already!
Wolves vs Dogs
On the question of which is more pro social, wolves win.
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, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, 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, archeology, arthropods, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, biology, Black Holes, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, evolution, exploration, genetics, geology, global warming, hayabusa, infectious diseases, insects, mammals, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, paleontology, pharmacology, physics, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, relativity, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, stars, technology, therapies, Toxoplasma, whales, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
